"Much ostentation vain of fleshly arm

And fragile arms, much instrument of war,
Long in preparing, soon to nothing brought
Before mine eyes thou hast set; and in my ear
Vented much policy, and projects deep
Of enemies, of aids, battles and leagues,
Plausible to the world, to me worth naught,
Means I must use, thou say'st, prediction else
Will unpredict and fail me of the throne:
My time I told thee (and that time for thee
Were better farthest off) is not yet come;
When that comes, think not thou to find me slack
On my part aught endeavouring, or to need
Thy politic maxims, or that cumbersome
Luggage of war there shown me, argument
Of human weakness rather than of strength

*

*

More humane, more heavenly first

By winning words to conquer willing hearts,
And make persuasion do the work of fear.
At least to try and teach the erring soul
Not wilfully misdoing, but unware,
Misled; the stubborn only to subdue.”

Milton's "Paradise Regained."

1

I.-REVIEW OF THE LATE WAR.-STATESMANSHIP OF

A question at the front of the Historical review-How far President.

Davis' mal-administration was responsible for the results of the

War-Lack of a distinct inspiration in the South-Puerilities of Mr.

Davis-His first design to take personal command of the armies—

How it was defeated-An incident of Manassas-Resignation of

Mr. Hunter from the Confederate Cabinet-Richmond, a Chinese

copy of Washington-Mr. Seward, the arch-intelligence of the

war-European opinions of Mr. Davis and his Administration-A

glance at Senator Benjamin-Mr. Davis in the prophet's robe-

How he betrayed and lost public confidence-The Emancipation

Proclamation not an act of statesmanship-The two notable

triumphs of Northern statesmanship-Inattention of the South to

the Anti-Slavery measures at Washington-Peculiar crime of

Negro enlistments-A reflection on the Confederate finances--

Errour of the Impressment law-Analysis of the opposition to Mr.

Davis Mr. Toombs' explanation-Wreck of the Confederate

transportation-Private design of Mr. Davis-John M. Daniel's

commentary on Yankees-His suspicion of Mr. Davis-Curious

mitigation of animosity towards the North-Mr. Stephens' suppres

sion of a proposition from Abraham Lincoln-Par nobile of Georgia

demagogues-Curious delusion of the South as to the recovery of

Slavery-The African Church "revivals "-A remark of Mr.

Hughes of Virginia-Historical value of the fact that the South

expected generous terms of restoration-What Reconstruction has

revealed.

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Realization of its losses in the South-Political "vivisection "-

The material civilization of the North, the conqueror-Its charac-

teristic warfare-A curious reminiscence of B. F. Butler-The

"problem" of Reconstruction-President Lincoln in Richmond-

Afterthought of the Republican party.

2.-HISTORY OF RECONSTRUCTION,

Need of a popular history of Reconstruction-Declaration of the

objects of the war in 1861-Practice of the war as to "existing

State institutions "-Cases of Tennessee and Louisiana-Three con-

ditions of restoration-President Lincoln on the "white basis"-

Extraordinary proposition of Congress to disfranchise the Negro-

Reconstruction policy of President Johnson-Happy condition of the

country under it-Gen. Grant's testimony-Necessity of the Repub-

lican party-Its revolutionary sentiment and education-Six months

of fruitless debate in Congress-Violent premise of Reconstruction—

Dogma of forfeited rights-Constitutional Amendment, No 14-

Hidden designs of this measure-Trap of Thaddeus Stevens on

universal suffrage-A trick on Southern opinion-President Johnson's

re-assurances to the South-Reconstruction law of March 2d, 1867-

President's veto-Gen. Grant's interpretation of Reconstruction-

History of the Convention elections in the South-Remarkable frauds

in the registration-The attempt of Congress upon the President,

as part of the Reconstruction scheme-Analysis of this attempt—

Three violent measures-A historical remark on the Tenure-of-office

law-The significance of impeachment of the President-Its logical

identity with Reconstruction.

3. THREE NOTABLE ARGUMENTS,

The three arguments for the Reconstruction scheme of Congress—

Senator Sumner's early discovery of "dead States"-A clear and

fundamental proposition-Decision of Justice Sprague of Massachu-

setts-Estoppel of Congress from the doctrine of State forfeiture-

Important decision of Chief Justice Chase on the North Carolina

circuit-The argument of a 'conquered country "-Extract from an

English statesman-" Occupatio bellica”—The Constitutional guar-

anty of a republican form of government-Senator Sumner's

ignorance of history-Analysis of the Constitution with respect

to suffrage-The general argument for universal suffrage-Recent

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53

declamations of Thaddeus Stevens-A logical reply to them-

Universal suffrage, as meaning Negro suffrage for the South-A

brutal mockery of republicanism.

The Radical party vindicating the action of the South in the late

war-A new interpretation of "Copperheads"-Speech of George

H. Pendleton-Two wars since 1860: one for the Union, the other for

the Constitution-President Lincoln's plea of necessity-Precedents

of 1776 and 1812-Reasons for the war on the Constitution-Extract

from an English publicist-Identity of the Two Rebellions, 1776 and

1861-Extraordinary declaration of President Johnson-Prophecy of

the "lost cause regained."

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III.—THE NEGRO QUESTION.

1.-RETROSPECT OF SLAVERY,

The political question of the Negro resolved to one of natural

history-Value of the fact of the specific inferiourity of the Negro-

Its importance in a retrospect of the sectional controversy and war—

The tribute of history to Negro Slavery in the South-The equality

doctrine of the Declaration of Independence, so far from condemning

Slavery, obtained from the contact and influence of it-The true and

only defence of Slavery-Mistakes of Southern politicians-Their

appeal to the Constitution in behalf of Slavery, a mean and infamous

one-The important premise of the entire Slavery Question, the

inferiourity of the Negro.

The Scientific Argument-Divisions of the organic world-Qualities

of a "Species"-The law of hybridity-The Negro, the base of the

generic column of Man-No genus without species-Limits of inter-

union between Negroes and Whites-The Octoroon absolutely sterile

-Uniformity of the type of the Negro-The excavations of Cham-

pollion-The Religious Argument-Hypothesis of a Divine miracle

with reference to the Negro-The Historic Argument-The Negro in

Africa-Former civilization of the Nile-A glance at Liberia-The

idea of the inferiourity of the Negro, one of benevolence.

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