As the Rebellion assumed its giant proportions, he saw clearly that it could be smitten only through Slavery; and when, after a bloody struggle, it was too tardily vanquished, he saw clearly that there could be no true peace, except by new…

But it was not in him to allow private grief to influence public conduct.

He did not ask his own rights, except as the Rights of Man.

And yet I doubt if words were ever delivered with more effect than when, broken with years and decay, he stood before the Senate and in the name of the House of Representatives and of all the people of the United States impeached Andrew…

Who can forget his steady, solemn utterance of this great arraignment?

The words were few, but they will sound through the ages.

For a long time, against opposition of all kinds, against misconceptions of the law, and against apologies for transactions without apology, he had insisted on impeachment; and now this old man, tottering to your door, dragged the Chief…

It was he who did this thing; and I should do poor justice to his life, if on this occasion I failed to declare my gratitude for the heroic deed.

He did not speak more than ten minutes, but every sentence seemed an oration.

Nobody, who has considered with any care what constitutes a republican government, especially since the definition supplied by our Declaration of Independence, can doubt that he was right.

His words will live as the courageous testimony of a great character on this important question.

The last earnest object of his life was the establishment of Equal Rights throughout the whole country by the recognition of the requirement of the Declaration of Independence.

As often as I return to this subject I am impressed by the damage the country has already suffered through menacing propositions affecting the national credit.

He had seen the freedman of the National Capital lifted to equality of political rights by Act of Congress; he had seen the colored race throughout the whole land lifted to equality of civil rights by Act of Congress.

It only remained that he should see them throughout the whole land lifted to the same equality in political rights; and then the promises of the Declaration of Independence would be all fulfilled.

I venture to add that we shall best honor him we now celebrate, if we adopt his aspiration and strive for its fulfilment.

But history will forget these and other failings, as it bends with reverence before the exalted labors by which humanity has been advanced.

The rule, as succinctly expressed, is simply this,--that the property of persons domiciled in an enemy country is liable to seizure and capture without regard to the alleged friendly or loyal character of the owner.

Unquestionably there are limitations imposed by humanity which must not be transcended.

A country must not be wasted, or buildings destroyed, unless under some commanding necessity.

This great power must not be wantonly employed.

But, if, in the pursuit of the enemy, or for purposes of defence, property must be destroyed, then by International Law it can be done.

It is war, which from beginning to end is terrible harshness.

Against our Rebels the Nation had two sources of power and two arsenals of rights,--one of these being the powers and rights of sovereignty, and the other the powers and rights of war,--the former being determined by the Constitution, the…

The Nation might pursue a Rebel as traitor or as belligerent; but whether traitor or belligerent, he was always an enemy.