It will be one of your brightest honors that you so clearly saw and so boldly followed the path of reform; for certainly no greater boon--except liberty itself--can be conferred upon a nation than a truly national and thoroughly sound…

So that I cannot doubt that the President's adherence to his declared intention is more important to our cause and to his administration than it is to me personally.

The clause in the bill, as it came from the House, imposing a tax of ten per cent. on all notes not authorized by Congress which may be paid out after this year by any bank, whether state or national, will do much towards making our…

Half measures are better than no measures; but thorough measures are best.

I will only add, that while I have never favored legal tender laws in principle, and never consented to them except under imperious necessity, I yet think it unwise to prohibit the making of any of the treasury notes authorized by the bill…

We are in favor, furthermore, of such an amendment to the constitution, to be made by the people in conformity with its provisions, as shall terminate and forever prohibit the existence of slavery within the limits or the jurisdiction of…

This was a false declaration, and was also a cowardly surrender to enemies in open war.

From the moment it was made the popular mind grew stronger and firmer in favor of the prosecution of the war and the abolition of slavery, and more resolute to resist the surrender proposed to rebels in arms.

Prior to the adoption of this resolution, there was apparent languor and indifference among the people as to who should be President, but after its adoption there could be no doubt as to the trend of popular opinion.

It was only necessary to read it to the people of Ohio to arouse resentment and opposition.

This tax on state bank circulation was a practical prohibition of all state bank paper, and before the time fixed for the commencement of the tax, this circulation entirely disappeared.

Both parties deprecated war; but one of them would make war rather than let the Union survive; and the other would accept war rather than let it perish.

No event of my life created a more painful impression than this news following the rejoicings of the day before.

As time moves on his name and fame become brighter, while most of his contemporaries are one by one forgotten.

I felt myself bound at once, not to defend the terms of surrender, but to repel the innuendoes aimed at General Sherman.

I believed then and still believe that he was under the influence of perhaps a well-grounded fear that his life was in danger.

I hope and trust that while a single survivor of the War of the Rebellion is left among us, he will everywhere be received with honor and share all the respect which the boys of my generation were so eager to grant and extend to the heroes…

For the wounded and disabled soldiers and the widows and orphans of those who fell, a larger provision of pensions was freely granted than ever before by any nation in ancient or modern times.

I trust, and believe, that this policy will be continued until the last surviving soldier of the war meets the common fate of all.

Lincoln made a serious mistake in defeating a measure, which, if adopted, would have averted many if not all the difficulties that subsequently arose in the reconstruction of the rebel states.

Who doubts that if there had been a law upon the statute book by which the people of the southern states could have been guided in their effort to come back into the Union, they would have cheerfully followed it, although the conditions…

In the absence of law both Lincoln and Johnson did substantially right when they adopted a plan of their own and endeavored to carry it into execution.

Having taken up arms against the United States, they by that act lost their constitutional powers within the United States to govern and control our councils.

He enforced in every case full and ample protection to the freedmen of the southern states.

I believe that all the acts and proclamations of President Johnson before the meeting of Congress were wise and expedient, and that there would have been no difficulty between Congress and the President but for his personal conduct, and…