this? No: it is in imitation of the great Ruler of all, who bestows blessings and rewards upon the just and righteous, and punishments upon the others. I am not here to-day to imitate what other nations have done for their high chieftains and great military men. But I desire to show my gratitude, with the gratitude of this nation, in behalf of a great and a good man. Let us do it in imitation of divine authority, and not in imitation of man. Because other nations who have preceded us may have acted in the right way, that affords no reason for refusing to pursue a just path."

"I believe that the moral and physical courage, the patience and skill, the operations in every way, which we have witnessed, indicate General Grant as one of the fittest men to command a great army and lead it to great results. I agree with the gentleman from New York in being willing, not only to promote him to this office, but, as I understood him, and I hope I do not misunderstand him, to a higher office, whenever the happy moment shall arrive." 1

1 An Act to revive the grade of General in the United-States Army.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the grade of " General of the Army of the United States" be, and the same is, hereby revived; and that the President is hereby authorized, whenever he shall deem it expedient, to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a general of the army of the United States, to be selected from among those officers in the military service of the United States most distinguished for courage, skill, and ability, who, being commissioned as general, may be authorized, under the direction and during the pleasure of the President, to command the armies of the United States.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the pay proper of the general shall be four hundred dollars per month; and his allowance for fuel and quarters, when his headquarters are in Washington, shall be at the rate of three hundred dollars per month, and his other allowances in all respects the same as are allowed to the lieutenant-general by the second section of the act approved February twenty-nine, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, entitled An Act reviving the grade of Lieutenant-General in the United-States Army;" and the chief of staff to the lieutenant-general shall be transferred, and be the chief of staff to the general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of a brigadier-general

During the year 1866, Gen. Grant was chiefly employed in supervising the military force which was stationed in the rebellious States, "to secure the execution of law, and to protect life and property against the acts of those who as yet will acknowledge no law but force," as he expresses it in his report. He describes in this sentence a condition of affairs which publicists term, "bellum non cessans.” Tumultous whites, still inimical to the Government which they had vainly essayed to destroy, lawless soldiers remanded from the standards of Lee and Johnston, indignant masters disgusted with the loss of man-servant and maid-servant, slaves just liberated from hereditary bondage, were all mingled together in a seething mass, with no law, or institutions of justice, powerful enough to control the license and crime of such a reckless and turbulent horde. No reconstruction laws were yet passed. The States were undergoing Mr. Johnson's empirical process of reorganization, and were in transition between the old State constitutions and the new; which he had assumed the right of dictating, in order to harmonize their governments with the amended Constitution.

in the army of the United States; and the act approved March third, eighteen hundred and sixty-five, entitled "An Act to provide for a chief of staff to the Lieutenant-General commanding the Armies of the United States," is hereby repealed; and the said general may select from the regular army for service upon his staff such number of aides, not exceeding six, as he may judge proper, who during the term of such staff service shall each have the rank, pay, and emoluments of a colonel of cavalry. And it is hereby provided, that, in lieu of the staff now allowed by law to the lieutenant-general, he shall be entitled to two aides and one military secretary, each to have the rank, pay, and emoluments of a lieutenant-colonel of cavalry, during the term of such staff service.

Approved July 25, 1866.

This vast territory of lawlessness and insubordination was chiefly ruled by the commanders of the military districts, who received their instructions from the general-in-chief. More intricate problems of administration are presented every month to his decision. than a president of the United States ordinarily encounters in a four years' term. It is hard to conceive of a government more difficult, or which would more fully test the ability of a chief executive. The condition of the society which he ruled during this anarchical year can be seen in epitome by a few extracts from the reports of his subordinates. I select but three out of an indefinite number, which alone would swell this chapter to a wearisome length: "The condition of civil affairs in Texas," says Gen. Sheridan, "was anomalous, singular, and unsatisfactory. I found the provisional governor, backed by a small portion of the population, had for his standard of loyalty, abhorrence for the Rebellion, and glory in its defeat;' while his successor, as actual governor, had for his standard of loyalty, 'pride in Rebellion,

that it was a righteous but lost cause, being overpowered by the Federal forces.' Both of these representatives of the civil law, entertaining opposite standards for the loyalty of their subjects, I was required to support, and did it to the best of my ability; but it has been embarrassing in the extreme. Gov. Hamilton, the provisional governor, was clamorous for more troops, and, in several communications to me, asserted, that the civil law could not be carried out, that freedmen would be killed, and Union men driven from the State, without military

522

support; which I gave whenever it was possible. Gov. Throckmorton, the present governor, wants all the troops moved from the settled portions of the State; asserting that the civil law was all right, that justice would be done to freedmen, Union men, and our soldiers in the courts. But justice is not done. To give you an instance of this: two soldiers were shot at Brenham, Tex., about two months ago; they were unarmed, and offered no provocation. The grand jury could find no bill against their would-be assassins, but found a bill against Brevet-Major Smith, Seventeenth Infantry, for burglary, because he broke into the house of some citizen in his attempt to arrest these men. My own opinion is, that the trial of a white man for the murder of a freedman, in Texas, would be a farce; and, in making this statement, I make it because truth compels me, and for no other reason."

"Bands of guerillas," says Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, reporting from the military district of Kentucky, "and 'negro regulators' soon increased in numbers and audacity; and many lawless acts have been perpetrated by them upon the defenceless and unoffending citizens, both white and black. The increase of robbery and lawlessness, and the ineffectual measures taken by the civil authorities to suppress these bands, rendered it my duty to offer to the citizens more protection from the military than I had before found

necessary.

"In Gallatin and surrounding counties, these bands became so formidable and bold in committing their robberies that I was compelled to send, about the 1st

September last, a company of troops to Warsaw, also Bowling Green and Paducah, for the protection of the people. These troops still occupy their camps at these places; and, judging from the present state of affairs, it will be necessary to continue their presence there."

"Two or three weeks ago," writes Gen. D. E. Sickles, from the military department of the South, "a party of men, disguised as blacks, went to the residence of Mr. Biglow, a teacher of a school for colored children in the town of Aiken, in Barnwell District, displaying weapons and threatening his life. They compelled him to leave the place, never to return, under pain of death. Mr. Biglow was requested to return by the post-commander, and was assured of protection, but declined to do so, fearing he could not, without more hazard than he was willing to incur, resume his avocation in Aiken. This place has long been a favorite summer resort for invalids, and for people of wealth and refinement in the South. It is the headquarters of a military post, garrisoned by Company H, Fifth United-States Cavalry. Brevet-Major Walker, United-States Army, the post-commander, has exerted himself with zeal and diligence to obtain sufficient testimony to justify the arrest of the perpetrators of this outrage; and although, as he reports to me, they are well known to the neighborhood, and suspected by himself, it has been as yet impossible to obtain reliable testimony on the subject. The civil authorities have taken no action in the case, so far as I am informed."

Now, how did Gen. Grant address such enormities