Abstract

The Reconstructive Spirit of the War

Better than ever before, even than in those early days when the South did not reach further south than Georgia, North and South are now united. The fusing together of the whole nation had ever been the wish and dream of its greatest leaders, a wish equally strong in the heart of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln of Illinois and of Washington of Virginia. This wish has been realized. Even at the worst moments of the Great Conflict North and South respected each other; for it was a conflict between men with hearts. Now they love each other; and no more touching sight could be imagined than the enthusiastic reception accorded the other day in Washington to the Confederate veterans, among whom, marching as one of them, was the universally beloved and admired Chief Justice of the United States.