tudied for months and subscribed to in
writing by Mr. Bayard.

The common apprehension assigns to Mr. Bayard a high standing at the
bar and positive rank as a man of culture. As a lawyer Mr. Bayard has
doubtless cherished no ambition as he has attained no prominence, while
in point of education he never enjoyed facilities beyond those of the
common school or the private academy. Originally destined for
mercantile life, he did not receive in his early years the benefit of
liberal training; nor did his tastes lead him into any special personal
pursuit of literature or science, or even into a close, careful study
of the history of his own country,--a study which would have exempted
his public career from some of his more notable mistakes.

For obvious reasons Mr. Bayard has acquired exceptional popularity in
the South, and especially with Southern men in Congress. When those
who participated in the Rebellion were freed from their disabilities
and regained their old seats in the Senate and House, they found Mr.
Bayard in position, and they naturally accepted him as a leader. It
was fresh in the memory of these men that Mr. Bayard's friendship for
them had been constant and unremitting; that even in the fatal folly
and wrong of secession in 1861 they had his sympathy, to such an extent
that he advocated in a public speech the policy of permitting them to
separate peacefully from the Union. He spoke earnestly against the use
of the National power to hold these States to their duty as members of
a common government, and expressed the belief that it would be better
to have two republics, than to have one strong enough to command
respect for its laws and to enforce obedience at the cannon's mouth.
The avowal of these opinions north of the National Capital was greater
aid to the Southern conspirators than if Mr. Bayard had openly joined
their councils or expended his valor in the ranks of their army.

It was evidently not deemed prudent by Mr. Bayard to repeat his
disunion views. After Fort Lafayette, at Mr. Seward's command, had
opened its doors to men who publicly expressed disloyal sentiments in
the North, Mr. Bayard gave to the rebellion the benefit of his silence.
The great struggle went on; myriads of patriots stepped to the ranks of
the Union Army; the people were fired with love of country; from every
loyal platform and every loyal pulpit rang out words of faith and hope
for the cause and for its brave defenders.