Mr. WADE. Mr. President, I had not in tended to say anything at this time upon this great subject of reconstruction, because it uppared to me better that we should await the action of the committee that we have appointed and charged with the duty of enlightening us upon the subject; butI have heard so much that seems to be entirely aside of the difficulties that occur to my mind on this subject that I think Lought not to fail at thistime to express some Opinions that I entertain; and especially as the Senfrom Wisconsin, [Mr. DoomrrLE] in the long, labored, and able speech that he made yesterday almost entirely failed to touch any of the difficulties that are laboring in my mind. The Senator began by invoking the principles and aid of the preceding Administration, and informed usthat the present Administration was proceeding upon the same principles that Mr. lincoln had adopted. It is true that Mr. Lincoln had entered upon a certain policy in regard to the admission of some of these States; the question was agitated before us, I believe, during the whole period of the last Congress; but, notwithstanding my anxict to find some way by which those States couldybe safely admitted into the Union again, all the arguments that were made for that purpose during that whole Congress entirely failed to convince me that the time had arrived when it was safe to admit any of them; and therefore, for one, I contended against it, and with n good deal of zeal; and for that I, with some others here, was accused of being a little factions, and sometimes it was said we filibustered against the will of the majority to keep these States out. Now, sir, I wish to say that in my judgment President Johnson has made a great improvement upon the state of things that existe during the last Congress, although, as et, he has not reached the point where I think difficulty begins. Mr. Lincoln advised as to admit Louisiana into the Union at a time when, probably, more than 1/2 her territory was trampled beneath the hostile feet of the enemy. Our flag did not cover her territory, and perhaps not half her population, when he thought it would be safe to permither to come back into the councils of the nation and articipate with us Union men in the greatwor of legislation. I had not seen anything in the proceedings of the people there that warranted me in saying that that would be safe, and therefore I thought it best to make what stand I could against that measure. You will recollect, sir, that Mr. Lincoln did not then require, if I recollect aright, in order to the admission, anything more than that one 10th part of the poulation of Louisiana should take a certain oat, and that not a very difficult one, and when they had done that the State was to be in a condition to be admitted. Mr. Johnson, I repeat, has made an improvement, and a great improvement, upon all this, for he does require, if I understand him, that they, by their fundamental law, shall abolish slavery; he requires at their hands that they shall repudiate the rebel debt; he requires that they shall renounce the right of secession; he requires that they shall agree to the constitutional amendment abolishing slavery forever. These, in my judgment, are great improvements upon the system adopted by Mr. Lincoln. Had llIi. Lincoln himself, at that period, required these things, and had the States assented to them, I believe I should then have yielded to his wishes and given my support to the measure. But, Mr. President, in the counsels that I have given and the measures that I have advocated in the Senate, I have ever had one polar star to guide my action, and tothatI adhere whether I am in the majority or the minority, and I never intend to be tempted from it one single inch. I fix my eye upon the great principle of eternal justice, and it has borne me triuinp iant ly through all difficuliies in my legislative career since I have had a sent here. I say triumphantly, for, sir, I have stood upon this floor when I had not ten men to support me against the entire Senate, and when the principles that I advocated were infinitely more unpopular here than those that I announce today. How were the whole Senate startled at the idea of universal emancipation 15 years ago, ten years ago; yes, sir, 5 years agol Talk not to me about unpopular doctrines, and endeavor not to intimi date me by the intimation that I shall be found in a minorityamong the people! I know them better. I think I know that tread in the great path of rectitude and right, and I care not who opposas me. God Almighty is my guide; He, going before] tostrengthen myhnnd, has never the difii. failed me yet, and I do not fear that He will do so on this occason. Mr. President, I will not boast, but I, with many others upon this door. can look back to our precedent course upon this subject, I think, with great satisfaction. I think we may say with StPaul, ” we have foughtthe good fight.” We are not entirely through it, I admit, as he was. We may have a little further to go in the same direction, but our path is much easier than it was then.