Congress, by passing the Reconstruction law, has steered the Ship of State past two dangers: First—Rebel votes and corruption forcing the United States to pay the rebel debt.

Second—Rebel Governors and rebel Congressmen fomenting a foreign war, and then joining the enemy against their own country.... If any newspaper correspondent should write that the late rebels are friends of the whole country, put him down as a Copperhead, beslabbering his party with false praise. (OC 1867)

I asked [William] McKee [of the Missouri Democrat] for a situation any where about his office—job office, newspaper, or reporter. He said he would let me know if there was a vacancy, but job printing was very dull. He had discharged half a dozen hands last week. I went to the [Missouri] Republican office, but there were only a few men in the job office, and half of them seemed to bridle. I went to Levisons. Two men were at work, but seemed to have little to do. I asked [Thomas Watt] Ustick for work in his job office. He said they were full. (OC to MEC, 6 Sept 67, CU-MARK)