The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-19

the RigAts Of War, or Belligerent Rights, which
have been superinducedi by the nature and
extent of the contest that by virtue of the
Rights of Sovereignty, the rebel and belliger-
emit region is now subject ~ the National Gov
eminent as its only rightfnl Government bound
under the Constitution to all the duties of
sovereignty, and by special mandate bound also
ito guarantee to every State republican form
of government, and to protect it against in
vasion; that, by virtue of the rights of war,
this same region is subject to all the conditions
and incidents of war, according to the estab-
lished usages of Christian nations, out of which
is derived the familiar maxim of public duty,
Indemnity for the past and security for the
future" -"
4. Resolved, That in seeking the restoration of
the States to their proper places as members
of the Republic, so that every State shall enjoy
again its constitutional functions and every
star ON our national flag shall represent
State, In reality as well a. In name, care must
be taken that the rebellion is not allowed,
through any negligence or mistaken conces-
sion, 70 retain the least toothold for future &C
tivity, or the least germ of future life; that,
whether proceeding by the exercise of sove-
reign rights or of belligerent rights, the same
precautions must be exacted against future
peril that, therefore, any system Of recon
struction" must be rejected which does not
pTOVEuc ny lIICVcISlUt0 SuoIoutcc3 against tuc
continued existence or possible revival of
slavery, and that such guarantees can be pri-
marily obtained only through the agency of
the National Government, which to this end
must assert temporary supremacy, military
or civil, throughout the rebel and belligerent
region, of sufficient duration to stamp upon
this region the character of freedom.
8. Resolved, That, in the exercise of this es-
sential supremacy of the National Govern.
ment, solemn duty is cast upon Congress to
see, that no rebel State is prema.urely restored
to its constitutional functions, until within its
borders all proper safeguards are established,
20 that loyal citizens, including the new-made
freedmen, cannot at any time be molested by
evildisposed persons and especially that no
man there may be made slave; that this sol.
emn duty belongs to Congress under the Con-
stitution, whether in the exercise of rights of
sovereignty or rights of war; and that, in its
performance that system of reconstruction
will be found the best-hOwsoever it may be
named-which promises most surely to ac-
complish the desired end, SO that slavery,
which is the synonym of the rebellion, shall
absolutely cease throughout the whole rebel
and belligerent region. and the land which it
has maddened, impoverished and degraded,
shall become safe, fertile, and glorious from
assured emancipation.
s. Resolped, That, in the process of "recon-
struction, it is not enough to secure the death
of slavery throughout the rebel and belligerent
region only; that experience testifies against
| slavery wherever it exists not only as crime
against humanity, but as disturber of the
public peace and the spoler of the public liber-
ties, including the liberty of the press, the lib
| erty of speech and the liberty of travel and
transit; that obviously in the progress of civil
| ixation, it has become incompatible with good
government and especially with that "repub-
lican form of government which the United
l ia roy1fo tn 0<ox
that from the outbreak of this rebel war, even
in States protesting loyalty, it has been an open
check upon patriotic duty and open accessory
to the rebellion, so as to be q source of unques-
tionable weakness to the national cause; that
the defiant pretensions of the MASTER claiming
with the paramount rights of the National
| Government; and that, therefore, it is the
further duty of Congress, in the exercise of its
double powers, under the Constitution, as
guardian of the national safety, to take all
needful steps to secure the extinction of slav-
| cry, even in States protesting loyalty, 80 that
| this crime against humanity, this disturber of
the public peace, and this spoiler of the public
liberties shall no longer exist anywhere to
menace the general harmony; that civilization
may be no longer shocked that the cOnstitu.
tional guaranty of republican form of gov
eminent to every State may be fulfilled that
the rebellion may be deprived of the traitorous
AID ana comfort WHICH slavery mas lnStlnctlvely
volunteered; and that the master, claiming an
| unnatural property in human flesh, may no
longer defy the National Government.
2. Resolued, That, in addition to the guaran.
tees stipulated by Congress, and as the cap
stone to it's work of restoration and reconcilia-
ton, the Constitution itself must be so amend
ed as to prohibit Slavery everywhere within
the limits of the Republic; that such prohi-
bition. leaving all personal claims, whether of
slave or master, to the legislation of Con-
gress and of the States, will be in
itself sacred and inviolable guarantee,
representing the collective will of the people
of the United States, and placing universal
emancipation under the sanction of the Copsti-
tuition, so that freedom shall be engraved on
every foot of the national soil, and be woven
into every star of the national flag, while it ele-
| Yates and inspires our whole national existence,
and the Constitution, SO often invoked for
! slavery. but at last in harmony with the De-
claration of Independence will become, ac-
cording to the holy aspirations of its founders,
the sublime guardian of the inalienable right
of every human being to life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness; all of which must be
done in the name of the Union, in duty to hui
manity, and for the sake of permanent peace.