Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-14
THE PRESIDENT AND THE NORTH
OAROLINIANs.
Important Views ON Rf cOnstruction
E-s outhern states ssAlH ON PrOba-
tton-RatincatiOn OF the COnstttu-
tionaI Amendment Demanded.

Important Views ON RS c0nstructton
ai-s outhern states san ON PrOba-
Standardization OF the COnstitu-
tIonaI Amendment Demanded.
WASHINGTON, Nov. I0.-To-day, men,
bers of the late North Carolina Con-
vention, and other gentlemen of that
State, visited the President, when Hon.
Mr.. Read, on behalf of the Convention
over which he had the honor to preside,
presented for bis favorable considera-
lion certain of it's proceedings, saying
among other things that the first act of
the Convention was to declare her unin-
terrupted connection with the Union,
and that the ordinance OF May, 1851,
BY which she was attempted to be sew
cred from the Union, was null and void.
This was done by vote very nearly ap-
preaching unanimity, and thus the first
issue in the late war was yielded. The
next thing done was to prohibit slavery,
and this was BIZ q unanimous vote, and
a committee of able lawyers was pro-
vided to prepare wholesome laws for
consideration of the Legislature, and
thus the second issue in the late war
I WAS YtEQEQ. A0FAH
Welded all which was involved IN the
war, and being of the opinion that the
| State was and always had zen IN the
Union, and that our relations had been
disturbed and not destroyed, respectful
ly ask your Excellency to declare, on
| the part of the authorities of the United
States, as the State has done its part,
| that our Government relations have
been reconciled.
The Convention instructed the Legis.
lature to provide for the payment of the
debts of the States, declared that all
debts contracted in aid of the rebellion
to be illegal, and prohibited the payment
Of the same. f43
Mr.. Read said we had heard, that,
notwit hstanding the State might yield,
and, as be understands, has yielded all
that was involved in the war, and not
withstanding our people were submits
sive and well-disposed, and anxious for
fraternal relations, her delegation in
Congress would not be admitted unless
they had qualification not prescribed
by the Constitution; that they would be
required to take an oath which few men
/ in the State can take, affirming not
merely that they are right. but that they
have never been wrong. The exclusion
of her delegation upon any such test as
suggested would be felt by our people
universally as such a deep wrong Ehat
it would put their strong devotion to the
Government, aud their lively hope Of
perfect reconciliation, to the seVerest
trial They can understand the bitter
ness Of strife and the aversion to trea-
son, but they will be COMPOUNDED at the
repulsion of offered friendship and avow-
ed loyalty. The Convention, therefore,
respectfully asks Congress to repel the
test oath. l have thought it respectful
both to you and to Congress that this re-
quest should pass through your hands,
with the hope that your Excellency'
magnanimity would add to it some re
Election which would avail that body.
After further remarks by Mr.. Read
in which he spoke of the confidence re-
posed in him by North Carolina, tbs
President responded as follows:
Hon. lMR. READ; I receive from you,
with pleasure, copy of the proceedings
of the Convention Of North Carolina. ]
reciprocate cordially the couciliatory
spirit in which You have addressed me.
The Convention Of North Carolina has
done much and well toward restoring
that State to her proper national rela-
tons, but something yet remains to be
done to render that restoration immedi-
ately practicable An acceptati0u oil
the congressional amendment, abolish
ing slavery throughout the United
States, by the Legislature of the State
of North Carolina, is, in my judgment
practically important to the successful
restoration which is SO much desired by
all Without answering specially the
questions you have proposed to me, il
will be sufficient to say that my action
must depend upon events, and that Mr..
Holden will be again instructed to con-
tinue the exercise of his functions az
Provisional Governor until he shall have
been expressly relieved by orders to that
effect. The following is copy Of the
telegram addressed to his Excellency B.
F. Perry, Provisional Governor of South
Carolina
"Your telegram OF the 4th inst. is just
now received While much has baen
done in South Carolina that is conducive
W pcdce anu TS5lOEabtOn, tnb reSlu6Hl
still thinks it is impossible to anticipate
events. He expects, therefore, that you
will continue to exercise the duties here
tofore devolved upon you as Provisional
Governor of South Carolina, until you
shall be relieved by his order. He OBJ
serves with regret that neither the Con
vention nor the State Legislature has
pronounced the debts and obligations
contracted in the name of the State, for
unconstitutional and even rebellious
purposes, to be void. He equally re-
grets that the State seems to decline the
Congressional Amendment of the Con,
stitution Of the United States abolish
ing slavery. telegrapEed to you yes
terday as follows: The President directs
me to write to you that an early adop
ton of the Congressional Amendment
of the Constitution of the United States
abolishing slavery, by the South Caro-
lima Legislature, is deemed peculiarly
important, and especially desirable with
reference to the general situation of the
Union. l have now only to say, the
Presidents opinions before expressed
remain unchanged.
[signed] r W. q. SEWARD.