Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-09-23

thanks to Almighty God. that through His
infinite goodness and experimenting provi-
dsnce, our army and navy, under the lead of
their great commanders, have at last achieved
the final and supreme victory over the rebel
lion: that peace reigns once more from the
Lakes to the Gulf from the rivers TO the sea (;
snd, while they bear in sorrow all their great
and bloody sacrifices. among others, even the
assassination of Abraham Lincoln, their be-
loved President, the second Washington of
America, who led them through the long and
tremendous conflict so wisely that at times he
seemed almost inspired, they rejoice that he
was permitted to see the great work so nearly
done, the rebellion crushed at his feet, the
flag Of the Usion floating over Richmond and
over the soil of every State-not astar obscur
ed nor stripe erased.
Resolvsd, That under God, and next to
Him, we owe to the brave officers and soldiers
OF the army and navy, our deepest gratitude,
for the preservation Of our national existence,
for the maintenance of the Union, and for the
overthrow of Slavery, which entities them to
high consideration in appointment TO civil of
flee, and we heartily respond to the sugges-
ton of Lieut. General Grant. lately made at
Milwaukee, and pledge ourselves to remem-
Der and cherish the "Homes' esta blished for
disabled soldiers and their orphan children.
LltSOtUeu, udt the U7l3nln8 which caused
thellate rebellion against the United States
was horn of the pride and ambition of an ar
istocracy founded upon slavery, which the
war and the Emancipation Proclamation of
President Lincoln has rightfully destroyed !;
but we deem it essential to the reg sneration
of the late slave, but now free States, that
they should in good faith accept their new
situation as free States, not only by abolish.
ing slavery in their State Constitutions, but
by the ratification by their legislatures of the
Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, submitted by Congress and now pend
ing, which forever abOlishes slavery in every
State, and empowers Congress to pass all
laws necessary to secure liberty to all the
people, black and white. By its adoption the
cause of the rebellion will be removed. sla-
very destroyed, and liberty established upon
a foundation which neither State, nor Presi.
dent, nor Congress, nor court, nor change of
parties can shake--as enduring as the globe
ITSELF By its adoption by the people of those
States, ali the world viii know that they ac-
cept freedom as their situation, and give up
slavery and all hope of restoring slavery for
ever,
Rcsolved, That under the Constitution OF
the United States, the pretended right of se-
cession by any State. or the people of any
State, by any act, resolve or proceeding what
ever, is monstrous heresy which the rebels
o. the South sought TO realize by arms, and
their sympathisers at the North by cowardly
surrender /; but the triumph of our cause ha,
put an end to all ideas South or North, i'm ev.
cry sane mind, that any State can either for
chilly or peaceably withdraw from the Union
Rcsoluod, That we recognize in the AID.
ministration of President johnson, substan
tally the same policy toward the people o.
the Southern States rs that inaugurated by
President Lincoln that while he has offered
terms of reconstruction in spirit of liberaiity
and kindness, he nevertheless has evinced 3
determination to arrest the abuse of political
power whenever exercised for Gisloyal pur.
poses and that we believe that he will so di.
rect and control the work of reconstruction as
will eventually restore the Union entire, and
secure to all the rights to which they are emit
tied undera free and enlightened government
| and that we pledge to him in the great work
ofrestoring civil government in those States
upon that basis, our hearty and unwayering
support.
Rssolved, That while we welcome the ces-
| saticn of war in the Southern States, we dc
| not close our eyes to the fact that a large por-
ton of the white population are fresh from
acts of hostility towards the Government and
its free institutions still unsettled in opin-
| ions, and many OF them unreconciled to the
results of the contest in which for four years
they have been engaged. We rejoice 10 be
assured that the Government will not with
| draw from those States the strong arm of MIL
| itary power until it has full and satisfactory
evidence OF such spirit of true and perma-
nent loyalty as to make them safe participants
in the right of self government, insu ebedi-
ence to the Constitution and laws. acquies
cence in the emancipation of the slaves, and
protection to the freedmen in the RIG hit to en-.
| Joy the fruits of their labor, as well as secu
rity for them against unlawful violence and
| persecution. Hf
Resolved, That in the opinion of this Con.
vention, it is due to equal justice and to tbs
altered condition of things. that the Consti.
| tuition of the United States should be SC
| amended as to make the representation o
| each State in the House of Representative
| proportionate to the number of legally quail.
fed male electors of full age in such State.
ResoLaed, That the national debt incurred
| in the suppression of the late rebellion, is o
| thefmost sacred and binding obligation. Tha
| reputation, in any form, or by any means
direct or indirect, of the debt or interest upor
| It, or infringing in the least degree upon the
| faith plighted by the government to make its
| bonds valuable, would Justly incur the repro.
4
and suicide.--a folly, because under the de-
| cision of the Supreme Court. we could not i
we would a crime, for that debt is tie price
of our national existence. AMI of liberty itself
a suicide, for it would utterly destroy our ma
| tional credit. without which no nation can
| long exist, and God only knows how soon we
may be involved in war with some foreign
power to maintain Republicanism against
Despotism. 1t should never be forgotten, in
deed it is our glory, that it was not SO much
much the great capitalists in this country or
in Europe, as the common people-tle loyal
men and women of moderate means, the wi
dow from her dover and the orphan from his
legacy, who came forward, many of them, to
put their all into an almost bankrupt treasury
in the darkest hour of our trial, and next to
the soldiers who gave their lives in the corr
test, they are entitled toeyerlasting gratitude.
The closing resolution pays tribute to the
faithfulness of Gov. LEWIS, and assures him
of the gratitude of the States for the ability
and fidelity with which he has discharged
the duties of the Executive Office.