Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-12-06
Address of Provisional Governor Perry

-I.-i.
Legislature. Below, we publish it entire:
Senator's ard Members of the. Hease Of Rep
e.. 7eseHtdtt1es:sJ I.g1457 - s !lRs lSRs:! .r <
,Ihage. come here to-day, 70 bid. you fare
we'll as Provisional Governor pi South Car
otna, and to congratulate You on the resto :
alton OF the State, once more, to self-goye-n-
ment and independence, as o member Of the
Federal Union: Like the leader of Gods
chosen people Of cid; have had the honor OF
conducting you through the wilderness, with
insight Of. the promised land, but am not
permittedto enter it.. That great boon has
been reserved for;.mye distinguished friend,
who Is now about to be inaugurated as the
first Chief Magistrate Of the State ever cleo
ted by the sovereign people. If not within
"three days" he will within very short
time be able to pass you over. the confusion
aaa.military rule, under which you have so
long lived, to that happy state in which you
will be, abba to,govern- yourselves, and enjoy
all the rights and privileges of free and en-
lightsned people. Under his wise and able
administration, / hope to aeethe good old
State,revive, prosper, and -bs once ,more
happy 4 =,
I am sure, gentlemen, thatI I'd ~ ray with
perfect propriety, as the representative OF the
Federal Government in South Carolina, that
the State has done enough to entitle her to
be received back as member OF the Eede.
alUnion, with all Of her Constitutional rights
fully restored. She was foremostin assum-
ing the post of;danger in the recent. reyelo-
tion, .audin her appeal to arms in defence of
what she honestly believed to be her reserved
rights as. State. Calamity and nobly her
sons fought through. the war, pouring cut
their blood and sacrificing their lives ON oil
most every battlefield throughout the South
crn States. When conquered by. over " helm
ing numbers, seeing their towns, and villages
nothing but smouldering ruins, their beloved
State a widespread .dssola,ion, their wives,
and sisters, and little children, and aged par
ent, at the point of starvation, like brave
men they accepted the DEGREES OF God, and
submitted themselves to the dire fortunes of
war. Sad and silont, with, manly toctitude
and frmness, they awaited the terms of the
coneueror. When, those terms @ort made
known, they were first, with generous pride
and high chiyalry, TO assume the humiliation
which their Slate had been foremost in
bringing on o,r, common country. e.
AS soon as the Presidents Proclamation
ives issued, the people of South Carolina
went cheerfnlly forward, ,and took the amnea
t. oath. They promptly assembled in, Con-
yention, under the order of tie Provisional
. Governor, and reformed their State Constitu-
ton, as was desired BY the President. They
abolished slavery, and freely gave up their
two hundred millions invested in slaves.
When advised to adopt the Congressional
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States abolishing slavery, South Carolina was
the first Southern State which ratified the
same, and set an example orher sister States
to follow. She has been first also, in prepar.
ing wise and humane code Of laws:for the
protection of the freedmen in all their sights
of personal property. and allowing them to
give testimony in her Courts Of Justice. She
has now elected hcr Representatives in both
Houses Of Congress, and commissioned them
to take their seats in that body. She has Or
ganized perfect State Government, with
Legislative, Executive and Judiciary De-
partments, all republican in their character,
and the members of each swcaring to sup
port the Constitution Of the United States.
Her Ordinances of secession have been re
pealed, and she now pledges herself to stand
by the Union in good faith, and with all ain
cerity.
Having done all this. you AND your Stat.
have done your duty, gracerutfy and faithful:
", as becomes gallant and generous peo-
ple, who are never afraid to assume any po-
sition where homer and patriotism prompt.
I know the President desires to relieve you
of military rule, and see your Representatives
once more seatedi in the councils Of the nation.
I cannot believe that Congress will exclude
them, by test oath, which does not apply to
members of Congress, FOR they are not Off
GERS Of the Federal Government, as was enr-
" decided in the history of our Government.
Nor has Congress any power 10 impose on
its members any other oath than Chat pre-
scribed in the. Constitution. To admit con-
trary doctrine, would enable the majority in
Congress to exclude the minority, because
they were Democrats, or States Rights meln,
or professed any other, principles repugnant
to the creed of the majority. The Conatitu-
tional oath was wisely ordained, and excludes
all other oath.. Thepowers of Congress are
delegated ndspecific, and they have no 9TH
ers. The reason for the passage of this test
OALu udS PasScu away, anu ~ hoI fePodlcQ, uo
one in South Corolina can fill Federal office
till new generation has sprung up, for all
now living, meu, women and children, did,
in some. way, countenance the war.
It is known to you, gentlemen, that j was
opposed to the secession of South Carolina.
No man in America regretted more deeply
thsa did this fatal movement, for thought
I fotesaw all the evil consequences. which
have resulted from it. Bat, when the issue
was made, my feelings in sympathy were all
with my native State. And yet, conscienti
ously believed that even the success of the
Southern States would be disastrous. The
jealousies and errors Of the Grecian States
were constantly in my mind. Disintogration
once commenced in q confederation of repub-
lies, no one could foresee where it would
end, except IN petty tyrannies, or a consoli-
dated military despotism. - -
Henceforth, no one will rcpudiste the fare.
we'll advice of Washington, as to the impcr.
lance and pcrpstuityeof- the Federal Union.
1t has shown power and strength, moral
and physical, which defy dissolution, till some
extraordinary change has taken place in tho
condition of the people. The tendency of