The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-07-08
The De.aocratie Address.

The Dcxsd0cfatie Address.
The following is the address of the
National Democratic party, just is
sued: It is signed by Hon. Reverdy
johnson and forty other Senators
and members Of Congress:
WASHINGTON, July 4, 1866.
IIthe people Of tile United States:
D.sngers threaten. The Constitu.
tion-the citadel of our liberties
directly assailed. The future is dark
unless the people will come to the
In this hour of peril, National
Union should be the watch-word OF
every true man.
AS essential to National Union, we
must maintain unimpaired the rights.
the dignity, and the equality of tho
States, including the right of repre-
sentation III Congress-, and the ex-
elusive right Of each State to control
it's own domestic concerns, subject
only to the Constitution of the United
States.
After uniform construction of the
Constitution for more than half q
century, the assumption of new and
arbitrary powers in the Federal Go
vcrnment is subversive Of our system
and destructive Of liberty.
A free interchange Of opinion and
kind feeling between the citizens of
ali the States is necessary to the per-
pct'uty of the Union. At present,
eleven States are excluded from the
national council. For seven long
months, the present Congress has
persistcntly denied any right of rep
rescntation to tho people OF these
States. Laws affecting their highest
and dearest interests have been
passed, and i'll disregard of the fun
damcntal principle of free govern
ment. This denial of representation
has been madc to all the members
from a State, although the State, in
the language of the President, "pre-
sents itself not only i'm an attitude of
loyalty and harmony, but in the per-
sons OF representatives whose loyalty
cannot be questioned under any exist
ing constitutional or legal test"
The representatives of nearly one
third OF the States have not been
consulted with reference to the great
questions of the day. There has
been no nationality surrounding the
present Congress; there has been no
intercourse between the representa-
tlves of the two sections producing
mutual confidence and respect. In
the language of the distinguished
Lleutenant-General, cit is to be re-
gretted that at this time there cannot
be greater commingling between
the citizens of the two sections, and
particularly of those entrusted with
the lawmaking power" This state
Of things should be removed Mt once
and forever.
therefore, to preserve the National
Union, to vindicate the sufficiency of
our admirable Constitution, to guard
the States from covert attempts to
deprive them of their true position
IN the Union, and to bring together
those who are unnaturally severed,
and for those great national purposes
only, we cordially approve the call
tor National Union Convention, to
be held at the city of Philadelphia,
on the second Wednesday (14th) of
August next, and endorse the princi-
pies therein set forth.
We, therefore, respectfully, but
earnestly urge upon our fellow-citi-
zens, i'll each State and Territory and
Congressional District in the United
States, in the interest of union and
III spirit Of harmony, and with di-
rect reference to the principles con-
tanned in said call, to act promptly in
the selection Of wise, II. ,dcratc and
conservative men to represent them
III said Convention, to the end that
M the States shall Mt once be restored
to their practitional relations to the
Union, the Constitution be main
taincd, and peace bless the Whole
cOnnfrx,