The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-08-31

I
| il becomes the precedent for future in.
vasions Of liberty and cOnstl,utonai
right, dependent solely upon the Will
of the party in possession 0f power, ana
thus leads by direct and necessary
sequence. TO tho most fntnl and ini0ler-
able Of all tyrannics-,he tyranny of
shifting and irresponsible political fac
tiOns II is against this the most form
dable of all the dangers which menace
thc stability Of froc government that
the Constitution Of tho United States
was intended most carefully to provide
We demand a strict and stoadiast ad-
hcrcncc 10 It's provisions. IN this, and
in this alone, can we find basis Of
permanent Union and peace.
Loyalty OF the South Unques-
toned.
Fourth But Il is alleged, IN lustif-
cation which we condemn. that tho
condition Of the Southern States and
pCOplc is not such az rondcrs safe thoir
readmission TO share in tho Govern
mont Of the country; that they are still
dislOyal IN sentiment and purpose, and
that neither the honor, the cronit nor
the interests of tho nation would be safo
If they were rcadmttcd 60 share in
its councils. We might reply to this:
/. That we have no right, for such
reasons, to deny to any portion Of tho
States or people rights expressly COR
iorred upon them by the constitution
Of tho United States,
:. That So long as their acts aru
those Of loyalty-so long as thoy con.
form in all their public conduct to tho
requirements Of the constitution and
llaws--we havo no right to cxact from
them conformity in their sentiments
and opinions to our own.
3. That we have no right TO dstrust
the purpose or the ability Of tho people
Of the Union TO protect and defend, uu-
der all contingencies and by whatovor
means may be required, its honor und
its welfare
These would, in our judgement, L.
full and conclusive answers to the plua
thus advanced for the exclusion Of those
States from the Union. But wo say
further that this plea rests upon
complete misapprehonsion, or an un-
just pcrvcrsion of existing facts.
HIS PcacenbIenesa.
. We do not hesitate to affirm that
there is no section of the econutry whore
the constitution and laws of the United
States finds n moro prompt and entire
T. obedience than in those States, and
1 among those people who were lately in
j. arms against them; or where there is
i less purpose OF less danger of any flu
, turc attempt 10 overthrow theirauthor-
;, Ity. 1t would seem to be both natural
and inevitable that, IN States and sec
e tions so recently swept by tho whirl-
wind of war, whore all ordinary modos
s and methods of organized Industry
| have been broken up, and the bonds
! and influences that guarantee social
e. order have been destroyed whore
, thousands and tens of thousands of
turbulent spirits have boen suddenly
l lo6sed from the discipline of war, and
, thrown without resources or restraint
Jpn n disorganizcd and chaotic society
3 and were the keen sense of defeat is
, added to the overthrow of ambition
; and hope scenes of violence should
defy for time the imperfect discipline
} Of law, and excite anew the fears and
forebodings Of the patriotic and we'll
disposed, 1t is unquestionably true
? that local disturbances Of this kind, ac-
companied by moro or loss violence, do
still occur. But they are confined en-
tirely to tho cities and and larger
/ towns Of the Southern Statos, where
different races and interests are
brought moro closely in contact, and
where passions and resentments are
always most easily fed and famed into
outbreak; and oven there they are
quite MS muth the fruit of untmelyan
hurtful political agitation as of any
hostility on the part Of the people TO
the authority of tho National Govorn-
ment.
t AdhensiOn to the Government.
f But the concurrent testimony of
tnGcc hest acquainted with the eodition
Of society ana The state of public senti-
f ment in the South-inc,"AiDg that of
, its representatives in this ConVcntion
establishes the fact that tho great
masses OF the Southern people accept,
! with as full and sincere submission as
do tho people Of the other Statcs, tho
re-establshed supremacy of tho Ma
tional authority, and arc prepared, in
the most loyal spirit, and with zeal
quiekencd alike by their interest and
their pride, to cooperate with othor
States and sections in whatever may
be necessary to defend the rights,
maintain the honor, and promote tho
welfare Of our common country. His
tory affords no instance whore peo-
: pie, so powerful in numbers, in re.
, sources and in public spirit, after
war so longin it's duration, 50 destruc-
tive in its progress, and so adverse in
its issue, have accepted defoat and its