The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-08-29
and ambition than upon distrust and the

:" sd d 4
Ii. 1.-THE next place, we will call up
on you to recognize in their full signif-
icance, and to accept with all their le-
Ultimate consequences, the political re-
suits OF the war just closed. In two
most important particulars the victory
achieved by the National Government
has been final and decisive. First, it is 1
established beyond all further contro-
versy, and by the highest of all human
sanctions, the absolute supremacy of the
National Government, as defined and
limited by the Constitution ofthe Uni
ted States, and the permanent integrity
and indissolubility ofthe Federal Union
as a necessary consequence and, second,
it has put an end finally and forever 70
the existence of slavery upon the soil or
within the jurisdiction of the United
States. Both these points became d.
rectly involved in the contest, and con-
troversy upon both was ended abso-
lutely and finally by the result.
III. In the third place, we deem it
of the utmost Importance that the real
character Of the war and the victory by
which it was closed should be accurate
ly understood. The war was carried
on by the Government of the United
State in maintenance of it's own author
lty and in defence of its own existence,
both of which were menaced by the in
surrection whichit' sought to suppress.
The suppression of that Instruction
accomplished the result. The Govern
ment of the United States maintained
by force of arms the supreme authority
over all the territory, and over all the
States and people within its jurisdic-
ton, which the Constitution confers up
on it; but it acquired thereby no new
power, no enlarged jurisdiction, no
rights either of territorial possession or
OF civil authority which it did not pos
sess before the rebellion broke out All
the rightful power it can ever possess
is that which is conferred upon it, either
in express terms or by fair and necessa-
ry implication, by the Constitution of
the United States. 1t was that power
and that authority which the rebellion
sought to overthrow, and the victory
OF the Federal arms was simply the de-
feat of that attempt. The Government
Oft the United States acted throughout
the war on the defensive. 1t sought
only to hold possession of what was al
ready its own. Neither the war, nor
the victory by which it was closed,
changed in any way the Constitution
OF the United States. The war was
carried on by virtue of its provisions,
and under the limitations which they
prescribe; and the result Of the war
did not either enlarge, abridge, or in
any way change or effect the powers
it confers upon the Federal Government
or release that Government from the
restrictions, which it has imposed.
The Constitution ofthe United States
is to-day precisely as it was before the
war, the "supreme law of the land,
anything in the Constitution or laws of
any State to the contrary notwithstand-
ing - and to-day, also, precisely as be-
fore the war, all the powers not conferred
by the Constitution upon the General
Government, nor prohibited by it to the
States, are reserved to the several
States, OF to the people thereof"
This position is vfndicatcu not only
by the essential nature of our Govern
ment, and the language and spirit of
the Constitution, but by all the acts and
the language ofoar Government, in all
its departments, and at all times from
the outbreak of the rebellion to its final
overthrow. In every message and proc
lamation OF the Executive it was explic-
lily declared that the sole object and
purpose of the war was to maintain the
authority of the Constitution and to pre-
serve the integrity of rhe Union; and
Congress more than once reiterated
this solemn declaration, and added
the assurance that whenever the object
should be attained the war should cease,
and all the States should retain their
equal rights and dignity unimpared.
1t is only since the war was closed that
other rights have been asserted on behalf of
one department of the General Government.
1t has been proclaimed by Congress that, in
addition to the powers conferred upon it by
the Constitution, the Federal Government
may now claim over the States, the territory
and the people involved in the instruction,
the rights of war-the right of conquest and
of contscation, the right to abrogate all
governments, institutions and laws, and to
subject the territory conquered and its in
habitants to such laws, regulations and de-
privations as the legislative department of
the Government may see fit to impose
Under this broad and sweeping claim, that
clause of the Constitution which provides
that mo State shall without its consent be
deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate of
the United States" has been annulled, and
ten States have been refused, and are still re-
fused, representation altogether in both
branches of the Federal Congress. And the
Congress in which only part Of the States
and of the people Of the Union are represent
ed has asserted the right thus to exclude the
rest from representation, and from all share
making their own laws or choosing their
own rulers until they shall comply with such
conditions and perform such acts as this Con-
gress thus composed may itself prescribe
That right has not only been asserted, but
it has been exercised, and is practically en-
forced at the present time. Nor does it find
any support in the theory that the States
thus excluded are in rebellion against the
Government, and are therefore precluded
from sharing its authority. They are not
thus in rebellion They are one. and all in
an attitude ofloyalty toward the Government
and of sworn allegiance to the Constitution
of the United States. In no one of them is
there the slightest Indication of resistance to
this authority, or the slightest protest against
its just and binding obligation. This condi-
tion of renewed loyalty has been officially
recognized by solemn proclamation of the Ex-
ecutive Department. The laws Of the Uni
ted States have been extended by Congress
over all these States and the people thereof