New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-24
FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST "a, 1866.

aptGta lnFOYng national interests and rights, our
| possession was perfect and complete. 1t did not
need to be acquired but only TO be maintained;
and victorious against the rebellion could do
nothing more than maintain it. 1t could only
Vndlcate and recstablish the disputed supremacy
of the Constitution 1t coud neither enlarge nor
I,diminish the authority which that CONSTITUTION
| cOAler5 upon the government by whIch IL was
| achieved. Such an enlargement or aDHusiAEht
| OF constitutional power can be tHtGt5u only Dy
amendment of the Consultation itself, aud such
| amendment can be made only IN the modes
which the Constitution itself prescnbes. The
claim that the suppression OF an iDsurrectOn
against the government gives additional authority
and power to that government, especially that
it enarges the jurisdiction Of Congress aud gives
that body the right to exclude States from repre-
sentallol in the national councils, without which
the nation itself can have no authority aud no ex-
istence, seems TO us at variance alike with the
principles of the Constitution and with the public
safety
Third. But tits alleged that in certain particu-
lars the Constitution Of the United States fails TO
secure that absolute justice and impartial equality
winch the principles Of our government require
that it was in these respects The result of compro
mise and concessions to which, however necessary
when the Constitution was formed, we are no
! longer compelled to submit, and that now, having
| the power through successful war and just war
rant fOrlts exercise in the hostile conduct of the
| insmgent section, the actual government of the
| United states may impose its own conditions, and
make the Constitution conform in all its provisions
| to its own ideas of equality and the rights of man.
| Congress, at its last session, proposed amend
ments to the Constitution, enargng in some very
kimportant particulars the authority Of the general
government over that of the several States, and
reducing, by indirect distranChlsement, the rep
preventative powerof the States, in which slavery
formerly existed and it is claimed that these
amendments may be most seriously affected by
them; or may, be imposed upon those States
by three fourths OF the remaining States, as
conditions of their readmssiOn to representa-
tion in Congress and in the electoral college.
It is the unquesionabe right Of the people Of
the United States to make such changes in the
Constitution as they, upon due deIiberatOn, may
deem eHpedent. But we insist that they shall be
made i'll the mode which the Constitution itself
points out-in conformiy'with the letter and the
spirit OF that instrument, and with the principles
Of self-governmezt and Of equal rights which lie
at the basis of our republican institutions. We
deny the right Of Congress to make these changes
IL the fundamental law, without the concurrence
OF three-fourths of all the States, including es-
pecially those to be most seriously affected by
them; or to impose them upon States or people as
conditions OF representation, or Of admission TO
any OF the rights, duties, obligations which be-
| And with still greater emphasis do we deny the
right Of any portion Of the States excluding the
rest OF the States from any share in their Conn-
ellis, to propose or sanction changes in the COnStu
tiOn which to affect permanently their political
relations nd control or Cocrce the legitimate ac-
$ ton OF the several members of the common
s Union, such an exercise Of power IS simply q
) usurpahon: just as unwarrantable when exercised
by Northern States as it would be if exercised by
Southern, and not to be fortified or palliated by
u anything in The past history either Of those by
e whom il is attempted, or Of those upon whose
rights and liberties it il to take effect. 1t finds no
e warrant in the Constitution. 1t is at war with
/ the Fundamental principles of our form of govern
e ment. II tolerated in one instance, il becomes
o the precedent for future invasions of liberty and
l. constitutional right dependent solely upon the
l. will Of the party in possession Of power and thus
eI leads by direct and necessary sequence, to the
e most fatal and intoerable of all tyrannes-thG
g tiOns. 1t is against this, the m st formidable o
all The dangers which menace the stability OF free
e government, that the Constitution Of the unltet
D. States was intended most carefully to provide
" We demand strict and steadfast adherence to it
le provisions In this and in this alone, can we tnt
s. basis of permanent Union and peace.
IS Fourth. But it is alleged in justification OF tn
" usurpatiOn which we condemn, that the condition
III of the Southern States and people is not such a
te renders safe their re-admsslon TO share in tn
government of the country that they are still dis
It, loyal in sentiment and purpose, and that neithe
y, the honor, the credit, nor the interests of tn
If. nation would be safe if they were Teadmitted t
h a share in its councils. We might reply to this
te J. That we have no right, for such reasons, t
of deny any portion of the States people, right
he expressly conferred upon them by the COnstitutO
ut OF the United States.
es 2 That so long as their acts are those of loyalty
S. so long they conform in all their public cor
re duct to the requirements of the Constitution an
be laWs-we have no right to exact from theI
of conformity in their sentiments and opinions
ID our own.
tv g. That we have no right to distrust the purpo:
10 the ability of the people of the Union to pr
all tect and defend, under all contingencies and
l. whatever means may be required, its honor al
to its welfare.
wn These would, in our Judgment, be full and co
elusive answers to the plea thus advanced for IL
as exclusion of these States fromthe Union. But v
md say further, that this plea rests upon a compie
misapprehension or an unjust perversiOn OF eXls
on ing facts.
ity We do not hesitate to affirm that there is I
on section OF the country where the Constitution al
eX laws of the United States find more prompt al
entire obedience than in those States and amol
ion those people who were lately in arms again
ers them; or where there is less purpose or dang
lta of any future attempt to overthrow their autht
the ity. It would seem to be both natural and
the eYitable that, in States and sections so recent
dis swept by the whirlwind of war, where all t
,ar. ordinary modes and methods of organic
vi- industry have been broken up, and the bonds a
ent Influences that guarantee social order have be
1re- destroyed-where thousands and tens of the
eX- sands of turbulent spirits have been suddeI
as loosed from the discipline of war and thro'
ects without resources restraint upon dlsorgaDlz
and and chaotic society, and where the keen sense
In defeat is added to the overthrow of ambition a
ltial hope scenes of violence should defy for time
ndi- imperfect discipline of law, and excite anew
titu- fears and forebodings Of the patriotic and
laid disposed 1t is unquestonably true that local
time turhances of this kind, accompanied by more
du- less of violence, do still occur But they are
orm fined entirely to the cities and larger towns of
rom Southern states, Wlere ulUerenJ races anu
eral terests are brought most closely in contact,
rec where passions and resentments are always IN
by easily fed and famed into outbreak; and e.
and there they are quite as much the fruit of untim
that and hurtfu political agitation as of any hosti
the on the part Of the people to the authority of
the national government
,pre- But the concurrent testimony Of those best
fact quainted with the condition OF society and
by state of public sentiment in the Sonth-nctuc
on that of its representatives in this convention
per- tablishes the fact that the great mass of
nded Southern people accept, with as full and sinC
case. submission as do the people of the other Sta
rped the re-established supremacy of the national
II its thorty and prepared in the most loyal sp
Con- and with zeal quckened alike by their inte
which and ther pride, to cooperate with other st
entail and sections in whatever may be necessar.
. No defend the rights, maintain the honor and pror
ed to the welfare OF our common country. History
the fords no instance where people, so powerfr
ence, numbers, in resources and in public spirit, {
tes in a war so long in its duration, so
lly an structive in its progress, and so adv
to the in its issue, have accepted defeat and its
e nor sequences with so much Of good faith as
when marked the co.duct of the people lately in il
been rection against the United States BeyonC
sumed question, this has been largely due to the
of the generosity with which their enforced sure
was accepted by the President of the u
of the States and the generals in Immediate conn
,Osses of their armies and to the liberal measures
laws were afterwards taken to restore order tramp
orious and law to the States where all had for the
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