The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-08-25
by TELEG RAP
SELECTED rnOM THE DAILY OREGON HERALD.
Address Adopted by the I'hiIadeI.
phia Convention.

OF fhlladelphia, State OF PENNSYLVANIA,
this 14th day of August, 1866, as repre-.
sentatives of the people, in all sections
and from all the States and Territories OF
the Union, to consult upon tho conditions
and wants of tho country, we address TO
you this declaration of our principles.
and of the political purposes We seek to
promote. Since the meeting of the late
National Convention, in the year 1860,
events have occurred which have changed
the character of our country, and given
the United States place among the ma
tlons OF tie earth. Our Government has
passed Though the vicissitudes and per-
Ills Gi civil war, which, though mainly sec
tional in its character, has nevertheless
decided the political difference that from
the very beginning of the Government
had threatened the unity of the national
existence, and has left its impress, deep
and ineffacable, upon all the interests,
sentiments and destiny Of the Republic
while it has inflicted upon the whole
country severe losses in life and property,
and imposed burdens which must weigh
on Its resources for generations to come
1t has developed degree of national
courage in the presence of danger, ca
pacity for military achievement, devotion
on the part of the people for the Govern
ment they have ordained, and to the
principles of liberty which the Govern
ment is designed to promote, which must
confirm the confidence of the nation in
the perpetuity of its republican institu-
tions and command the respect of the
world Like all great contests, which
arouse the passions and test the endurance
of nations, this war has given new scope
to the ambition of political parties, and a
fresh impulse to plans of innovation and
reform. Amidst the chaos of conflicting
sentiments inseparable from such an era,
while the public heart is keenly alive to
the passions that can sway public judg-
ment and effect public action, while the
wounds of war are still fresh on either
side, and fears for the future take unjust
proportion from the memories aud resent
ments of the past, its difficult but imper.
ative duty which, on your behalf, We who
are assembled have undertaken to per.
form. For the first time, after six long
years of alienation and conflict, we have
come together from every State and sec.
ton of land as citizens Of one common
country, under the flag which is again
the symbol of a common glory, to consult
together how best to perpetuate that un:
ion which is again the object Of our com.
mon love; thus to secure the blessings oi
liberty to ourselves and to our postcrity
In the first place You are to remember
always and everywhere that the war i.
ended and the nation again at peace the
shock of coutending armies no longer
assails the shuddering heart of the repub
lie. Insurrection against the supreme
authority Of the nation has been sup.
pressed, and authority is again acknowl-
edged by word and act in every State
end by every citizen within its jurisdic
ton. We are no longer required or per.
mitted to regard and treat each other as
enemies !; not only have acts Of war beer
discontinued and the weapons Of war laid
aside, but state of war no longer exists
and the sentiments, passions and relation:
of war have no longer any lawful ol
rightful place anywhere throughout oui
broad domain We are again people o
the United States, fellow-citizens of on,
country, bound by debts and obligation:
of common patriotism, having neither
rights nor interests apart from common
Government. The duties that dcvolyt
upon us now arc again the duties of peace
and no longer the duties of war. W.
| har % -.
cerning the interests of peace to decid,
how we may most wisely and effectuall,
heal the wounds the war has made per
feet and perpetuate the benefits it has Sc
cured, and the blessings which, under 4;
wise and benign Providence, have sprung
up in its fiery track This is the worl
not of passion but Of calm, sober judg
ment-not of resentment Of past offences
beyond the limits which justice and rea
son prescribe, but Of liberal statesman
ship which tolerates what it cannot pre-
vent, and builds its plans and hopes 70
the future rather upon community o
interest than upon distrust and the wea
pons of force.
In the second place, we call upon yor
to recognize in their full significance. AM
accept with all their legitimate conse
quences, the political results of the wa
just closed in two most important particu
lars. The victories achieved by the Ma
tional Government have been full and de
cisive 1t has established beyond contro
versy, by the highest of all human sane
tions, the absolute supremacy of the Ma
tional Government as limited and defnet
by the Constitution the permanent in
tegrity and indestructibility Of the Ma
tional Union as a natural consequence
and also, it has put an end finally and for
ever to slavery upon the soil or within
the jurisdiction of the United States
Both these points became directly in
volved in the contest and controvers
: upon both was ended absolutely by ii
results. In the9hird place we deem
E of the utmost importance that the rea
character of the war and the victory b
which it was closed, should be accuratel
understood. The war was carried on b
t the Government in the maintenance Of il
own authority, in defense of It's own ez
istence, both of which were menaced
the insurrection which it sought to SUI
press. The suppression of that rebellio
: accomplished that result. The Cover
D ment of the United States maintained
f force of arms supreme authority over a
the territory and over States and peopl
within It's Jurisdiction, which the Const
tuition confers. 1t acquires thereby Il
=