St. Mary's gazette., 1866-08-30

assembled in the city of philadelph phia, com
posed of delegates from every State and
Territory in the Union, aau0n.shcd by the
solemn lessons which for the last five years
1t has pleased the Supreme Ruler Of the
Universe to give the American people !;
profoundly 2ratcst.l for the return of peace;
dc,irous, as are large majority Of their
couutrymen in all sincerity, 10 forget amt
ior9ivc the past reycrin9 the constitution
as it comes to II, from our ancestors re
aar1iug the Union IN It's restoration more
sacred than ever: looking with deep anx-
irty into the future & Of instant and cOn
,j'.ung trial, hereby issues and procIrilnS
the following declaration Of prinripie. and
purposes on which they have, with perfect
unanimity. aerrri
Fir-t-Wc hail with gratitude to Al
mighty God the end Of the war and return
Of peace to an afflicted anl beloved land
Second. The war just closed has main
tanned the authority of the constitution,
with all the powers which it conf rs ana
;til the restrictions which it imposes upon
the general government, unabridged and
funaltrred And it has preserved the Tn
ION with the equal rights, dignity and au-
thority of the States perfect aud unlmpa!r-
cd
Third -Rcpreslt tation in the Congress
of the United States and in the Electoral
Cullroc is a right recognized by the con
t f,titution as abiding in every State, anl as
a duty imposed upon It's people, tuni;mcn-
tai in it, nature and essential to the eXS
/ i, \ nj
neither Congress nor the general govern
mcnt has any authority as power to deny
this right to any State, or to withhold ITS
eniovmcnt under the constitution, troul
the Irople thereof.
Fourtl, We cali upon the people OF
the United States to elect to Congress a5
member, thereof, none but men who adj
nit thi, right of fundamental representa-
ton, and who Will receive to seats therein
loyal representatives from every State III
allegiance TO the United States. subject to
the cou~titltioual right of each house to
Judge OF the election rcturus and quaIilca-
,inn5 If it> own members.
Finh.-Tne constitution of the United
States and the laws made IN pursuance
thereof are the supreme aw OF the lana,
anything IN the constitution or laws OF amy
State to the contrary Notwithstanding -
All the powe,> not conferred by tue con-
stitution upon the general government,
nor prohibited by il to the States, are re-
served to the States or TO the people there
of and among the rights thus reserved
To the States is the II ght to prescribe the
qualification for the elective franchise
therein. With which right Congress can
not Interfere ~ State or conyenton OF
States has the right to Withdraw from the
rion. or to exclude, through their action
IN Congress OF otherwise, any other STATE
oy States from the Union. The UNION OF
these States is perpetual.
Sixth Such amendments to the constl-
tuition of the uitcd States may be n:adc
hy the people thereof as they may deem
rNpr,'icnt. hut only III the mode pointed
ont bv It's provisions, and III the pr"poSl-
ton and exposition Of such amendments,
whether hr Congress OF Convention, ami
IN rtil>ing the >nn". all tn States OF thr
mon have an equal and uuicniabie right
toa Voice and vote therein.
Seventh Slavery IS abolished ami for
ever prohibited; and there j, neither dr>lr"
nor purpose on the part Of the Southern
States that il should ever he ro-"stab.l>h"d
upon tie soii OF within the jurisdiction ot
the sluircd States; and the e,nanclpatc'.
slaves IN Ill the States Of the Union >honl!
receive. in common with alVthrlr iohahi
tant> equal protection IN person and pro
ptrtv.