, 1866-09-07
Address Of the Philadelphia Convention.

ence on the forthcoming general elections.
Adopting aud warmly sustaining the Presi.
dental policy of reconstruction, in opposition
to the delay policy Of Congress, the address
evinces the most direct antagonism to many
Of the recent proceedings of that body, and
argues spiritedly aud with great effect against
the general tenor of the radical policy aud
designs. The main object of the Conven<
| tion is asserted to have been to consult how
best to cement and perpetuate the Union,
heal the wounds of the war, and perfect aud
perpetuate its bene6ts,a very laudable object.
The address reminds US that the war is ended,
the ihsurrection suppressed, the nation at
peace, the national authority again acknowl'
edged throughout the land, and state of
war no longer exists. 1t calls on the people
to recognize the legitimate consequences and
political results of the late war, it having
been established beyond controversy the abb
soluto Supremacy of the general Government,
aud utterly abolish the institution of slavery
The war was a defensive one on the part of
the government, to maintain its own author
ity over all the territory, States, and people
within its jurisdiction, and the federal victor
ry was the defeat of the attempt to overthrow
the national authority. This thing, howev>
er, the address is especially emphatic upon,
that the war did not in any way enlarge,
abridge, change or affect the Constitution of
the United States, il remaining after the war
precisely as it was before the war, the SUI
preme law of the land, with all powers not
conferred by the Constitution upon the gem
eral government, nor prohibited by it to the
States, reserved by the several States or to
the people thereof 70 maiDrain>the author
ity OF the Constitution and preserve the in
tegrity Of the Union~was the sole object Of
the war, on the part of the Federal Govern.
ment. As soon, therefore, as the war ceased,
all the States should have retained and en-,
joyed their equal rights and dignity unimN
pared, but such has not been the case. There
in is the great bone of contention between
the conservatives and the radicals, as repreS
sented by Congress and the President-that
Congress will not let the lately rebellious
States enjoy ancient rights and privileges,
except under certain conditions and guaran.
tees, which conditions and guarantees, the
address maintains are arbitrary and unknown
to the Constitution. This is the great poFis.
ical conflict now before the nation, and which
the Philadelp phia Convention has thrust into
such engrossing prominence before the publ
lie. The claim made by Congress to the ad'
ditional right Of conquest and confscation,
and of abrosation of State governments, is
denied by the address, which ably and length.
lily argues against it, as involving as fatal an
overthrow ofthe authority of the Constitution
and as complete destruction of the govern
ment as that which the South sought, mass
much as it is, an arbitrary Withholding of the
right and hindering Of the duty OF represent
tation of whole States in Congress- The
address is very urgent in its appeals to the
: people to accept the full surrender Of the
South and share with them the glory of re>
storing peace, both sides satisfied with the
developments Of the struggle. 1t calls on
the people, by every consideration of dignity
and safety, to complete the work of restora>
tion and peace, which the President has we'll
begun, and which Congress alone obstructs
If the people do not take things in hand
and make their power felt accordingly at the
UnllOt.box during the ensuing election, the
address deplOres the probable consequence.
: augmented discomfort, suilen' Withdrawal
: from duties and obligations, internal dissen,
sion, general collision, and renewal of civil
war in more hideous shape and proportion.
than before. To prevent all this, the people
are called on to elect men who, first and fore
most will recognize the right of every State
5 In the Union to representation in Congress
and thus restore the government to its integ
rity. The President received the addres,
with one of his characteristic speeches, ful
of the usual liberal amount of thorough
| backbone, and almost as pleasantly egotistica
. as chapter by sturdy old Cobbett, sane
tioning the productions of the Convention
: and reiteratihg his determination to remair
immOvably by the Constitution of the Unitec
States. Immediately on the back of the Con
vention the President issued final procla
' nation of peace, thus throwing more com
!. pletely and entirely on Congress all respou
sibilities for delay in the fufl restoration c
I. all the States to their old time relations wit
the Federal Union.
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IS READ 0Ur.-The Oregoaian reads Judge Wi