The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-08
The Daily H9Ws. HW&
===---------1 = MAY 8, 1856.
TUESDAY MoRhA===
=FROM TEXAS WAIT
n DEpurATIHE, PRESIDENT, ~.
UPT - ~ q;
Il TIE CuAIRAzAN-REPLY OF THE pREs1-
DENT.

inpton on the Sd between the President and q
committee composed Of JOHN HANCOCK, j. W.
HENDERSON, B. H. LANE and J. A. PORTER, ap.
pointed by the Convention OF the State Of Texas
who, In person, delivered to tho President an off,
oial copy OF the ordinances adopted by that body
Judge HANCOCK, on behalf of the committee,
addressed the President in substance as follows
Mn. President: We have been directed by the
convention Of the people of Texas TO present to
you the ordinances OF q general character adopt
ed by that body, and to assure you aud, through
youj the national authorities, OF the loyal and
The convention deeming 1t e1pedient to reform
and amend many Of the provisions OF the consti.
tuition Of the State, the session was somewhat pro-
to the Ia ofAprif., But on those subjects whicH
have arisen as results of the late unfortunate civil
war, entire unanimity Of sentiment was manifest
oSeS aston to Be taken AXE To- tostfy tSe sood
faith OF the people Of Texas In their acceptance Of
the results OF the war and the sincerity OF their
Union OF the States s.thereunder:Il a'Ts Eyro'
We have the honor 20 present you official copies
oi-the orainances adopted by the convention on
these SUBJECTS, and TO them we invite your atten
Il will be seen that by the most sol emn aots Of
organic law the convention deolarad nun and void
the ordinance termed the otdinahcs of secession,
by which d part OF the people oftTeIRs, on the
1st Of February, 1861, declared their purpose 10
separate the State from the Federal Union. And,
notwithstanding the. views and opinionh. many OF
the members entertained in, the past, the loyal
apd fondly oherished sentiment OF many Of The
5
States and ofel laws passed in pursuance thereof,
renowned the claim Of right on. the part of the
STATE o. 1 Texas ot 70 s0code from h the Union
during the war, the convention declared null and
void, prohibited the Legislature from assuming or
.aa tssssSp sSA provision for the payment Of any po
BY constitutional provision the convention re-
cogni2ed as free those persons heretofore held as
slaves, and declare that hereafter neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment
for ormei shall exist in our State. Freedmen are
protected in their rights Of person and Of proper
~ enabled to contract and to be contracted with,
init property, and to testify as witnesses in the
courts whereVer,!any interest of right Of any OF
them may be involved, under the same rules OF
evidence applicable to the white race thus secur-
Ing to them by constitutional provision equality
bsfore the law, leaving no material right subject
TO the contingency Of legislative action not doubt
ing, however, that this claas Of persons, 30 long
as they remain among us, will receive ample pro-
lection in their rights from all departments OF the
Statt government. i ,.# =, TO-. . : b., -... D. ...
On all these subjects the convention has spoken
disPassionately, and in good faith, what they be-
heye I'VE the sentiments Of the people q! Tezas.
connected with the manner in which the soldiery
OF Texas laid down their arms, and returned to
their homes and peaceful ayocations, despite the
authority OF their officers, when their Judgments
augment the calamities Of the war, without wait
ing for the arrival OF q national force to accept
their surrender, and that since that time these
made Of them by the United States Goyernment' ei'
we think there will be few instances found Of a
people giving higher evidenced OF their reliability,
or the eincerity OF whose professions Of loyalty
should inspire greater confidence. A brave and
ohiyalrous people who have given earnest, such
as these Of their faith and loyalty deserve to be
not to deaire to maintain military rule over them
when they are geady and willing to do their duty
aB good citEens.
For some months after the breaking up Of the
Southern armies the public mind Of Texas gave
unm,stakahie assurance Of feeling OF gladness
and hope Of an early return to peace. law, order,
and good government. Of which they had been so
long deprived. They remembered that the ma
tional Congress had claimed that State had not
the constitutional right to secede from the Union
and the oft-repeated declaration that the seats OF
Southern members in Congress-, though vacated
were there to be occupied when those in rebellion
agsinst the Government should lay, down their
arms and return to their rightfuI allegiance
They believed that such would be the policy Of
the Government, and rejoiced In the hope OF an
early restoration OF all the integral parts Of the
Union to position of political equality, without
which republican Institutions may Inger for q
time but must soon perish.
We regret that truth and eandor compel US to
admit that these demonstrations of hope and pa
triotc 2esire have, to some extent given place to
feelings of doubt and despondency, attributable
IN the main to two causes: hrst; the powerful ef
therefrom representatives from other States simi-
larly situated while the people to be- taxed as
those who are fully represented; and second the
course OF the military authority towards the peo-
pie Of Texas, In holding it as a conquered coun-
try, appropriating their property without com.
pensation, subjectng the citizens to military.
arrests and imprisonment, often without alleging
any offence against them. to be released at the
pleasure OF the officer commanding after weeks-
sometimes months-of imprisonment.
utuhder oil these discouragements the people
are not disloysl. There is no feeling Of hostility
to the Government: of the United States; no dis
to offer opposition to the Government. There are
evil-dispoHed bad men among us, some ambitious
and designing, ttheir number is small), who hope
to profit from arbitrary power and prosper best in
loyal to any Government. But with the great mass
Of e. people, the paramount desire is the resto-
ration Of the Union and Of Civil Government. If
these blessings come not to the nation, the fault
whom proved their loyalty to the. Union by every
sacrifice which madness and tyranny could exact,
Are their rights to be dsreg srded because OF the
few who are wicked and deprayed2 The people of
fnl--thetr rights as guaranteed by the Federal
We shonld feel that We had only partially per-
formed our duty TO the people Of our State were
the; United States, and particularly our approval
Of your restoration policy. Your wise and pstri-
otie course In behalf of the equal rghts OF all Sec
many 2 desponding heart. that the generation
which he's experienced the most terrible shock Of
civil war In modern times may see civil and con-
sttntional liberty restored throughout the entire
We thank you, In the name of the people OF
Texas, for the noble and patriotic stand you have
taken In behalf OF Unconstitutional liberty. The olive
Pranch OF peace, extended to us by your kindly.