Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-03-01
Union against all assaults, open or

Il
concealed, domestic or foreign
). than they are at the present tim
They are as ready now as they e,
|. er were in days gone by, or, as til
people Of any other State in tn
It Union, to pledge their fortune,
e their lives, and their sacred honor
in defence of the constitution an
the Union.
: In declaring their willingness t
: maintain the constitution, they de
: sire to be understood as recogni
: zing the late amendment, forbid
ding the existence of voluntar7
servitude, as a part thereof; and a.
avowing their determination to give
to that clause an honest and sin
cere support. They are prepared
to aid in extending to the free
persons of color such protection as
shall secure them the undisturbed
enjoyment of all the blessings of
freedom; and of conceding to them
all the civil and political rights
that may be compatible with the
best interests of both races. They
insist, however, that this subject
belongs exclusively to the people
of the State, and that the same
has not been transferred to Con-
gress by the amendment aforesaid.
They are satisfied that whenever
all extraneous influences are with
drawn, the relations between the
races will be established upon
principles of justice that will be
mutually satisfactory and benef-
cial.
Entertaining these sentiments,
the people of Tennessee, with I'M
precedented unanimity, have OBJ
served with unaffected admiration,
the wise and patriotic efforts, made
by President Johnson, to secure
an early and complete restoration
of the Southern States to the I'm
ion. By the liberal exercise OF
executive clemency he has shown
that he understands and appre-
ciates the plighted faith of brave
men, and by reposing in them
this generous confidence, he has
won their hearts, and rendered
their pledge of loyalty doubly
sure, not only in securing their
Jealous support of the Union, bnt
in Overcoming sectional antipa-
thies, and in restoring sentiments
of liberation and fraternity, be-
tween those who were lately pub
lie enemies.
The people of the Southern
States had responded so promptly |
and efficiently to wise suggestions
and the liberal policy of the Pres
ldent, that when the present Con-
gress assembled, most of the
States lately in rebellion had COM
piled with the terms and condi-
lions upon which their restoration
to the Union was to be consumma-
ed. Nothing was then wanting
or the calculating of the great
work of rd-establishing the union
If all the States except the ap-
prevail by Congress of the policy
adopted and carried out by the
President. This approval was
by a dominant majority
If Congress, who have thereby
the policy of. the Presi-
lent, ignored the existence of the
Southern States, repealed the SEN
Itors and Representatives from
he two halls of Congress, and
lsurped the power to govern the
Southern States as conquered pro-
,inces. AS if to make their usur-
'ation more glaringly revolutiona-
y, this dominant majority, instead
f acting in accordance with the
of the constitution, in
he matter Of admitting the South
IN representation, "abdicated
hat high position, and handed it
yer to joint committee of fif
cen; a committee which sits with
losed doors, which celebrates in
ecret, which shuts itself out from
he knowledge and observation of
congress, and which does not
ven desire to give the informa-
ion it was appointed to collect, but
vhich sends its rescripts into the
wo houses and demands their rat
cation, withoutreasons and with
ut facts, before the going down
f the sun"
Awaiting themselves of their
surped power, the majority in Con-
ressd do not hesitate to declare their
urpose of excluding the Southern
tates from the Union, until they
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