Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-08-23
Thursday Msrning, August 2s, 1866
The August Convention.

The August Convention.
The Convention which assem-
bled in Philadelphia on the l4th,
was composed Of national conserv-
alive men from every State and
Territory in the Union, and is said
to have been the largest delibera-
tive body in numbers and ability
that ever assembled in that city.
Senator Doolittle was chosen Pres
ident. Vallandigham, Fernando
Wood, and Henry Clay Dean, in
order to promote harmony, de-
clined their seats as delegates
The following was unanimously
adopted:
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
The National Union Convention,
now assembled in Philadelphia,
composed of delegates from every
State and Territory of the Union,
admonished by the solemn lessons
which, for the last five years, it
has pleased the Supreme Ruler of
the universe to give to the Ameri-
can people, profoundly grateful for
the return of peace, feeling that a
large majority of their country
men in all sincerity desire to for
get and forgive the past, revering
the constitution as it came to us
from our ancestors, regarding the
Union restored as more sacred than
ever, and looking with deep anxi-
ETY. to the future, hereby proclaims
the following declaration of prin-
ciples and purposes, on which they
have, with perfect nnanimity,
agreed:
First. We hail with gratitude to
Almighty God the end of war and
the return Of peace to our afflicted
and beloved land.
Second. The war just closed has
maintained the authority of the
constitution with all the powers
which it confers and all the restric-
tions which it imposes on the gen.
eral government, unabridged and
unaltered; and it has preserved
the Union, with the rights, digni-
ty and authority of the States per-
feet and unimpaired.
Third. Representation in the
Congress of the United States and
in the Electoral College is a right
recognized by the constitution as
abiding in every State, and is du-
ty imposed on its people tunda-
mental in its nature and essential
to the exercise of our republican
institutions, and neither Congress
nor the General Government has
any authority or power to deny
this right to any, or withhold its
enjoyment under the constitution
from the people thereof.
Fourth. Calls upon the people
Of the United States to elect to
Congress members who admit the
fundamental principle of represen-
tation, and who will receive the
loyal representatives from every
State in allegiance to the United
States; submit to the constitution
atty of each House to judge of
the election returns and qualifca-
tions of its own members.
Fifth. The Constitution of the
United States and the laws there
of are the supreme law of the
land, anything in the constitution
or laws of any State to the con-
trary Notwithstanding. All the
power not conferred in the consti-
tuition upon the General Govern
ment, nor prohibited by the States,
are restored to the States, or the
people thereof, and among the
rights to prescribe qualifications
for the elective franchise therein,
which right Congress cannot in
terfere with. No State or con-
vention of States has the right to
withdraw from the Union, or to
exclude, through their action in
Congress or otherwise, any State
or States from the Union. The
Union of the States is perpetual
and the amendments to the Con-
stitution may be made by the peo-
pie thereof as they may deem ex-
pedient, but only in the mode
pointed out by its resolutions;
and in proposingsuch amendments,
whether by Congress or a conven-
ton, and in ratifying the same, all
the States have an equal and in
disputable right to vote thereon.
Coxxo,~kL d.. n.