Litchfield enquirer., 1866-09-13
rn. Loyal Southern Convention.

ern delegates present was 392. Joseph Speed of Ky, late Attorney General, was appointed president, and after full discussion extend ing over four days, resolutions and an address were adopted sustaining Congress and ar raigning the course of President Johnson most severely. The Northern delegations held sep arate sessions but united in Mass Meeting on Wednesday evening, at which 50 ,O00 peo- pie are estimated to have been present.- Thers was g difference in opinion between the delegates from the Border States and those from the unreconstructed South, concerning impartial sufrage.' The former favored the amendments proposed by Congress. deeming; them sufficient protection to loyal Southern whites and negroes, while the latter demanded the establishment by Congress of impartial suf. frage. va gtdti &" liiai 5a.s i1
 It was finally arranged that the delegates from the States not represented in Congress, should meet separately and adopt an address embodying their views, which was done on Friday the last day of the session.
 The Convention has proved great success ; there was full expression of opinion and all were snanimous in their disapproyal of the of the course President, and in their support oi Congress. poe uo. E'.- a s4NHli
 We sabjoiu the following extracts from the 3 address adopted by the delegates from the States not yet reconstructed :- .,., '..,..; !.
 The termination of the bloody conflict found the people of the South crushed to the earth by the two-fOld influence of military defeat and long reign of military despotism, wield- ed by the disunionist with a sel6shuess and ferocity unparalled iD the history of political crime. Freed by the Union arms from the ty- rants, our unfortunate countrymen were once more as freemen, face to face with the authors of their misery. They had seen every pledge made to them violated, every principle, or pre- text of principle, trampledF under foot: they saw around them desolation which had been wrought in the interests of a selfish aristocra.. cy, and they returned to their ruined homes and decimated families, leaving the authors of all their woes to pay the penalties of their crimes, and receive as they deserved the exc cration of mankind. Should the people of the South, under the influence and guidance of loy- al men, return to the ancient traditions of their fathers and reorganize loyal society in the in terest at American nationality and Republican liberty, or should they, under the guidance and influence of the traitors who but lately ruled over them, be confirmed in the prejudice and traditions of disunion. This was the inquiry which at the close of the war sprung up spon- taneously from the mind of every lover of his country. Upon it's decision depended the aues. tion whether the North or the South had fought In vain. When the armies of the Uni ted States compelled the surrender of these rebel forces, and the insurgents returned to. their homes, the patriots of the South welcom- ed them back in the spirit of forgiveness and brotherly love. Their houses were thrown T open to them, and in the hour of reunion they overlooked their great crime and endeavored to heal the wounds of injured pride and unsuc
 cessfnl ambition. The first question they ask ed themselves was this: "What will the Gov. ernment do with us?" It was the general an- ticiPation among them that. having revolted against the Government. having fought for four years to establish an independent govern ment, the United States in justice to hundreds or thousands ot noble, patriotic soldiers, who nad dled TOT their country-in justice to the loyal men of the South, and in justice to it's violated laws would impose snch penalties ou the leaders of tbe rebellion as, would prevent them from assuming to control by admiinistras tion, direction or voice, the Government of the insurrectiopary States, witht the full knowledge of the issues which they ithemselves had delib- erateiy made; compelling the Government to join issue with arms in it's own defence j. and having, after long, bloody trial, been utterly defeated and oyerhrown. they were conscious Of their own unworthiness to participate in the work of reconstruction. Indeed, iudped bv the code under which they had governed du- ring the rebellion, they had cause to tremble for fear of con6scation Of property and banish. ment. In this they were confrmed, and their fears intensified, when, by the, assassination of President Lincold. MT. Johnson whose pledges to the country that treason should be made odious and traitors punished, became the Ex- ecutive of the nation. Their fears were reaiev ed, and their depression turned to the feeling of exultation and triumph when the North Saro!lnia proclamation developed the Presi- dents policy: From that hourthe question "What will the Government do with ms r" was no longer asked, but they at once began to deliberate what they would do with the Gov ernment The anxious question of patriotism as to who should guide the work of reconstruc- tion was answered also. The question with them, uttered with whispering lips and beat ing hearts was, "What will the disunionists do with usf" The Press of the South, owned and . controlled by leaders of armies, divisions, brig ades, and regiments in the rebel service, and by immediate political adherents of Jeff Davis, with significant and startling unanmity, sup ported the Executive plan The ruling ideas and representative men of the loyal nation were attacked with renewed revolutionary vio. lence-.the American Congress denounced as rump, acting without authority The policy of the President backed by his great patron age and increased power. assured them ih the hope of being placed in absolute power in their States and restored ultimately to their merited influencein the National Legislature. Inose who had remained faithful in their alle- glance were denounced as traitors and as un- worthy the confidence or respect of the coup- sry, and those who did not endorse the Execu- tive policy were persecuted in the name of the President, with the added malice of unsuccess- ful revolution. The executive, legislative, and judicial offices of the States filled with sx-reb. el officers of high position and rank, elevated inc onsideration of services rendered and sac. rihces for the Confederacy. burning under the effect of recent defeat, produced in great meas :, Vee by the loyalist of the South, launched at