Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-11-22
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
STATE OF NORTH Carol INA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.,
R0lei9h, NOU. 1871, 1866
TO the Honorable
tie General assembly Of North Carolina:
GENTLEMEN: The attention of this whole nation
is specially directed to the anomalous condi-
ton of national affairs. 1t tit, therefore,
that our consideration should be primarily dircc-
ted to the restoration of national order and har-
mony Although we are now denied any leSisa-
tive participation in the conduct of the Govern
ment of the United States, should not be list
less to passing events unmndful of the
benefits to be derived from an occasional review
of the past. More than eighteen months ago a
bloody sectional closed by the total over
declared object, on the one side, to break up
the Union; the other to preserve it. 1t
ended as might have been expected The
commanders of the Southern armies. after
the South completely exhausted, as to
everything which constitutes strength in war
and after exhibitions of valOr in the field, which
| astonished the world, surrendered on the stpu-
latlOn of lmpunlty to the surrenderlng forces
Arms had established the supremacy of the Union.
Not guerilla party in the South remained under
arms. The whole people of the South whether
they had favored the inception of the SYM
pathized with their section after it began, or not
gave every evidence they could give of their sub
mission to the result of the conflict, and their
Willingness to obey the Constitution ard laws Of
the United States. What was then in the way Of
| all immediate restoration of the Union? The
machinery of government, in the Southern States,
in the hands o. those who had given their
adhesion to the rebellion. This was state of
things not contemplated by the Constitution of
the United States. Precedent furnished no guild
ance in altering the machinery of the rebelliOus
State governments, 80 as to work in harmony with
the National Government. The President, who
owed his elevated position TO his reputation for
craftsmanship, and the consistent devotion of his
life to the preservation of the Union held that he
ought not to recognize the officers of the States
who had given their adhesion to the rebellion,
even far to make them the instruments Of
rganizatiOn that while the States existed, and
the Union had been preserved there were, in these
States Legislative judicial executive officers
lawfully constituted TO enable these States to
reform their Constitutions, and the machinery OF
their governments he granted amnesty to the
people who had favored the rebellion, with certain
EXCEPTIONS on the condition of their renewing al
legiance to the United States, by taking an oath
to support the Constitution, -reservlng the right
| to grant pardons upon special petitions to such
individuals Of the excepted classes as he might
deem deserving Ofthem He appointed Provisional
Governors, under whose orders elections n'ere
held for delegates to State Conventions
those only being allowed to vote at such elections
to whom general special pardOnS had been
granted. The great body Of the people complied
with the conditions, and voted at such elections.
When Convention assembled, it under
stood that the President, and the people Of the
dominant States, expected of us three amendments
of our Constitution, essential to harmonious
union, and permanent reconciliation to wit the
|
lition Of Slavery and the reputation of the debt
contracted in the prosecution Of the rebellion and
the ratification by the Legislature thereafter to
assemble, of an amendment to the Constitution of
the United States, proposed during the war, abol-
lshlng slavery throughout the United States. From
all We could learn from the press, the avowals of
representative of the North, and all the sources
OF information i've entertained no doubt that these
views of the President were approved by the great
body of those who elected him. Many of our peo-
pie deemed some of these terms hard and iniuri-
tn no l1-hp of he Statp 1nt orEi,
them as the conditions to restored amity, pre-
scrlbed by our conquerors they We're accepted with
remarkable unalrimity, and have since been OBJ,
served with strict fidelity. One of them reduced
from atf1uence to poverty large number of our
people i'll no wise responsible tor this sectional war
We accepted them, because thought these
terms were required by the victOrs from the van
pushed, as all that was required of us prelimi
naries to the restoration of concord between the
late belGgerents. We elected Senators and Repre-
sentatlves to Congress, with all the qualifications
prescribed in the Constitution. We were not igno-
rant that Congress, during the war, had prescribed
all oath Of office, commonly known the IS test
oath, which very few, If any, of our people who
had remained citizens Of the State during the
war, could conscientiously take. We regarded
this act as unconstitutional. Article 6, Section
), of the Constitution of the United States pro-
vides that Senators and Representatives and other
officer shall be bound by oath affirmation to
support the Constitution of the United States -
If Congress have the power to add to this oath
such further oath as it may deem eXpedient, it is
manifest that any party, having temporary
which will exclude from Congress all who do not
agree in sentiment with the dominant party
This principle would destroy the very basis of our
national government. 1t intended that
party, having temporary ascendancy, should
have authority to m axe its ascendancy perpetual.
We believed, from the resolutions Of Congress
passed during the war, and the manifest require
ments of enlightened policy that the North was
willing to restore friendly relations with the South
and nobody could expect any cordiality to be res
tored while this statute was held to be inforce.
We pYn cd ! tn hp cd 10 hn loala ro1
unconstitutional and void by the Supreme Court
of the United States in which tribunal, fortunate-
y for the cause of civil liberty Partisanship has
the constitutional guards, and the virtue and in
teDigence of the electors, were sufficient pro-
lection against dsloyal men finding their way in
to the national councils Or II experience should
indicate the necessity of others, they would be
provided in amendments Of the Constitution, and
not III partlzan legislation In the matter of elect
ing our Senators and Representatives to Congress-
every citizen who had advocated the doctrine of
secession before the war, or taken conspicuous
part in the military conflict decately torebore to
rlence has taught that those who Fright or wrong)
have exhibited manly courage In military conflict
rarely disregard the terms of capitulation when
conquered,-ln this State, no one who hadfavOred
the initiation of the war, or distinguished himself
In the field during its progress, asked to be made
a member OF Congress-. Every Senator and Re-
preventative elected had always opposed secession
until the United States could no longer protect his
person or property. Up to this time, we thought
the wise and magnanimous policy of the President
was about to produce at early day the benefi-
cent results he contemplated. A few days before
the meeting of Congress. after we had complied
with all these supposed preliminaries to national
reconciliation, speeches of distinguished partisan
leaders OF the Congress, soon to assemble, gave us
premonitions Of the purposes of the dominant
party need not remind you of the chilling shock
we received when the action of the dominant par
ty in Congress announced that our members, ire
spectlve OF their qualifications. would not be re-
cleveland that the Union, for the preservation
of which so many lives had been lost, and SO
frightfui national debt had been created, should
be practically dissolved, until it should be the
It. Up to this time, this faction OF the Congress
contemplated by the Constitution Of the United
States exercised the Legislative power. without de-
people of the other States they govern shall have
representation, and the recent elections, in the
dominant States sanction this action. It is pro-