East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-08-23

discipline of law, and excite anew the
fears and forebodings OF the patriotic
and well disposed. 1t is unquestion-
ably true that local disturbances of
this kind, accompanied by more or
less of violence, do still occur. But
they are confined entirely to the cities
and large towns of the Southern
States, where different races and in
terests are brought most closely in
contact, and where passions and re-
sentiments are always most easily fed
and famed into outbreak and even
there they are quite as much the fruit
Of untimeiy and hurtful political agi
tation as of any hostility on the part
Of the people TO the authority OF the
National Government.
But the concurrent testimony Of those
best acquainted with the condition of
society and the state Of public senti-
ment in the South-including that of
itsrepresentativesin this Convention
establishes the fact that the greatness
of the Southern people accept with as
full and sincere submission as do the
people Of the other States, the re-es-
tablished supremacy Of tho national
authority, and are prepared, in the
most loyal spirit, and with a zeal
quickened alike by their interest and
their pride, to cooperate with other
States and sections in whatever may
be necessary to defend the rights,
maintain the honor and promote the
welfare of our common country. His
tory affords no instance where peo-
pie, so powerful in numbers, in re-
sources and in public spirit, after a
war so long in its duration, so des-
tructive III its progress, and so adverse
in its issue, have accepted defeat and
its consequences with SO much Of
good faith as has marked the con-
duct of the people lately in insurroc-
ton against the United States. Be
yond all question this has been large
ly due to the wise generosity with
which their enforced surrender was
accepted by the President of the
United States and the Generals in
immediate command Of their armies,
and to the liberal measures which
were afterward taken to restore or
der, tranquility and law to the States
where all had for the time been over
thrown. No steps could have been
better calculated to command the re-
spect, win the confidence, revive the
patriotism and secure the permanent
and afectionate allegiance of the peo-
pie of the South TO the Constitution
and laws Of of the Union than those
which have been so firmly taken and
so steadfastly pursued by the Presi-
dent Of the United States. And if
that confidence and loyalty have been
since impaired ; if the people of the
South are to-day less cordial in their
allegiance than they were immedi-
ately upon the close of the war, we
believe it is due TO the changed tone
of the Legislative Department of the
General Government towards them !;
to the action by which Congress has
endeavored to supplant and defeat the
Presidents wise and benefcent policy
of restoration TO their exclusion from
all participation in our common Gov
eminent to the withdrawal from
them of rights conferred and guaran-
tssa By PIE papGe II asd to the
exercise of usurped and unlawful
authority, to reduce them from the
rank of free and equal members of
a Republic of States, with rights
and dignities unimpaired, to the con-
dition of conquered provinces and a
conquered people, in all things sub
ordinate and subject to the will of
their conquerors free only to obey
laws in making which they are not
allowed to share.
No people has ever yet existed
whose loyalty and faith such treat
ment long continued would not alien
ate and impair And the ten millions
Of Americans who live in the South
would be unworthy citizens Of free
country, degenerate sons of an heroic
ancestry, unfit ever TO become guard
ians of the rights and liberties be-
queathed to us by the fathers and
founders of this Republic, if they
could accept with accomplishing sub
missiveness, tho humiliations thus
sought 10 pe imposed upon them. Re
sentiment of injustice is always and
everywhere essential to freedom; and
the spirit which prompts the States
and people lately in instruction, but
insurgcnt now no longer, to protest
against the imposition Of unjust and
degrading conditions, makes them all
the more worthy to share in the gov
eminent of a free commonwealth, and
gives still firmer assurance Of the flu
ture power and freedom of the Re-
public. For whatever responsibility
the Southern people may have incur
red in resisting the authority of the
National Government and in taking
up arms for its overthrow, they may
be held to answer, as individuals, be-
fore the judicial tribunals of the land;
and for that conduct as societies and
organized communities, they have al
ready paid the most fearful penalties
that can fall on offending States in
the losses, the suffcrings and humila-
tons Of unsuccessful war. But what
4 ever ,aay ho 49, e,..;1A-~---ti--r--
ment of the conscious authors of the
instruction, candor and common JUS
tice demand the concession that the
great mass Of those who became in
volved in its responsibility acted upon
what they believed to be their duty, in
defense of what they had been taught
to believe their rights, or under COM
pulsion, physical and moral, which
they were powerless to resist. Nor
can it be amiss to remember that, ter
rible as have been the bereavements
and the losses of this war, they have
| fallen exclusiyelv upon neither section