The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-08-30

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to deny any portion Of the States or people,
| rights expressly conferred upon them hy
the Constitution of the United States.
= That SO long as their acts are acts of
loyalty-so long as they conform in all their
public conduct to the requirements of the
Constitution and laws-we have no right to
exact from them conformity in their senti,
me1ts and opinions to our own.
| 2. That we have no right to distrust the
| purpose or the ability of the people of the
| Union to protect and defend, under all con-
tingences and by whatever means may be
| required, its honor and its welfare.
! Ihesc'Gould, in our judgment, be full and
! conclusive answers to the plea thus advanced
for the exclusion of these States from the
! Union. But we say further, that this plea
rests upon complete misapprehension or
an unjust pcrvcrsion of existing facts.
Nc do not hesitate to affirm, that
there is no scetion of the country where
the Constitution and laws of the United
States lind more prompt and entire
obedience than in those States, and am
ong those people who were lately in
arms against them; or where there is
less purpose OF danger Of any future at,
tempt to overthrow their authority. 1t
would seem to be both natural and inev-
taole that, in States and sections so re.
Gently swept by the whirwiud of war,
where all the ordinary modes and meth,
ods Of ornanizeG industry have been
broken up, and the bonds and influence
cs that guarantees social order have
been destroycd-wherc thousands and
tens Of thousands of turbulent spirits
have been suddenly looscd from the dis
cipline Of war, and thrown without re-
sources or restraint upon a diSorganized
and chaotic society, aud where the keen
sense Of defeat is added to the over
throw of ambition and hope, scenes of
violence should defy for Il time the i'm
perfect discipline of law, and excite
anew the fears aud forebodings of the
patriotic and well disposed. 1t is un.
questionably true that local disturbances
OF this kind, accompanied by more or
less violence, do still occur But thew
are confined entirely to the cities and
larger towns of the Southern States,
where different races and interests are
brought more closely in contact, and
where passions and rcsentments are al.
ways most easily fed and famed into an
outbreak; and even there, they arc
quite as much the fruit of untimely and
hurtlul political agitation, as OF any hos
tility 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 sentiment
in the SOuth-incluing that Of its rcp
resentatiyes in this Convention-est,b-
fishes the fact that the great mass of
the Southern people accept, with as full
and sincere submission as do the peonle
OF the other States, the re established
supremacy Of the national authority, and
are prepared, in the most loyal sprit
and with zeal quickencd alike by their
interest and their pride, to CO operate
with other States and sections ia what
ever may be necessary to defend the
rights, maintain the honor and promotc
the welfare of our common country
History affords no instance where a peo-
pie, 50 powerful in numbers, in rcsour.
ces and in public spirit, after a war SO
long IN It's duration, 50 destructive in
its progress, and 50 adverse in its issuo
have accepted defeat aud its conseoucp
ces with so much of good faith as has
marked the conduct Of the people lately
in insurrection against the United States.
Beyond all question, this has been
largely due to the wise generosity with
which their enforced surrender was ne
ccpted by the President of the United
States and the generals in immediate
command OF their armies, and to the
liberal measures which were afterwards
taken to restore order, tranquility and
law to the States where all had for the
time been OverthrOwu. No stems could
have been better calculated to command
the respect, win the confidence, revive
the patriotism and secure the permanent
and atfectionate allegiance of the peopIe
OF the South to the Constitution and
laws of the Union, than those which
have been 50 firmly taken and 50 stead
tastly pursued by the President of the
United States. And if that confidence
and loyalty have been since impaired ;
if the people of the South are TO dav
less cordial in their allegiance than thew
were immediately upon the close of the
war; we believe it is due to the chang.
ed ton of the !egisla i've dnpartmantott6e
general government towards them. IN
the action by which Congress has en-
deavored to supplant and defeat tbe
Presidents wise and benifcent policy of
restoration, to their exclusion from all
participation in our common govern
mentj to the withdrawal from them Of
rights conferred and guaranteed by the
Constitution and to the evident purpose
OF Congress, in the exercise of a usurp.
ed and unlawful authority, to reduce
them from the rank of free and eonal
members OF republic of States, with
rights and uiunitiaS min, r,;r,l A. At