The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-09-22
mittec Of that BODY. after the fullest and most

| President, should stand but they recon-
mended as necessary to complete the work
| of restoration, that the amendments to the
| Constitution to which I have referred, should
] be adopted-not as we have been told, by
three-fourths only of such States as are repre-
sented in Congress. but by three-fourths of
| all the States. If it be said that the South
| ern States, though allowed to vote on these
| amendments, were excluded from the Con-
| gress by which they were proposed, the an
| swer is, they had no voice in proposing the
| most vital of all the amendments, the one
| which abolished slavery. If it be necessary
| further to amend the Constitution, as two
thirds of the American people represented
in Congress think 1T is, before the Union
can be re-established on a just, solid, and
| enduring basis, such amendments must be
| proposed by Congress, for the President has
no such power under our form of govern
ment.
There is then, no material difference be-
tween the Presidents plan and that of Con-
gress. They are similar in principle, and
nearly the same in detail. If there be hui
initiation and degradation for the South in
the Congressional plan, there is humiliation
and degradation for the South in the Presi-
dents plan. Even the Presidents plan can
not be carried into effect without the con-
sent of Congress and if one man can re-
quire so much of the States lately in rebel
lion, can not the Congress, representing so
many millions of loyal people, require a lit
tie more2 We have passed through the will
derness. We have left behind us the horrors
which encompassed us, and sat heavy on our
hearts, when we wandered in the forbidden
fields of rebellion and war. We have at
length reached Jordan. The promised land
is right before US. Shall we linger and per-
ish on the banks 2-or shall we ego up to
possess the land 2" IF Moses be necessary
to divide the waters, Aaron and his sons can
alone bear the Ark. The President is a
power in this country, but Congress is greater
than he. 1t ought to be, because it is the
sole law-making power. The States went
out without law; they must go back under
the law. The President alone cannot re-
store to them their forfeited privileges
This must be done, and can only be done by
the coordinate, co-equal departments of that
great and benefcent government against
which they revolted and made war. 1t is
idle to despise or reject the authority of the
Congress, and then hope that by any means
the States can be restored.
But it is asserted that the President will,
In the last resort summon and recognize
Congress of his own, including the members
from the Southern States. do not believe
the President designs, in any event or for
any cause, to plunge the country into civil
war. But if such a thing be probable, and
the war should be renewed, the end would
be the total destruction of government, soci-
ETY., and property in these Southern States.
The weaker section would drain the cup of
anguish to the very dregs. Those who orig
mate such reports and make such calcula-
lions, are slanderers of the President. They
are neither friends to him nor friends to the
country. They are reckless agitators, who
would stand off from the battles which their
wicked passions would cause, to plumber the
helpless and the dead, or to safe their ven
geance by the spectacle of brothers again
plunging their bayonets into brothers bos-
oms. There is no Congress but the Con
gress recently in session at Washington,
which will meet again in December. This
Congress will increase in numbers as South
ern members are admitted to it, but it will
not be diminished.
1t is also asserted, that the Southern
States will vote for President and Vice-Pres-
ident in 1868, though they may not be rep
resented in Congress. 1t is not to be expec-
ted that the majority will permit this. The
unrepresented States were not allowed to
vote in 1864, and we may be sure similar
law will be passed for 1868. President john
son will enforce the law. 1t is his peculiar
boast that he is man of the people, and
that he has confidence in the people He is
too sound a republican to oppose his will, in
the last resort, to the will of the majority.
There is no hope, therefore, fellow-citizens,
but in the prompt restoration of the Union;
and this can be effected in no other way,
in my judgment, than by accepting the pro-
posed Constitutional amendment. We are |
admonished by the recent ELECTIONS that the |
North will be satisfied with nothing less. |
1t may require more, and have no doubt it |
WILL if we reject this amendment During the |
rebellion, was for the shortest road to peace |
am now for the shortest and straightest !
road right back to the Union. 1 love my State, |
and want the best terms can get for her. |
So strong is this love, and so ardent is my at |
tachment to the Union, that would be will |
ling to put myself under ban for the remain
der ofmy life to see the State restored. |
But, because 1 have told the people the |
truth, will they censure me? cannot believe |
they will. 1 have. been frank with them, it |
may be to my own injury. 1 cannot help it,
for if serve them at all must do with |
candor and honesty. My interests, my SYM
pathies. my hopes are all identified with |
theirs. Passion and prejudice may rule the |
hour, but a day of reason and reflection will |
come, and then justice will be done to all. |
1t would have been easy for me to have gone |
with the current. Like others, might have |
made terms with my opponents. held po-
sition which would have enabled me to do
this with some success. might have grasp
ed honors, and put money in my purse. 1 |
could have gone to party with which once
acted, many of whose members, from former
associations still have my regard and sympa
thy. But, I could not do it it. I could |
not abandon the cause of the Union. The |
path of duty was rugged and thorny, but !
continued to walk in it. I am in it STILL I |
will never leave it. I do not fear censure, |
but fear to do wrong. Nor am I a slave |
to party. In 184s L opposed my party on
internal improvements, and have the graf
ification to believe that my course then en-
sured the appropriation for the Central Rail |
road, which was the great pioneer work of |
the kind in our State. In 1860 1 refused to
go with my party in opposing the principle |
of adj 0a1orena. In 1860 refused to go with |
the great mass ofmy party for disunion. I |
stand now where Istood then. I am the |
same loyal man I was when the President |
appointed me Provisional Governor in May,
1865. I have not changed. do not intend
to change. know this is dark day for
Union men in the South, but intend to
stand by the Union, in the darkness as in
the light, so long as its flag floats or star
glitters in its folds. There is no hope for this
people but in the Union. Throughout its whole