Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-21
T o THE p e 0PL E
OF THE
UNITED STATES.
ADDRESS OF THE
National Union Convention.

PHILADELPHIA, August 10Th, 1906
Having met in Convention at the city of
Philadelphia, in the State Of Pennsylvania,
this 10th day Of August, 1866, as the rep
resentatives Of the people in all sections and
all the States and Territories Of the Union,
to consult upon the condition and the wants
Of our common country, we address to you
this declaration Of our principles and Of the
political purposes we seek to promote.
Since the meeting Of the last National
Convention, in the year 1860, events have
occurred which have changed the character
Of our internal policy, ard given the United
States a new place among the nations Of the
earth. Our Government has passed through
the vicissitudes and the perils Of civil war
a war which, though mainly sectional in its
character, has nevertheless decided political
differences that from the very beginning Of
the Government had threatened the unity Of
our national existence and has left its i'm
press, deep and ineflaceable upon all the
interests, the sentiments, and the destiny Of
the Republic While il has inflicted upon
the whole country severe losses in life and
in property, and has imposed burdens which
must weigh on its resources for generations
90 come, il has developed degree Of noble
hfIAl aye tlA lllE lllNHtlllG ol lldAlDlAhA hill-
gerS. a capacity for military organization
and achievement and devotion on the
part Of the people TO the form Of govern
ment which they have ordained, and TO the
principles ofliberty which that Government
as designed 10 promote, which must con-
firm the confidence Of the nation in the per.
petuity Of its republican institutions, and
command the respect Of the civilized world.
Like all great contests which rouse the pas
sions aud test the endurance Of nations, this
war has given new scope 30 the ambition Of
political parties, and fresh impulse TO plans
Of innovation and reform. Amidst the
chorus Of conflicting sentiments, inseparable
from such an era, while the public heart is
keenly alive 10 all the passions that can
sway the public judgment and affect the
public action, while wounds Of war are still
fresh and bleeding on either side, and fears
for the future take unjust proportions from
the memories and resentments of the past, it
is a difficult. but an imperative duty which,
in your behalf we who are here assembled
have undertaken to perform. For the first
time after six long years of alienation and
Of conflict, we have come together from
every State and every section Of our land,
~ citizens Of a common country, under that
flag, the symbol again Of common glory,
20 consult together how best to secure and
perpetuate that Union which is again the
object Of our common love, and thus secure
the blessings Of liberty TO ourselves and our
posterity.
Ia the first place, we invoke you to re-
member always and everywhere that war
is ended, and the nation is again at peace.
The shock Of contending arms no longer as
sails the shuddering heart Of the Republic
The insurrection against the supreme au-
thoritv Of the nation has been suppressed,
and that authority has been again acknow-
Iedged by a word and act in every State and
by every citizen wi.nin its jurisdiction. We
are no longer required or permitted to re-
gard or treat each other as enemies. Not
only have the acts Of war been discontinued
and the weapons Of war laid aside but the
state Of war no longer exists, and the senti-
ments. the passions, the relations Of war
have no longer lawful or rightful place any
where throughout or broad dominion. We
are again people Of the United States, fell
low-citizens of one country, bound by the
duties and obligations Of common nation,
and having neither rightsnor interests apart
from common destiny The duties that
dcvolve upon us now are again the duties OF
peace and no longer the duties Of war. We
have assembled here 20 take counsel con-
cerning the interests Of peace, 10 decide how
we may most wisely and enectually heal the
wounds the war has made, and perfect and
perpcuate the benefits It has secured, and
the blessings which, under a wise and be-
nigu Providence, sprung mp IN its Eery
track This is the work not of passion, bat
ofcalm and sober judgment; not Of resent
ment for past offences prolonged beyond the
limits which Justice and reason prescribe
bat of a liberal craftsmanship which toler'
ates what il cannot prevent, and builds Its
plans and its hopes for the future rather up
on a community of interest and ambition
than upon distrust and the weapons Of force
In the next place, we call upon you to re-
scognizc. In their full significance and e
accept with all their legitimate consequences
the political results of the war Just closed
In two most important particulars the victo
nv achieved by the National Government
has been final and decisive, FIRST: it la
established beyond all further controversy
ard bv the highest for all human sanction
the absolute supremacy Of the Nationa
Governments "a defined and directed by tn
Constitution of the United States, and tn
pcrmancnt integrity and indissolubility q
the Federal Union isa necessary consequence
aud secondly, it has put an end, finally an
forever 10 the existence of slavery upon ih
soil or within the jurisdiction Of ;he Unite
STATES Both these points became directl
involved in the contest, and controverS
upon both has ended absolutely and iinall
by the result
In the third place, we deem it of the n
most importance that the real character
the war, and the victory, by which II W.
closed should be accurately understood
The war was carried ON by the Governmer
of the United State. in maintenance oi d
own authority and in defense e its own e1
istcncc. both of which were menaced by q
ipsurrcctiou which il sought tO suppress
The suppression of that insurrection accon
ulished that result The Government of q
United States maintained hy force of arm
the supreme authority over all the terrltol
and over an the States and people within
Jurisdiction which the Constitution cOnie
upon IT, but it acquired thereby no ne
pawer. no enlarged jurisdiction, no righ
either Of territorial possession or OF CIV
authority. which IL did not possess beio
The rebellion broke ont An the right
power IL can ever possess Is that when
conferred upon il in express terms, or 10y u
and necessary implication, by the Constr,
tuti,n of the United States. IL was Oh
,,,yyrr and that authority which the rcbelh
sought to overthrow, and the victory OF {
Federal arms was simply the defeat OF ii
attempt.
The Government of the United sta
,ctcd throughout the war on the deiensl'
Il sought only 20 hold possession Of wi
was already its own. Neither the war u
ihc victory bv which IL was ended chang
I'm any way the Constitution of the Oni'
states. The war was carried ON by vlrl
pf lis provisions and under the limltau'
which they prescribed, and the result OF
war did not either enlarge, ahrldgc, or
any wav change or affect the powers 1t g
C.rs upou the Federal Government or rele
that Government from the restrictions VIII
il has imposed.
The Constitution OF the United State
today precisely as il was before the wa
tbe sunreme law of the land, anything
an, constitution or laws of any State 10
r,ptr,rv Notwithstanding. And to-day
,,recisejv as before the war, all the po"
uot conferred by the Constitution upon
General Government, nor promoll'd %
tn The States are reserved 60 the Sev'
States or 10 the people thereof
This position is vindicated not only
tbp essential nature Of our Government
tbe language and spirit Of the Cons'i'nu
hut bv an the acts and the language "'
.f- 1.uarfmeutg and