Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-01-26


cession is success and not failure, so far
at least as to withdraw eleven States from the
Union or reduce eleven States to the terrific
rial condition
< repeat, and ask the Senate and
the country to hear, we have Mr.. Lin
coins positive testimony that Mr.. Seward APP
proved it Mr.. Lincoln's policy,) in general
and in detail Mr. Chase approved it and
every part and parcel oft; Mr. Stanton and
Mr.. Welles ALSO who still remain in the
Cabinet, fully and cordially approved.
The loyal people ofthe United States, rep
resented at Baltimore, approved it by the re-
nomination of Mr.. Lincoln for the Presiden-
cy And, as if to make the endorsement Of
this part of Mr.. Linooln's policy more en-
phatic, Mr.. johnson was-nominated for the
Vice-P Presidency, the very man of all others
who had for a long time been engaged in the
great work of reconstructing civil govern
ment in the State Of Tennessee, upon the
basis of that policy.
| The election came. on. That policy and the
Administration which proclaimed it, and the
convention which endorsed it, were sustained
by the people of the United States.
4: x He then considered the most i'm
portant, and just at this moment, perhaps,
the most practical question, namely: What
were the powers and duties imposed by law
upon the President in closing the war and
making peace, which Of necessity must pre-
cede the disbanding Of the army? What
terms, he asked, had the President a right
to demand of these States, or of their people,
as conditions precedent to peace, and the
withdrawal of the army?
First, and before all, and as the basis Of
all, unqualified submissio1fto the Constitu-
ton of the United States, and all laws Con-
gress passed in pursuance thereof.
Second, the annulling Of all acts, laws and
proceedings by which the States made or
prosecuted war against the United States in
Guiding the rebel debt. u.
Third, acquiescence in the situation which
the war has brought upon them, including
the abolition Of slavery, for and on account
Of which they made the war; for the SINGER
ity of such acquieseence, and as the sepreme
test of its good faith, the adoption Of the con-
stitutional amendment by which slavery, the
cause of the war, is surrendered and made
impossible, and liberty made sure, by being
placed under the guardianship Of Congress
in every State and Terfi.Iy forever.
Fourth, the practical assumption of their
political duties, upon those terms, as States
in the Union.
These are tie conditieaiS, in SUBSTANCE, up
on which President Lincoln almost three
years ago announced to the people Of these
States the terms Of paciication to which he
pledged the support Of the Executive Govern
ment.
These are the substance of the terms offer
ed by President johnson
Several of the States, or The people Of sew
eral States, have accepted them, and offer
now to resume all their political duties as
States in this Union, and practically enjoy
their rights d as such Shall we allow them
to do so?
If these terms have been accepted by these
States, or the people of these States, in GOOD
faith, is not the faith Of this nation pledged :?
Just as much pledged as by the terms con-
tanned ii the surrender of their armies?
Mr.. Doolittle stated other considerations
in support of the Presidents policy, includ-
ing that Of finance and industry Let no
man misunderstood his position. With these
guilty leaders who, in this Senate and else
where, melted the people Of those States to
revolt, he had and could have no sympathy.
They deserve none. Since the angels REBEL
ed in heaven there had been, in his Judgment,
no such crime against God or man.
In conclusion, from the beginning, and
from before the beginning, any separation Or
destruction of the States was made imposs-
BILE. Under the old Confederation, the Union
Of the States was made perpetual" And
the Constitution was formed to make /" more
perfect Union" To admit, therefore, either
the right Of States to secede, or the power of
Congress to expel them, would be to admit
into our system, a principle Of sef-destruc-
ton wholly at war with {, perpetual or per
feet Union. The Constitution, every part of
it, and the spirit which gives it life, are
against peaceable secession and that Con-
stitution clothes the Government which it
creates with every human power to prevent
a separation by force Of arms These gigan-
tic powers, which had slumbered so long that
they were wholly unknown to the world and
hardly dreamed Of by ourselves, have been
lately brought into full play.
Whatever may be said Of the crime of the
rebellion, history will record it as one of the
most persistent, self sacrificing, and tremen-
dous struggles the world ever saw, both on
the part Of the rebels, and on the part of the
loyal people of the United States. 10 other
people upon earth could have SO resisted, and
no other Government could have overcome
such resistance.
But we did overcome it. We did prevent
the separation Of these States from the Union
by force Every law Of Congress, every act
Of the President, every blow we struck o.-
cry shot we fred, every drop of blood we
she'd was not to thrust these States out. nor
to open a way for them to go out, nor to re-
duce them to territories, but to keep them as
States in the Union, and 'compel them to re-
main in the Union under the Constitution.
The flag of our country bears thirty-si Stars
as the emblem of Union of thirty-six States.
Wherever it floats, over this Capitol, at the
head of our armies, IN the storm of battle,
ana in the hour Of victory, over the sea as
well as over the land, that sacred ensign
which, next to the God Of heaven, we love
and reverence as representing the good, the