The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-08-29
Address of the Philadelphia Convention
to the People OF the United States.

Address of the Philadelphia Convention
To the People of the United States.
In the National Union Convention at
Philadelphia, yesterday, Hon. Henry J.
Raymond, of New York, on behalf of
the Commute of Two from Each State
and Territory of the United States, APP
pointed on the previous day, reported
the following address, which had been
approved and recommended by the
unanimous vote ofthe Committee:
ToTHE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
Having metin Convention, at the City
of Philadelphia, in the State of Penn
sylvania, this 10th day of August, 1856,
as the representatives of the People in
all sections, and from all the States and
Territories of the Union, to consult up
on the condition and the wants of our
common country, We address you this
declaration of our principles, and of the
political purposes we seek to promote.
Since the meeting of the last Nation
al Convention, in the year 1860, events
have occurred which have changed the
character of our internal politics, and
given the United States new place
among the nations of the earth. Our
Government has passed through the vi
cissitudes 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 ex-
istence, and has left its impress deep
and ineffaceable upon all the interests,
the sentiments, and the destiny of the
republic. While it has inflicted upon
the whole country severe losses in life
and in property, and has imposed bur-
dens which must weigh on its resources
for generations to come, it has devel-
oped a degree of national courage in
the presence of national dangers Ca
pacity 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 of liberty which that gov
eminent was designed to promote, which
must confirm the confidence Of the per-
petuity of its republican institutions,
and command the respect ofthe civil
lied world.
Like all great contests which rouse
the passions and test the endurance of
nations, this war has given new scope
to the ambition of political parties, and
fresh impulse to plans of innovation and
reform. Amidst the chaos of conflict
ing sentiments inseparable from such
an era, while the public heart is keenly
alive to all the passions that can sway
the public judgement and effect the
public action; while the wounds of war
are still fresh and bleeding on either
side, and fears for the future take unjust
proportions for the memories and re-
sentiments of the past, it is difficult
but an imperative duty which, on 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 ev-
cry section of our land, as citizens of
common country, under that flag, the
symbol again of common glory, to
consult together how best to cement
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.
/. In the first place, we invoke you
to remember always and everywhere,
that the war is ended and the nation is
again at peace The shock Of contend
ing arms no longer assails the shudder-
ing heart of the Republic. The insur-
rection against the supreme authority
of the nation has been suppressed, and
that authority has been again acknowl-
edged, by word and act, in every State
and by every citizen within its jurisdic-
ton. We are no longer required or
permitted to regard or treat each other
as enemies. Not only have the facts
of war been discontinued, and the
weapons of war laid aside, but the state
!. of war no longer exists, and the senti-
ments, and passions, the relations of war
have no longer lawful or rightful place
anywhere throughout our broad do
main. We are again people of the Uni
ted States, fellow-citizens of one coun-
tay, bound by the duties and obliga-
tions of common patriotism, and hav-
ing neither rights nor interests apart
from common destiny. The duties
that deyolve upon us now are again the
duties of peace, and no longer The du-
ties of war. We have assembled here
to take counsel concerning the interests
of peace-to decide how we may most
wisely and efeetually heal the wounds
the war has made, and perfect and per-
petuate the benefits it has secured, and
the blessings which, under wise and
benign Providence, have sprung up in
its fiery track This is the work, not of
passion, but of calm and sober Judge
ment, not ofresentmentf for the past Of.
fences prolonged beyond the limits
2 which justice and reason prescribe, but
ola liberal craftsmanship which tole-
rates whatit cannot prevent, and builds
its plans and its hopes for the future
rather upon community of interest