The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-08-28

| and moral, which they were powerless to resist.
Nor can it be amiss to remembers that, terrible
as have been the bereayements and the losses
of this war, they bave fallen exclusively upon
neither section and upon neither party; that
they have fallen, indeed, with tar greater
weight upon those with whom the war began;
that in the death of relatives and friends, the
dispersion of families, the disruption Of social
systems and social ties the overthrow OF gov
ernnents, of law aud OF order, the destruction
of property and of forms and modes and means
of industry, the loss of political, commercial
and moral influence, in every shape and form
which great calamitics can assume, the States
and people which engaged in. the war against
the Government of the United States have suf-
fered tea-fold more than those who remained in
allegiance to its Constitution and laws.
These considerations may not, as they certain
" do not, Justify the action of the people of the
insursent States; but no just or generous mind
will refuse to them very considerable weight in
determining the line of conduct which the Gov
ernment of the United States should pursue
towards them.
They accept, if not with alacrity, certainly
without sullen resentment, the defeat and over
throw they have sustained They acknowledge
and acquiesce in the results, to themselves and
the country, which, that defeat involves. They
no longer claim for any State the right to secede
from the Union; they no longer assert for any
State au allegiance paramount to tha. which rs
due to the General Government. They have
accepted the destruction of slavery, abolished
it by their State constitutions, and concurred
with the States and people of the whole Union
in prohibiting its existence forever upon the
soil or within the jurisdiction of the United
States. They indicate and evInce their pur-
pose just SO fast as may be possible and safe to
adapt their domestic laws to the changed condl-
ton of their society, and to secure by the law
and its tribunals equal and impartial justice to
all classes of their inhabitants. They admit the
nvadity of all acts of resistance to the national
authority, and of all debts incurred in attempt
ing its overthrow They avow their willingness
to share the burdens and discharge all the duties
and obligations which rest upon them, in COM
mon with other States and other sections of the
Union; and they renew, through their represen-
tatives IN this convention, by all their public
acts by which States and societies can pledge
their faith, their engagement to bear true faith
and allegiance, through all time to come to the
Constitution of the United States, aud to all
laws that may be made in pursuance thereof.
Fellow countrymen We call upon you, in
full reliance upon your intelligence and your
patriotism, to accept with generous and un-
grudging confidence this full surrender on the
part Of those lately in arms against your au-
thority, and to share with them the honor and
Ienown that await those who bring back peace
and concord to Earring States. The war just
closed, with all its SORROWS and disasters has
opened career of glory to the nation it
has saved 1t has swept away the hostilities OF
sentiment and of interest which were standing
menace to its peace. 1t has destroyed the in
stitution of slavery, always a cause of sectional
agitation and strife, and has opened Tor our
country the way to unity of interest, of princi-
pie and of action through all time to come. 1t
has developed in both sections military ca
pacity-an aptitude for achievements OF war,
both by sea and land, before unknown even to
ourselves, and destined to exercise hereafter,
under united councils, an important influence
upon the character and destiny of the continent
and the world. And while it has thus revealed
disciplined and compacted our power to us
beyond controversy or doubt by tie course
pursued towards both contending sections by
foreign Powers, that We must be the guardians
Of our own independence, and that the princi-
Piles of republican freedom represent can
find among the nations Of the earth no friends
Or defenders but ourselves.
We call upon you, therefore, by every consd-
Grafton of your OWE dignity and safety, and in
the name of liberty throughout the world, to
complete the work of restoration and peace
which the President of the United States has
SO well begun, and which the policy adopted
and the principles asserted By the present Con-
grass alone obstruct. The time is close at hand
when members of new Congress are to be
elected. If that Congress shall pcrpetuate this
policy, and, by excluding loyal States and peo-
pie from representation 10 its halls, shall con-
tinue the usurpation by which the legislative
powers of the Government are exercised, COM
mon prudence con1pels US to anticipate aug
mened discomfort, sullen Withdrawal from the
duties and obligations of the Federal Govern
ment, internal dssension and general collision
of sentiments and.pretensions which may renew,
10 still more fearful shape, the civil war from
which we have just emerged. We call upon
you TO interpose your power to prevent the re-
currencc of SO transcendant calamity. We.
call upon you in every Congressional district of
every State to secure the election of members
who, whatever other differences may characterize
their political action, will unite in recognizing
the right of every State of the Union to repre-.
sentation in Congress, and who will admit to
seats in either branch every loyal Representa-
tive from every State In allegiance to the Gov
ernment, who may be found by each House, in
the exercise of the power conferred upon it by
the Constitution, to have been duly elected,
returned and qualified for seat therein
When this shall have been done, the Govern
ment will have been restored to its integrity.
the Constitution of the United States will have
been re-estabished In its supremacy, and the
American Union will have again become what
it was designed to.be by those who formed it,
a sovereign nation, composed of seperate States,
each like itself, moving in distinct and indie.
pendent sphere, exercising powers defined aud
reserved by common Constitution, and resting
upon the assent, tho confidence and co-operation