The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-08-25

lie sentiment in the South, including that
of it's representatives in the Convention,
and establishes the fact that the great
mass Of the Southern people accept with
as full and sincere submission as the peo-
pie of other States, the re.established su-
premacy Of the National authority and are
prepared in the most loyal spirit and with
zeal quickcncd alike by their interest
and their pride. to cooperate with other
States and sections in whatever may be
necessary to defend the rights, to main
tain the honor and promote the welfare Of
our common country. History affords no
instance where people 80 powerful in
numbers, resources and public spirit after
a war so long in its duration, so destruc.
tive in its progress aud so adverse in its
issue, have accepted defeat and its conse-
quenccs with so much good faith as has
marked the conduct Of the people lately
in insurrcction against the United States.
Beyond all question this has been largely
due to the wise generosity with which
their enforced surrender was accepted by
the President Of the United States and
their armies, and to the liberal measures
which were aftcrward taken to restore or
der, tranquility and law to the States
where all had for sometime been over
thrown. No steps could have been bet
ter calculated to command the respect,
win the confidence, revive the patriotism,
and secure the permanent and affection
ate allegiance Of the people Of the South
to the Constitution. than those which
have been so solcmnly taken and 80 stead
iastly pcrscvercd in by the President Of
the United States. The people Of the
South arc to-day less cordial in their al
legiance than they were Immediately up
on the close Of the war We believe it
is to the changed tone of the legislative
department Of the General Government,
and the action by which Congress has en-
dcavored 10 supplant and defeat the Pres
idcnt's wsc and bcnefccnt policy Of re-
construction to their exclusion from all
participation in our common Government;
to the withdrawal from them Of the rights
conferred and granted them by the Con-
Istituti0n, and 10 the evident purpose Of
Congress in the exercise Of usurpation
and unlawful authority, to reduce them
from the rank Of free and equal members
Of Il Republic Of States with rights and
diguitics unimpaired, to the condition Of
conquered provinces and conquered pto-
pie in all things subordinate and subject
TO the will of their conqucrors. Free on
y to obey laws in the making Of which
F 81 af.+ al . 81, NJ Ii
has ever yet existed whose loyalty and
faith such treatment, long continued,
would not ALLEVIATE and impair and the
ten millions Of Americans who live in the
South would be unworthy citizens of .
free country, degenerate sons Of i heroic
ancestry, unfit ever To become the guar
dians Of the rights and liberties be
qucathed 10 us By the fathers and found
ers Of the Republic, if they could acccpl
/ with accomplishing gubmissiyeuess the
+ humiliation thus sought to be imposed
/ upon them. Resentment Of injustice Is
always and everywhere essential to free
dom, aud the spirits which prompts the
States aud people, lately III insurrection
but iusurecn; now no longer. to protest
against the imposition Of unjust and de-
grading conditions, makes them all more
worthy 10 share in the government Of 4
| free commonwealth aud gives still frmer
assurances Of the future power aud free
dom Of the Republic For whatever re
sponsibility the Southern people may
have incurred in resisting the authority
of the National Government aud IN ta-
/ king up. arms for lis overthrow, they may
/ be held ito answer as individuals before
+ the Judicial tribunals of the land, and
/ for that conduct as societies and organ
lied col4 munitics they have already paid
the most fearful penalties that can fall on
offending States in the losses, the suf-
/ fering ann humiliation of unsuccessful
war. But whatever may the guilt or the
punishment of the conscious authors OF
the insurrccti0n, candor and common jus
| tice demand the concession that the
great mass Of those who became involved
in its responsibilities, acted upon what
/ they deemed to be their duty in defense
of what they had been taught to believe
their rights under n compulsion physica
and moral, which they were powerless tC
resist; nor can it be amiss to remember
that terrible as have been the bereave
ments and losses Of this war, they have
fallen exclusively upon neither section
and upon neitherparty; that they have
fallen with far greater weight upon those
with whom the war began; that in the
death of relatives and friends, the dis
ruption of social systems and societies, the
oeerthrow of governments, of laws, order
the destruction of property and the means
of industry, the loss of political, com
mercial and moral influence in every
shape and. form which great calamitie
can assume, the States and people which
engaged in the war against the Govern
ment of the United States have suffered
ten-fold more than those who remained
, in allegiance to its constitution and laws
These considerations may not, as they Ger
tainly do not, justify the action of th'
people of the insurgent States, but NJ
Just or generous mind will refuse to then
a considerable weight in determining th
line of conduct which the Government o
the United States should pursue towar'
, them, if not with alacrity, certainly with
, out sullen resentment, the defeat an,
; knowledge and acquiesce in the result
to themselves and the country which tina
defeat involves. They no longer clair
for any State the right to secede from tn
Union. They no longer assert for an
/ State an allegiance paramount to tha
e which iS duo IN tho Ganarol Government