The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-08-20
WHEELING. WEsT5YA,NONDAY MORNING. AUGUST 20, 1866


bequeathed to us by the fathers and
founders OF this republic, hthey could
accept with uncomplaining submissive
ness the humiliations thus sought to
pc Imposed upon them. Resentment
OF injustice is always and everywhere
essential TO freedom, and the spirit
Whlch prompts the States and people
lately In tnsurrection, but insurgent
now no longer, to protest against the
imposition of unjust and degrading
conditions, makes them all the more
worthy to share in the government of a
tree commonwealth, and gives still
hrmer assurance of the future power
and freedom of the republic. For
Whatever responsibility the Southern
people may have incurred in resisting
the authority of the National Govern.
ment and in taking up arms for its
overthrow, they may be held to an
sWer, as individuals, before the Judicial
tribunals of the lRnd;-and for that
conduct, as societies and organized
communities, they have already paid
the most fearful penalties that can fall
on onendtng States In the losses, the
suhertpgs and humiliations of unsuc-
.cesstul war. But whatever may be the
gullt or the punishment of the con-
sclous authors of the insurrection, can-
dor and common justice demand the
concession that the great mass of those
VINO became involved in its RESPONSE.
plllty acted upon what they believed to
pc their duty, in defense of what thew
had been taught to believe their rights,
or under q 'compulsion, physical and
morai1 which they were pOWerless to
resist. Nor can il be aniss to remem-
Der that, terrible as have been the be-
reavements and the losses of this war,
they have fallen exclusively upon
u
That they have fallen, indeed with
far 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 sys-
TENS and social ties, the overthrow of
governments, of law and order, the
destruction of property and OF forms
anu modes and means of industry, the
loss ofpoltttcal, commercial and moral
Influence, in every shape and form
which great calamities can assume, the
States and people which engaged In the
war against the government of the
United States have suffered tenfold
more than those who remained In al
legiance to the Constitution and laws.
These considerations may not, as they
certainly do not, justify the action of
the people of the insurgent States; but
no just or generous mind will refuse to
them very considerable weight in de-
the line of conduct which the
Government ofthe United States should
pursue toward them.
They accept, If not with alacrity, GER
tatnly without snllen resentment, the
defeat and overthrow they have sns.
tained. They acknowledge and acqui-
esce in the results, to themselves and
the country, which that defeat involves.
They no longer claim for any State the
right to seeede from the Union; they no
longer assert for any State an allegiance
paramount to that which is due to the
General Government. They have ac-
cepted the destruction of slavery, abol-
tshed it by their State Constitutions,
and concurred with the States and peo-
pie 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
purpose, just so fast as may be possible
and safe, to adapt their domestic laws
to the changed condition of their socfe-
ty, and to secure by the law and its tri-
ounalS equal and impartial Justice to
all classes of their inhabitants. They
admit the inValidity of all acts of resist
ance to the national authority, and of
all debts incurred in attempting its
overthrow. They avow their willing
ness to share the burdens and discharge
all the duties and obligations which
rest upon them, in common with other
States and other sections of the Union;
ana they renew, through their repre-
sentattVes in this Convention, by all
their public conduct, in every way and
by the most solemn 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 uni
ted States, and to all laws that may be
made in pursuance thereof.
FELnow-CoUNTRY9IEN We call upon
you, in full reliance upon your intelli-
gence and your patriotism, to accent
with generous and ungrudging conf
dence, this full surrender on The part of
those lately in arms against your au-
thortty, and to share with them the
honor and renown that await those who
bring back peace and concord to iarrinR
states. The war just closed, with ali
Its sorrows and disasters, has opened a
new career ofglory to the nation it has
saved. 1t has swept away the HOSTILE
ties ofsentiment and of interest which
were standing menace to its peace. It
has destroyed the institution ofSlaVery,
always a cause of sectional agitation
and strife, and has opened for our
country the way to unity of interest, of
pe1nc1ple and OF action through all time
TO come. It has developed in both sec
ttons military capacity-an aptitude
for achievements of war, both by sea
and land, before unknown even to our
selves, and destined to exercise here
after, under united councils, an impor-
tant influence upon the character and
destiny of the continent and the world.
And while it has thus revealed, disci-
pinned and compacted our power, it has
proved to us beyond CONTROVERSY or
doubt, by the conrse pursued toward
both contending sections by foreign
Powers, that we must be the guardians
of our own Independence, and that the
principles of republican freedom we
represent can find among the nations
of the earth no friends or defenders but
ourselves.
I'VE call upon YOU, therefore, by every
consideration of your own dignity and
safety, and in the name Of liberty
throughout the world, to complete the
PRESIDENT ofthe United States has sowell
begun, and which the policy adopted
and The principles asserted by the pres
ent Congress, alone obstruct. Ihetime
is close at hand when members. of a
new Congress are to be elected. Ifthat
Congress shall perpetuate this policy,
and, by excluding loyal States and peo-
pie from representation In its halls,
snail continue the usurpation by which
the legislative powers of the Govern
ment are now exercised, common pru-
dence compels us to anticipate auG-
mented discomfort, a sullen withdrawal
from the duties and obligations of the
Federal Government, Internal dissen.
sion, and a general collision of senti-
ments and pretensions which may re-
new, in a still more fearful shape, the
civil war from, which we have lust
emerged. We call upon you ito inter
pose Yonr power to prevent the recur-
renee of so transcendant a calamity.
Me esLEs upon you N every Co1lgTesstoHdl