The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-08-31
npeaI to the Nation.

Appeal 10 the Nation.
FELLow-ooUNTnYMES I'VE call upon you, in
full reliance upon your intelligence and your
patriotism, 70 accept, with generous and I'm
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
ronown that await those who bring back peace
and concord to jarring States. The war just
closed, with al its sorrows and disasters, has
opened q new career Of glory to the nation it
has saved. It has swept away the hoslillities
Of sentiment and Of interest which were a stand
ing menace to its peace. 1t has destroyed tho
institution Of slavery, always a cause of section
al agitation and strife, and has opened for our
country tho way to unity of interest, Of primer
pie and Of action through all time to come. IL
has developed in both sections q 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 tho character and destiny ofthe continent
and the world. And while it has thus revealed,
disciplined and oompaeted our power, Il has
proved to us beyond controversy o doubt, by
the course pursued toward both contonding
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 tho nations Of the
earth no friends or defenders but ourselves.
We call upon you, therefore, bv every con-
sideration Of your own dignity and safety, and
in the name Of liberty throughout the void, to
complete the work Of restoration and peace,
which tho President Of the United States has so
well begun, and which the policy adopted and
the principles asserted by the present Congress
alone obstruct.
Congress- 10 be RemOdeled.
The time is close at hand when members Of
new Congress are to be elected. If that Con-
gross shall perpetunte this policy, and, by cx-
GLIDING loyal States and people from reprcscn-
tatioh in lis halls, shall continue the usurpa-
tion by which the legislative powers Of the
Government are now exercised, common pru-
dence compels US TO anticipate augmented dis
content, a sullen withdrawal from the duties
and obligations Of the Federal Government, in
ternal discussions, and n general collision Of
sentiments and pretensions which may renew,
in a 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-
currence Of so transccndent a calamity. We
call upon you in every Congressional District
Of every State TO secure the election Of members,
who, whatever other differences may charac-
terize their political action, will unitei in recogniz-
ing the right Of every State ofhe Union to rep
rehabilitation ia Congress, and i0ho iOiH admit 10
seats, in either branch, every loyal Representative
from, every State IN allegiance 10 the Government,
whoinaybc found byeachlHouse, in the exercise of
the power conferred upon itby the Constitution,
to have been duly elected, returned and quail
aed Tor a seat therein.
The Sovereignty OF the States.
When this shall have been done the Government
will have been restored to its integrity, the
Constitution Of the United States will have been
rc-established in its full supremacy, and the
American Union will have again become what
ii was designed to be by those who formed il, a
sovereign nation, composed Of separate States,
each like itself, moving in n distinct and indie
pendent sphere, exercising powers defn ed and
reserved by a common Constitution, and resting
upon the assent, the confidence and co-opera-
ton Of all the States and all the people subject
to its authority. Thus reorganized and restored
to their constitutional relations, the States and
tho General Government can enter in a frater-
nal spirit, with a common purpose and n COM
mon interest, upon whatever reforms the secu-
rity Of personal rights, the enlargement Of pop
ular liberty and the protection Of our republi-
can institutions may demand.