The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-08-24
The Southern Delegates I'm Phila.
dpIDIliA,

AS special pains are taken to create the
impreSsion that the assent of the southern
delegates TO those parts of the declaration
of principles touching slavery, the national
debt, and the Federal soldiers, was forced
and insinccro, it may be well enough to
state one or two facts concerning their
action, which will show how untrue and
unjust such an impression would be.
The Committee on Address and ReSolu-
tions was very largc-cOnsiSting of two
from each State and Territory. On Or
ganizing, a subcommittee of Mirtten was
appointed, to which the subject Of reso-
lutions was referred; and upon this COM
mittec were placed some of the strongest
men of the South-IIon. W. A. Graham,
of North Carolina; Governor Perry, OF
South Carolina; Judge Icrger, Of Mis-
sissippi Governor Parsons, of Alabama;
and others. The declaration on slavery, as
first drawn, simply stated that " slavery is
abolished and forever prohibited upon the
soil and within the jurisdiction Of the
United States" The clause "aud there is
neither purpose nor desire on the part of
the southern States that it should ever he
reGstablished was inserted at the in
stance Of Judge Yerger, and trih the
prompt and unanimous assent Of all the
southern delegates. This most important
declaration, therefore, was wholly volun-
tary On the part of the South, and indi-
Gates beyond all doubt their settled and
sincere purpose.
On the subject Of the national debt the
assent of the southern delegates was
equally prompt and cordial. They repealed
in the strongest terms all thought, pur-
pose, or wish, of repudiating the debt or
avoiding their full share of whatever bur-
dcns it may involve. They unanimously
insisted that any insinuation of an unwil-
lingneSs on the part Of the South to meet
this responsibility was an imputation upon
their honor, and would be so regarded, and
they were perfectly willing that a declara-
ton to this effect should be inserted in the
resolution if it would prove of the slight
est service. They repudiated with equal
emphasis all idea of the ASSUMPTION of their
own debt, saying no man al the South,
except possibly some holder of Coniede-
rate bonds, ever dreamed Of such thing
or desired it. Their declarations on this
subject were explicit, emphatic, and
unanimous.
In regard to recognizing the services of
the Federal soldiers, they said they ex-
pectcd the Government which had been
maintained by them would do them JUS
tice. They believed this to be simply its
duty, and they should cooperate and assist
in performing it. They expressed the hope
that it would not be deemed necessary to
compliment the courage, devotion, or other
soMierly qualities of northern men at the
expense of the southern, because on this
point they felt bound to insist upon the
merits of their own troops. But this was
a matter of feeling merely, and would not
interfere with their voting to render full
Justice to the United States troops by
paving their dues and pensioning their wi
dows and orphans. They paid the highest
compliments to them, and said they dc
served the most generous treatment from
the Government they had served. And
the resolution on this subject was adopted
in committee just as unanimously as the
others.
The action Of the southern delegates in
the committee as we'll as in the Conven-
ton was thoroughly patriotic and public
spirited. They evinced the most perfect
devotion to the Misunderstanding that 1t
was now their government as much as
ours, and the only national government
they knew, and that the only rivalry be-
tween the North and South hereafter
should be as to which should do most for
its honor, its welfare, and its perpetuity.--
Ner York Times.