The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-11-28
M E S S A G E
OF
GOV. JONATHAN WORTH,
TO THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH
CAROLINA.

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
RALE1aH, Nov. 20th, 1866.
To the Honorable. the General Assembly Of
North Carolina:
GENTLEMEN.-The attention of this whole
nation is now specially directed to the
anomalous condition of our national affairs.
II seems fit, therefore, that our consideration
should be primarily directed to the restora-
tion of national order and harmony.
Although We are now denied any legisla-
tive participation in the conduct of tue gov
ernment OF the United States, we should not
he hstless as to passing events, nor unmind-
full of the benefits to be derived from an Oc-
casional review of the past.
More than eighteen months ago bloody
sectional war was closed by the total over
throw of the weaker by the stronger section.
Its declared object, on the one side, was to
break up the Union; on the other to pre-
it. 1t ended as might have been ex-
pected. The commanders of the Southern
armies. after the south was completely ex-
hausted. as to everything which constitutes
strength IN war, and after exhibitions of
valor, in the field, which astOnisheL the
world, surrendered on the stipulation of i'm
munity to the surrendering forces. Arms
had established the supremacy OF the Union.
Not guerilla party in the south remained
| under arms. The whole people of the south,
whether they had favored the inception of
the war or sympathised with their section
after it began or not, gave every evidence
they could give of their submission to the
result of the conflict, and their willingness
to obey the constitution and laws of the
United States
What was then in the way of an immedi-
ate restoration of the Uni0n2 The machin-
cry Ofgovernment in the southern states was
in the hands of those who had given their
adhesion to the rebellion. This was state
of things not contemplated by the constitu-
tion of the United States Precedent furn-
ished no guidance in altering the machinery
of the rebellious state governments so as to
work in harmony with the national govern
ment The President, who owed his eleva-
ted position to his reputation for statesman
ship and the consistent devotion of his life
to the preservation of the Union, held that
he ought not to recognize the officers of the
states who had given their adhesion to the
rebellion, even so far as to make them the
| instruments of reorganization; that while
| the states existed, and the Union had been
preserved. there were, in those states, no
legislative, judicial or executive officers,
lawfully constituted.
To enable the states tn reform their con-
stItutions, and the machinery of their gov
ernments, he granted amnesty to the peo-
pie who had favored the rebellion, with GER
tain exceptions, on the condition of their
renewing allegiance to the United States by
taking an oath to support the constitution
reserving the right to grant pardons upon
special petitions to such individuals of the
excepted classes as he might deem deserv
ing of them. He appointed provisional
governors, under whose orders elections
were held for delegates to state conventions,
those only being allowed to vote at such
elections to whom general or special par
don't had been granted. The great body of
the people complied with the conditions,
and, voted at such elections.
When our convention assembled, It was
understood that the president, and the peo-
pie of the dominat states, expected of us
three amendments our constitution, as es-
sential to harmonious union and permanent
reconciliation; to wit: the remuneration Of
the doctrine of secession; the abolition of
slavery; and the reputation OF the debt
contracted in the prosecution of the rebel
lion; and the ratification. by the legislature.
thereafter to assemble, of an amendment to
the constitution of tue United States, pro-
posed during the war. -aholshing slavery
throughout the United States
From all we could learn from the press.
the avowals of the representative men of
the north and all the sources OF information,
we entertained no doubt that these views of
the president were approved by the great
body of those who elected him.
Many of our people deemed some of these
terms hard and injurious to the well be-
ing of the state; but regarding hem as the
conditions to restored amnesty, prescribed
by our conquer0rs, they were accepted with
remarkable unanimity. and have since been
observed with strict fidelity. One of them
reduced from affluence to poverty large
number of our people in no wise responsible
for this sectional war. We accepted them be-
cause we thought these terms were required
by the victors from the yanquished, as all
that was required of US, as preliminaries to
the restoration of concord between the late
belhgerents.
We elected senators and representatives to
congress with all the qualifications prescrib-
ed in the constitution. We were not ignor-
ant that congress, during the war, had pre-
scribed an oath of Nffice, commonly known
US the .'test oath" which very few, if any
of our people who had remained citizens OF
the state during the war, could concienti-
ously take We regarded this act as uncon-
stituti0Aal Article g. section of the con-
stitution of the United States provided that
senators and representatives and other Off
GERS, 'shall he bound by oath or affirmation
to support the constitution of the United
State' If congress has the power to add
to this oath. such further oath as it may
deem expedient, 1t is manifest that any par
ty, having temporary ascendency in con :
gress, can prescribe an oath which will ex-
clude from congress ali who do not agree in
sentiment with the dominant party. This
principle would destroy the very basis OF
our national government. 1t was never in
tended that party, having temporary as
| tendency, should have authority to make
its ascendence perpetual.
We believed from the resolutions of con-
gress, passed during the war, and the mani
fest requirements of enlightened policy, that
the north was willing to restore friendly re-
lations with the south, and nobody could ex-
pect any cordiality to be restored while this
statute was held to be il force. We expec ed
70 it to be repealed or to be declared uncon-
stitutional and void by the supreme court
of the United States, in which tribunal, for
tunatcly for the cause of civil liberty, parti-
zanship has as yet made but slight inroads.
We believed that the constitutional guards,
and the virtue and intelligence Of the cleo