The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-10-05
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
ADOPTED BY
THE PHILADELPHIA CONVENTION.
ADOPTED BY

The National Union Convention, now assembled
in the city Of Philadelphia, composed Of delegates
from every State and Territory in the Union, ad.
monished by the solemn lessons which for the last
five years II has pleased the Supreme Ruler Of the
Universe to give the American people, profoundly
grateful for the return OF peace, DESTROYS rs are a
large majority of their fellow. co~untrymen, in all
sincerity, to forget and to forgive the past, rever.
ing the constitution as Il comes to us from our an
%eestors, regarding the Union, in It's restoration, as
more sacred than ever, looking with anxiety into
the future as Of instant importance, hereby issues
and proclaims the following declaration Of princi
eiples and purposes, on which they have with per
feet unanimlty agreed:
1. We hail, with gratitude to Almighty God, the
end Of war, and the return Of peace to our afflicted
and beloved land.
2. The war just closed has maintained the au.
thority Of the constitution, with all the pc wers
which ii c%onfers, and all the restrictions which II
imposes upon the general government unabridged
and unaltered, and 1t has preserved the Union with
the equal rights dignity and authority Of the States
perfect and unimpaired.
8. Representation in the Congress of the United
States, and in the Electoral College, is a right rec.
ognized In the constitution as abiding in every
State, and as a duty imposed upon its people fun
damental In its nature, and essential to the exis-
tenee OF our republican institutions, neither Con.
gross nor the General Government has any power
or authority to deny this right 10 any State, or "a
withhold its enjoyment, under the constitution
from the people thereof.
4. We call upon the people Of the United States
to elect 70 Congress as members thereof none but
men who admit this fundamental right OF repre-
sentation, and who will recommend to seats therein
loyal representatives from every State In allegiance
TO the United States, subject only TO the c%onstitu.
tional right of each House to Judge of the election
returns and qualifications Of its own members.
8. The constitution of the United States and
law made in pursuance thereof, are the supreme
law OF the land, any thing In the constitution o.
laws Of any State 70 the contrary Notwithstanding
All powers not conferred by the constitution upoi
the. General government, nor prohibited by ii t
States, are reserved TO the several States or TO IN,
people thereof; and amcng the rights thus resery
ed 10 the States Is the right to prescribe th,
qualifications for the elective franchise therein
which right Congress can not interfere with. N,
State or combination OF States has the right L
withdraw from the Union, or TO exclude througl
their action in Congress, or otherwise, any otheil
State OF states-from the Union. The Union 0
these States Is perpetual and car not be dissolved
9. Such amendments to the constitution OF th,
United States may be made by the people Thereon
as they may deem expedient, in the mode pointe,
out by its provision and In proposing sucI
amendments, whether by Congress or by a conyen
ton, and in rauiying the same, all the States Il
the Union have an equal and an indefeasible RICH
20 a voice and vote thereon.
z. Slavery Ia abolished and forever prohibited
There 10 neither design nor purpose, on tile pal
Of the Southern States, that Il should ever be II
established upon the soil or within the jurisdictio
Of the United States. and the enfranehised slaves
in all the States Of the Union, should receive, /
common with all their inhabitants, equal proteC
4 UhfIa Oa ra0ard "A a uNtanlu ssuan1 all uaue