The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-08-28


share in the government of the country; that
they are still disloyal in sentiment and purpose,
and that neither the honor, the credit, nor the
interest of the nation would be safe if they were
readmitteG to share in It's councils. We mlgh
reply to this:
Ill That we have no right, for such reasons
to deny any portion of the Statesor people rlgn's
expressly conf erred upon them by the Constisu-
ton of therUnited States.
(2) That so long as the acts are those OF 10y
alty-so long as they conform in all their public
conduct to the requirements OF the Constitution
and laws,-we have no right to exact from them
conformity in their sentiments and opinions to
our own.
a. That we have no right to distrust the
purpose or the ability Of the people of the Union
and by whatever means may be required, its
honor and its welfare.
These would, in our. judgment, be full and
conclusive answers to the plea thus advanced
for the exclusion Of these States from the Union.
But we say further, that this plea rests upon
complete pisapprehension or an unjust perver-
sion Of existing facts.
We do not hesitate to affirm, that there is no
section of the country where the Constitution
and laws of the United States find more
prompt and entire obedience than 10 those States,
and among those people who were lately IN arms
against them or where there is less purpose or
danger of any future attempt to overthrow their
authority -. It would seemto be both natural and
inevitable that in States and sections so recent.
" swept by the whirlwind OF. war, where all the
ordinary modes and methods Of organized in
.dustry have been broken up, and the bonds and
influences that guarantee social order have been
destroyed-where thousands and tens OF thous-
ands Of turbulent spirits have been suddenly
loosed from the discipline of war and thrown
without resources or restraint upon disorgan-
lied and chaotic society, and where the keen
sense of defeat is added to the overthrow of
ambition and hope, scenes of violence should
defy for a time the imperfect discipline OF law,
and excite anew the fears and tOrebodlngs OF
the patriotic and well-disposed. 1t is unques-
tionably true that local disturbances of this
kind, accom- panied by more or less Of violence,
do still occur. But they are confined entirely
to the cities and larger towns of the Southern
States where different races and interests are
brought most closely in contact, and where
passions and resentments are always most easily
fed and famed into outbreak; and even there,
they are quite as much the fruit of untimely
and hurtful political agitation of any hostility
the part of the people to the authority of the
National Government
But the concurrent testimony of those best
acquainted with the condition of society and
the state of public sentiment in the South-in-
GLIDING that of its representatives in this con-
vention-establishe the fact that the great mass
of the Southern people accept, with full and
siRcere submission DO the people of the other
States, the re-established supremacy of the
national authority, and are prepared, in the
most loyal spirit, and with a zeal quickened
alike by their interest and their pride, to CO.
operate with other States and sections in what
ever may be necessary 20 defend the rights,
maintain the honor and promote the welfare of
our common country. History affords no in
stance where people so powerful in numbers,
in resources and public spirit, after war so
long 10 its duration, so destructive n.its pro-
.gress, and SO adverse in its issue, have accepted
defeat and its consequences with SO much of
good faith as has marked the conduct of the
people lately in resurrection against the United
States. Beyond all question this has been
largely due to the wise generosity with which
their enforced surrender was accepted by the
President Of the United States and the generals
in immediate command Of their armies, and to
the liberal measures which were afterwards
taken to restore order, tranquility and law to
the States where all had been for the time
overthrow. No steps could have been better
calculated to command the respect, win the
confidence, revive the patriotism and secure the
permanent and affectionate allegiance of the
people of the South the Constitution and laws
of tho Union than those which have been so
firmly taken and SO steadfastly pursued by the
President of the United States. And if that
confidence and loyalty have been since impaired;
if the people of the South are to-day less cordial
in their allegiance than they were Immediately
upon the close of the war; We believe it is due
to the changed tone of the legislative depart
,ment of the General Government towards them;
ito the action by which Congress has endeavored
to suppfant aud defeat the Presidents wise and
bene6cent policy of restoration; to their exclu
sion from all participation in our common Gov
ernment; to the Withdrawal from them of rights
conferred and guaranteed by the Constitution,
aud to the evident purpose of Congress, in the
exercise of usurped and unlawful. authority,
to reduce them from the rank of free and equal
members of Republic of States, With rights
and dignities unimpaired, to the condition of
conquered provinces and conquered people, in
all things subordinate and subject to the will of
their conquerors; free only to obey laws in
making which they not allowed to share
No people has ever yet existed whose loyalty
and faith such treatment long continued would
not Alternate and impair And the ten millions
of Americans who live in the South would be
unworthy citizens of free country, degenerate
sons of a heroic ancestry, unfit ever to become
guardians of the rights and liberties bequeathed
to US ly the fathers and founders of this Re-
public, if they could accept, with accomplishing
submssiveness, the humiliations thus sought to
be imposed upon them. Resentment of injustice
is always and everywhere essential to freedom: |
and the spirit which prompts the States and
people lately in insurrection, but insurgent now
no longer, to protest against the imposition of
unjust and degrading conditions, makes them
al the more worthy to share in the soyernment