Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-08-29

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loss of political, commercial and moral lrau-
ence in every shape and form which great
calamities can assume, the States and people
which engaged in the war against the Govern
ment of the United States have suffered ten
/ fold more than those who remained in aueg-:
ance to its Constitution and laws.
| These considerations may not, as they Ger
tainly do not, Justify the action of the people
Of the insurgent States; but no just or gen.
erous mind will refuse to them very consld-
cradle weight in determining the line OF con.
duct which the Government of the United
States should pursue toward them.
| They accept, if not with alacrity, certainly
without s1llen resentment, the defeat and
| overthrow they have sustained. They ac-
knowledge and acquiesce in the results, to
themselves and the country, which defeat In
wolves. They no longer claim for any State
the right to secede from the Union they no
longer assert for any State an allegiance para.
mount 10 that which is due to the General
Government They have accepted the de-.
struclion of slavery, abolished it by their State
Constitutions, and concurred With the States
and people of the whole Union in prohibiting,
its existence forever upon the soil or Within
the Jurisdiction of the United States. They
indicate and evince their purpose just so fast
as may b. possible and safe to adapt their
domestic laws to the changed condition OF
their society, and to secure By the law and
its tribunals equal and impartial justice to all
classes Of their inhabitants. They admit the
invalidity OF all acts of resistance to the ma
iional authority, and of all debts incurred in
attempting its overthrow. They avow their
willingness to share the burdens and discharge
the duties and obligations which rest upon
them, in common with other States and sec
tions of the Union and they renew, through
their Representatives in this Convention, Dy
all their public conduct in every way and py
the most solemn acts by which. States and So
cieties can pledge their faith, their engage
ment to beartrue faith and allegiance, through
all time to come, to the Constitution of the
United States, and to all laws that may be
made in pursuance thereof
Fellow. countrymen! We call upon yor,
in full! reliance upon your intelligence ano
your patriotism, to accept, with generous and
ungrudging confidence, this full surrender on
the part of those lately in arms against your
authority, and to share with the honor and
renown that await those who bring back peace
and concord to jarring States. The war just
closed, with all its sorrows and disasters, has
opened new career of glory to the nation
it has saved. 1t has swept away the hostili-
ties of sentiment and of interest which were
a standing menace to its peace. 1t has de-
stroyed the institution of slavery, alweysa a
cause Of sectional agitation and strife, and has
opeped for our country the way to unity Of
interest, of principle and of action through oil
time to come. 1t has developed IN both sec
tons military capacity-an appetite TOR
achievements of war, both BY sea and land, De.
fore unknown even to ourselves, and destined
to exercise hereafter, under united councils,
an important influence upon the character and
destiny of the continent and the world. And
while it has thus revealed, disciplined and
contacted, our power, it has proved to US be-
yond controversy or doubt, by the course pur.
sued towards both contending sections By
foreign powers, thatwe mustIbe the guardians
of our own independence, and that the princi-
ples of republican freedom we represent can
find among the nations of the earth no friends
or defenders but ourselves.
We call upon you, therefore, by every con-
sideration of your own dignity and safety, and
in the name of liberty throughout the world,
to complete the work of restoration and peace
which the President Of the United States has
so we'll begun, and which the policy adopted
and the principles asserted by the present
Congress alone obstrucs. The time is close
at hand when members Of new Congress
are to be elected If that Congress shall per-
petuate this policy aud, by excluding loyal
States aud people from representation in its
halls, shall continue the usurpation by which
the legislative powers of the Government are
now exercised, common prudence compels US
to anticipate discomfort, sullen withdrawal
from the duties and obligations of the Fede-
raj Government, internal dissension and
general collision of sentiments aud preten-
sons which may renew, in still more fear
ful shape, the civil wer from which we have
Just emerged. We call upon you to interpose
your power to prevent the recurrence OF so
transcerdent 2. calamity. We call apon yon
in.every Congressional District Of erery STATE,
to secure the elcction of members, arho, auhat-
evcr other differences may characterize me1r
noiitical action, ariU unitc in recognizing the
RIGHT OF EVERY STATE OF THE UNION. TO
REPRESENTATION IN CoNGREss, and WHO WILL
ADMIT TO SEATS IN EITHER BRANCH, EVERY
LOYAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM EFEEY oTATE
in allegiance to the Government, aoho may be
found 6y each House, in The exercise OF the
po,uer. conferred upon tidy the Constitution,
to haze been duly elected, retn7neddnd q'tatt-
| fed for seat therein.
When this shall have been done, the Gov
ment will have been restored to its integrity,
tbS Constitution of the United States will have
been re-establ;shad in its full supremacy, and
the American Union will have again become
what it was designed to be by. those who
formed it-a sovereign nation, composed OF
separate States, each like itself, moving in a
distinct and independent sphere, exercising
powers defined and reserved by Common
Constitution, aud resting upon the assent, the
confidence and cooperation of all the States
and all the people subject to its authority.
Thus reorganized and restored to their con-
stitutional relations, the States and the Gen
eral Government can enter in iraternalspirlt,
with common purpose and common interest,
upon whatever reforms the security oi per-
sonal rights, the enlargement of popular lib
erty aud perfection Of our republican institu-
tions may demand.
The reading of this address during the first
ten minutes was frequently interrupted with
applause. cs,,, c,,o,;,,
move that the address just read to the Con-
vention be adopted.
The President: You have heard the po-
ton. Those in favor of this address will say
This was received with unanimous vote,
and tho Chairman thereupon declared the ad-
dress unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Nlden, of New York: Mr.. President,
the delegation from New York propose to
this Convention three cheers for the Hon.
Henry ]. Raymond, the author of the address