The Portland daily press., 1866-09-07
PORTLAND FRIDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER . 1885,

soughl immunity by secession and war. The
neart slckens with the contemplation OF the
1our years that followed. Forced loans, i'm
pressments, conscription with bloody hands
anu payonets. The number of aged Union
men who had long laid aside the implements of
labor, but had since been summoned to the
held by the conscription of their sons. to sup
port their children and grandchildren, reduc-
ed from comfort to the verge of starvation; the
slaughter OF noble youths, types of physical
manhood, forced into an unholy war against
tao with whom they were identified by every
interest; long months of incarceration in rebe
bastilles, banishment from homes and
of the ans catsos"s sre Dn partial recital R
democrats North and South defeated them.
They lost-what did they lose? The curse of
oligarchy; they lost African slavery, by name
only; soon as the locsin of war ceased, soon as
the clang of war was hushaa, they raise the
cry OF immediate admission, and with that
watchword, seek to organize ender new forms
contest to perpetuate their unbridled sway;
they rehabilitate with their sweeping crntrOl
OF all local and State organizations; tee Fed
eral Executive, easily seduced, yields willing
obedience to his old masters. Aided by his
unscrupulous disregard of the Constitution
and laws, by his merciless prescription of true
democratic opinion, and by all his appliances
OF despotic power, they now defantly enter
the lists III the loyal North, and seek to wiring
from freemen endorsement of their wicked de-
|
plish this result Protesting to assent to the
abolition of slavery they are contriving to
continue its detestable power, by legislative
acts against pretended vagrants. They know
that any form OF servitude will answer their
unholy purpose. They pronounce the four
years war brilliant sword scene in the great
revolutionary drama. Proscriptive public
sentiment holds high carnival, and profiting
by the example of the Presidents programme,
breathes bitter language of slaughter against
md a1II l.
stralnts and assails with the tongue of malig-
nifty. Midnight confagrations, assassinations
and murders in open day are called to their
aid. A reign of terror through all these ten
States make loyalty stand silent in the pres
ence of treason, or whisper in abated BREATH
Strong men hesitate openly te speak for liber-
ty, and decline to attend convention at Phil
adelphia, for fear of destruction. But all
Southern men are not awed into submission TO
treason, and we have assembled from all these
States, determined that liberty when endan-
gerered, shall find mouth-piece, and the Gov
ernment of the people by the people, and for
the people, shall not perish from the earth
We are here to consult together how best to
provide for Union of truly Republican
States-to seek to resume thrty-six stars in
the old flag. We are here to see that ten OF
the stars, Opaque bodies, palng their Intellectual
fires beneath the gloom of oligarchial tyranny
and oppression; we wish them to be brilliant
stars, emblems Of Constitutional iberty-glit-
oO.ih? oiUo, spdfhuuS Will CHe LIE giving
principles Of the model Republic
fitting adornments of the glorious banner OF
freedom. Our last and only hope is in the uni
ty and fortitude of the loyal people of America
In the support and vindieatiOn of the 39th Con-
gresS, and the election of controlling Union
majority in the succeeding or 10th Congress-
While the new article amending the COnstitu-
tion offers the most liberal conditions to the
fathers of the rebellion, it does not come IN I'd
the measure of our expectations. We believe
its ratification would be the commencement OF
complete and lasting protection to all our
people, and therefore we accept it as the best
present remedy, and we appeal to our brothers
and friends in the North to make it their watch
word in the coming elections. The tokens arc
auspieious Of overwhelming success. However
little the verdict of the ballot box may affect
the reckless mrn in the Presidential chair, we
csnnot dou bt that the traitors and sympathis
ers Will recognize that verdict as the sures
indication that the weighty power which
crushed the rebellion is still alive, and thai
those who attempt to oppose or defy it will de
SO with the risk of their own destruction Oul
confidence in the ever ruling providence O
God prompts the prediction and intensifies the
belief that when this warning is taught to
these misguided and reckless men the liberal-
ed millions of the rebellious South viii be
profered those rights and franchises which
may be necessary to adjust and settle this
mighty controversy in the spirit of the most
liberal and christian philanthropic.
(Signed) GEO. w. PAscHAI.
Chairman, and IL Others