Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-09-08
Address 70 the People Of the United States.

required, It's iOn0r ana Its welfare. Il
These would, in our Judgment, be full and
conclusive answers to tho plea thus advanced
for the exclusion Of these States from tho
rests upon complete misapprehcnsion or OH
unjust pcrycrsion Of existing facts We do
not hesitate to affirm that there is no section of
the country where the Constitution and laws
of tho United States find moro prompt aud
entire obedience than in those States aud
among those people who were lately in arms
against them, or where there is less purpose
or danger of any future attempt to overthrow
thoir authority.
1t would seem to bo both natural aud inev-
table that, in States or sections SO recently
swept by tho whirlwind of war, where all the
ordinary modes and methods of organized in
dustry have boon broken up, aud tho bonds
and influences that guarantee social order have
been destroyed, where thousands and tens Of
thousands Of our turbulent spirits have been
suddenly loosod from the discipline of war.
and thrown, without resources of restraint
upon disorganized and chaotic society, and
whore tho keen sense of defeat is added to the
overthrow of ambition and hopo scenes of vi
olence should defy, for a time, the imperfect
discipline Of law, and excite anew the fears
and forebodngs of the patriotic and well dis
posed. 1t is unqucstonably true that local
disturbances Of this kind, accompanied by
moro or less of violence, do still occur, but
thoy are confined entirely to the cities and
larger towns of tho Southern States, where
different races and interests are brought more
closely in contact, and where passions and re-
sentiments arc always most easily fed and
famed into outbreak. And even there they
arc quite as much the fruit Of untimcly and
hurtful political agitation as Of any hostility
on the part Of the people to the authority of
the National Government.
But tho concurrent testimony of those best
acquainted with the condition of society aud
the state of public sentiment in tho South, in
Guiding that of it's representatives in this Con-
vcntion, establishes the fact that the great
mass of the Southern people accept, with as
full aud sincere submission rs do the people of
tho other States, the ro-cstablishcd supremacy
of the national authority, and arc prepared, in
tho most loyal spirit, and with zeal quick
ened alike by their Interest and their pride,
to cooperate with other States and SECTIONS in
whatever may he necessary to defend the rights,
maintain the honor, and promote the welfare
of our common country.
History affords no instance whore people
80 powerful in numbers, in resources, and in
public spirit, after a war 30 long IN its dura-
tloR, so destructive in its progress, and SO nd
verse in its issue, have accepted defeat and its
consequences with SO much Of faith as has
marked tho conduct of the people lately in in
surrection against the United States. Beyond
all question, this has becn largely duo to the
wise generosity with which their enforced sur
render was accepted by the President of the
United States and the generals in immediate
command ot their armies, and to the liberal
measures which werc afterwards taken to re-
store order, tranquility and law to the States,
yhnrn oil had f., 81 l. IL
No steps could have been better calculated to
command the respect, win the confidence, re.
yivo the patriotism and secure the permanent
and affcctionate allegiance Of the people of the
South to the Constitution aud laws of the
Union, than those which have been so firmly
taken aud so steadfastly pursued by the Pres
ident Of the United States
And if that confidence and loyalty have
bccn since impaircd-if the pcoplo of the
South arc to-day less cordial in their alleg-
nnce than they were Immediately upon the
close of the war-wc believe it is due to the
changed tone of the legislative department of
the General Government towards them to
the action by which Congress has endeavored
TO supplant and defeat the Presidents wise
and beneiccnt policy of rcstoratiou to their
exclusion from all participation in our COM
mon Government; to the withdrawal from
oio''i vi riSnts conferred ana guaranteed by
the Constitution, and to tho evident purpose
OF Congress, in the exercise of a usurpcd and
unlawful authority, to reduce them from the
rank of free and equal nepbers Of n Republic
Of States, with rights and dignities unm-
paired, to the condition Of conquered proyin-
ccs and a conquered pcople---iu all things sub.
ordinate and subject to the will Of their con
euerors-hee only to obcy laws, in making
which they arc not allowed to share.
No people has ever yet existed whose loyal.
ty and faith such treatment, long continued,
would not ALLEVIATE and impair, aud the ton
millions of Americans who live in the South
would be unworthy citizens Of free country;
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