The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-11-22
M e S S A G. E
OF
GOV. JONATHAN WORTH,
TO TE7E
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH
CAROLINA.
TO TEIE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA,

North Carolina:
GENTLEMEN.-The attention of this whole
nation is now specially directed to the
anomalous condition of our national affairs.
II seems fit. therefore, that our consideration
should he primarily dire ctel to the restora-
ton of national order and harmony.
Although we are now denied any legisla-
tive participation in the conduct of the gov
ernment OF the United States, we should not
he listless as to passing events, nor nnmind-
ful of the benefits to he derived from an oc-
casional review of the past.
More than eighteen months ago bloody
sectional war was closed by the total over
throw of the weaker by the stronger section.
Its declared object, on the one side, was to
break up the Union; on the other to pre-
serve it. It ended as might have been ex-
pectcd The commanders of the Southern
armies, after the south was completely ex-
hausted, as to everything which constitutes
strength in war, and after exhibitions of
valor, in the field, which astonished the
world, surrendered on the stipulation of i'm
munity to the surrendering forces. Arms
had established the supremacy of the Union.
Not guerilla party in the south remained
under arms The whole people of the south,
whether they had favored the inception of
the war or sympathised with their section
after it began not, gave every evidence
they could give of their submission to the
result of the conflict. and their willingness
to obey the constitution and laws of the
United States.
What was then in the way of an immedi-
ate restoration of the Union? The machin-
cry OF government in thesouthcrn states was
in the hands of those who had given their
adhesion 10 the rebellion. This was state
of things not contemplated by the constitu-
ti"n of the United States. Precedent furn-
ished no guidance in altering the machinery
OF the rebclllOus state governments so rs to
work II harmony with the national govern
ment. The President. who owed his elcva-
ted position to his reputation for statesman
ship and the consistent devotion of his life
to the preservation If the Union. held that
he ought not to recognize the officers of the
states who had given their adhesion to the
rebellion, even so lar AS to make them II e
instruments of reorganization that while
the states existed, and the Uhinn had been
preserved. there wcr,. in those states.
Legislative. Judicial or executive officers
llwfuilv conSt!t tuted.
To en- ,ble the St.tes To reform their con-
stI. u;in:s and thc M -,chinery nf tcir gov
,.rrurrntS. tc granted amn"s To the p o.
p:. v,;.0 i.;I.i ,av. r.. tie t;brii:un A.th Ger
tan RECEPTIONS. on tn condition Of their
rcncWi = :llc.ri.i &c To III" CnIe States by
taxi 3" oath to >np".'Tn t'tc constitutipn-
I~trvn n'- Il" ri-r..t l." . 1T prr''""s upon
pUti'i l;Jtill ms 10 -t..ii II i.Vii'l';iS OF the
excepted Glasses a., We m'g.,t dr,rn descrv
ny OF th, IN. He ari1',. ,..;"d p.oNis!nnal
governors. under wto~r III 'rr> e,ect!ons
We're .cld inr del = ties to stat .nventio~S,
hose only being allowed to ut sut
elections to whom general or special par
don't had !'ecn granted. The great 'ody of
the people compiled with the conditions,
rnh votc;t at such elections
When our convention assembled, 1t was
\ al. i
pie of the domiInt states, expected of us
three amendments o our constit ution cs-
sentinl to harmonious nninn and permanent
reconclliat!On; to W. ri'e remuneration of
the doctrine. OF secession; the Ambition of
slavery; au't thr rpu,lIatIon of the debt
contracted in the rro ,ecutinn Of the rebel
lion; and the ratification. by the legislature.
thereafter to ass, mbr. of an amendment to
the constitution of the United States. pro
posed during the war. a!,olishing slavery
throughout the United States
From all we could learn from the press
the avowals of the representative men of
the north.and all the sources of information,
we entertained no doubt that these views of
the president were approved by the great
body of those who elected him.
Many of our people deemed some of these
terms hard and injurious to the we'll be-
ing of the state; but regarding them as the
conditions to restored amnesty, prescribed
by our conquerors, they were accepted with
remarkable unanlmity, and have since been
observed with strict fidelity. One of them
reduced from atfuence to poverty a large
number of our people in no wise responsible
for this sectional war. We accepted them be-
cause we thought these terms were required
by the victors from the vanquished, as all
that was required of us, as prelminaries to
the restoration of concord between the late
bell1gerents.
We elected senator's and representatives to
congress with all the qualifications prescrib-
ed in the constitution. We were not ignor-
ant that congress, during the war, had pre-
scrbed an oath of "ffice, commonly known
as the test oath, which very few, if any
of our people who had remained citizens of
the state during the war, could concienti
ously take We regarded this act as uncon-
Article q. section of the con-
stituion of the United States provided that
senators and representatives and other off
GERS. ''shaIl he bound by oath or affirmation
to support the constitution of the United
Strte If congress has the power to aid
tn rs oath such further oath as it may
de- 'Npe'iirnt, 1t l. manifest that any p@r-
IT, n wing Temporary ascendency i'm con-
gre. can prescribe an oath which will ex-
ciHnc from congress ali who do not agree in
>entl:ment with the dominant party. This
prln lplr wouli destroy the very basis of
oH' ai1nnhi government, f WIS never in
ten eat ths'' p'rty, having temporary as
cende1c!. ah"u.d have authority to make
II i,t,gntlrn'e perpe. ui.
We believed from .ie RESOLUTIONS of con-
gress pisS-.t 'inr ny ti,e w3r and tic mani
fest requirements of enl :. ht nc,i policy, that
7 'ir :" 'r;h Nas ",'iin& tu re-inge fs5e Ddiy re-
i',tioHe Win l'e s0ath, ant GD!5i},iy could cX
pc: any.yor Iiaiitf 10 - restored while This.
AT . =. 4 AZ ~
. Ii - ~ rcpgite. o. to uC dec a.ei una"'t
sii Nuupntl "nd Y"!.. .y- the suprome- court
OF the United States, IN Bric.i trihuuui. i'r-
tunateiy for the Gauss: of civil li1erty, parti
zanshlp has as yet made but slight nroads
We believed that the constitutional guards.
and the virtue and intelIigvnae If The eiec-
tors, were a sufficient protection against tiI--
loyal men finding their way INTO nation