The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-09-06
NO.25.


: with whom the war began; that in the
death of relatives and friends, the disper
sion of families, the disruption of social
a systems and social ties, the overthrow
OF governments, of law, and of order, the
destruction of property, and of forms and
modes and means of industry, the loss of
5 political, commercial, and moral influence
) In every shape and form which great
: calamltles can assume, the States and peo
: pie which engaged in the war against the
government of the United States have
, suffered tenfold more than those who re-
mained in allegiance to its Constitution
!, and laws.
These considerations may not, as they
certainly do not, justify the action of the
people of the insurgent States but no just
or generous man will refuse to them very
considerable weight in determining the
line Of conduct which the government of
, the United States should pursue towards
them.
They accept, if not with alacrity. GER
talnly without sullen resentment. the de-
feat and overthrow they have sustained
They acknowledge and acquiese in the re-
suits, to them and the country, which
that defeat involves. They no longer
claim for any State the right to secede
from the Union; they no longer assert for
any State en- allegiance paramount to
that which is due to the general govern
ment. They have accepted the destruc-
ton 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 Uni
ted States. They indicate and eyinee
their purpose just so fast as may be pos
sible 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 in
validity Of all acts of resistance to the na-
tional authority, and Of all debts incurred
IN attempting It's overthrow. They avow
their willingness to share the burdens
and discharge all the duties and obliea-
tons which rest upon them in common
with other States and other sections of
the Union; and they renew, through
their representatives in this convention,
by all their public conduct, in every way
and by the most solemn acts by which
States and societies can pledge their faith,
their engagement to bear true 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 you,
IN full reliance upon your intelligence
and your patriotism, to accept, with gene
rous and ungrudging confidence, this full
surrender on the part of those lately in
j arms against your authority, and to share
with them the honor and renown that a.
wait those who bring back peace and con-
cord to jarring States. The war lust
closed, with all its sorrows and disasters,
has opened new career Of glory to the
nation it has saved. 1t has swept away
the hostilities Of sentiment and of inte-
rest which were standing menace to its
peace. 1t has destroyed the institution
of slavery, always a cause of sectional agi-
tation and strife, and has opened for our
country the way to unity of interest, of
principle and of action, through all time
to come. 1t has developed in both sec-
tlons military capacity-an aptitude for
achievements of war, both by sea and land,
before unknown even to ourselves, and
destined to exercise hereafter, under uni
ted councils, an important influence upon
the character and destiny of the continent
: and the world And while it has thus re-
: vealed, disciplined and compaeted our
: power, it has proved to US beyond con-
, troversy or doubt, by the course pursued
towards both cOntending sections by for
) eign powers, that we must be the guar
dians of our own independence, and that
) the principles of republican freedom we
: represent can find among the nations of
: the earth no friends or defenders but our
, selves.
: We call upon you, therefore, by every
+ consideration of your own dignity and
0 safety, and in the name of liberty through
S out 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 Con-
t gress alone obstruct. The time is close
/ at hand when members of new Congress
l shall perpetuate this policy, and, by ex-
r Guiding loyal States and people from rep
y resentation in its halls, shall continue.the
j usurpation by which the legislative pow
: ers of the government are now exercised,
e common prudence compels us to antici-
e pate augmented discomfort, sullen with
t drawal from the duties and obligations of
+ the Federal government, internal dissen-
t sions, and general collision of senti-
: ments and pretensions which may renew,
5 in still more fearful shape, the civil war
t from which we just emerged. We call
: upon you to interpose your power to pre-
: vent the recurrence of 50 transcedent
e calamity. IIe cali upon you, IN ere,y
5 Congressional district Of e0eyy State, to
:, secure the cLecfion of allelllberS ,cLn acLnt-