The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1866-09-06

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traint upon disorganized and chaotic so
ciety, and where the keen sense of defea
is added to the overthrow of ambition anC
hope, scenes of violence should defy for
time the imperfect discipline of law, anC
excite anew the fears and forebodings O
the patriotic and well disposed. 1t is un
questionably true that local disturbance:
of this kind, accompanied by more or les:
of violence, do still occur. But they are
confined entirely to the cities and larger
towns OF the southern States, where diff
ferent races and interests are brought
most closely in contact, and where pas
slons and resentments are always most
easily fed and famed into outbreak; and
even there they are quite as much the
fault of untimely and hurtful political
agitation as of any hostility on the part oi
the people to the authority of the nation
al government.
| But the concurrent testimony of those
best acquainted with the condition of So
ciety and the state of public sentiment in
the South-including that of its represen-
tatives in this convention-establishes that
the great mass of the southern people ac-
cept, with as full and sincere submission
as do the people of the other States, the
re established supremacy of the national
authority, and are prepared, in the most
loyal supirit, and with zeal quickened
alike by their interest and their pride, to
cooperate with other States and sections
in whatever may be necessary to defend
the rights, maintain the honor, and pro-
mote the welfare Of our common country.
History affords no instance where a peo-
pie, SO powerful in numbers, in resources,
and in public spirit, after a war so long
in its duration, SO destructive in its pro-
gress, and so adverse in its issue, have ac.
cepted defeat and its conquences with so
much of good faith as has marked the
conduct of the people lately in insurrec-
tion against the United States. Beyond
all question this has been largely due to
the wise generosity with which their en-
forced surrender was accepted by the
President of the United States and the
generals in immediate command of their
armies, and to the liberal measures which
were afterwards taken to restore order,
tranquility and law to the States where
all had for the time been overthrown.-
No steps could have been better calcula-
ted to command the respect, win the con-
idence, revive the patriotism, and Sc
cure the permanent and affectionate al
legiance of the people of the South to the
! Constitution and laws of the Union than
those which have been so firmly taken
and so steadfastly pursued by the Pres
/ ident of the United States. And if that
confidence and loyalty have been since i'm
paired, if the people of the South are to-
day less cordial in their allegiance than
they were Immediately upon the close Of
! the war, we believe it is due to the chang
ed tone of the legislative department of
the general government towards them
to the action by which Congress has en-
deavored to supplant and defeat the Pres
ident's wise and benefcent policy Of res
toration; to their exclusion from all par
ticipation in our common government; to
the withdrawal from them of rights con-
ferred and guaranteed by the Constitu-
tion, and to the evident purpose Of Con
gress, in the exercise Of usurped and
unlawful authority, to reduce them from
the rank of free and equal members of a
republic Of States, with rights and digni-
ties unimpaired, to the condition of con.
quered provinces aud a conquered people
in all things subordinate and subject tc
the will of their conquerors free only tc
obey laws in making which they are moi
allowed to share.
No people has ever yet existed whose
loyalty and faith such treatment long con
tinued would not alienate and impair
And the ten millions of Americans who
live in the South would be unworthy
citizens of a free country, degenerate son:
of an heroic ancestory, unfit ever to be
come guardians of the rights and liberties
bequethed to us by the fathers and foun
ders of this republic, if they could ac
cept, with uncomplaining submissiveness
the humiliations thus sought to be i'm
posed upon them. Resentment of injus
tice is always and everywhere essential t.
freedom and the spirit which prompt
the States and people lately in insurrec
ton, but insurgent now no longer, to.pro
test against the imposition of unjust ant
, degrading conditions, makes them all tht
, more worthy to share in the government
of free commonwealth, and gives still
: frmer assurance of the future power ant
freedom of the republic. For whateve
responsibility the southern people ma,
have incurred in resisting the authorit,
of the national government and in takin;
, up arms for its overthrow, they may b.
r held to answer, as individuals, before tn
judicial tribunals of the land, and for tha
f conduct, as societies and organized com
munities, they have already paid the mos
fearful penalties that can fall on offend
, ing States in the losses, the suffering
, and humiliations of unsuccessful war, Blu
, whatever may be the guilt or the punish
, ment of the conscious authors of the in
surrecton, candor and common justic,
: demand the concession that the great mas
of tboeo x,-bn hocama ipvnlvaa in itS res