American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-03-15
Object of the Late War.

Early in July, 1861, shortly after the
commencement of hostiilies, the Congress
Of the United States, by avote which was
well-nigh unanimous, adopted the sub
joined joint resolution
Resolved, That this war is not prose.
cuted upon our part in any spirit of OF,
preston, nor for any purpose Of conquest
or subjugation, nor for purposes of over
throwing or interfering with the rights or
established institutions of those States,
but to defend and maintain the suprema
cy Of the Constitution and all laws made
in pursuance thereof. and to preserve the
Union with all the dignity, equality, and
rights Of the several States unimpaired i;
that as soon as these objects are accom>
plished the war ought to cease.
This resolution received the approval
OF President Lincoln; and was, at the time,
considered entirely proper, wise and mag
unanimous, by the most extreme of the
Radicals; Sumner, Stevens, Wilson, etc.
voted for it, and Greeley, Wendell Phil
lips, Cheever, and the balance of that
class looked upon it as a good thing, and
commended it accordingly.
That these men were insincere, and
false to their votes and precePts, is clear
and incontroverlible; for, to use the
phraseology Of cutemporary, it would
seem impossible to misunderstood Ian
guage so unqualified as this. The reso-
luton amounted to a solemn declaration
that the war was "solely for patriotism
and protection, not for plumber and sub
jugation; that it was only to defend and
maintain the supremacy Of the Cons'itu-
ton, to preserve the Union, aud, with it,
all the dignity, equality, and rights Of the
several States unimpaired; and that the
moment these objects were accomplished
the war should cease They were accom-
plished; the Union was saved; hostilitie:
hare ceased; the seeded States have
laid down their arms, and not only con
scented to all the conditions then required
but gone far beyond them. Would no
any one, then, naturally conclude that W,
had wi messed the end that with the re
turn Of peace, there was to be restora
ton ofthe former union and perfect equal
ity OF all tie States %
So remarks Western cotenporary
says the New Orleans True Delta
and it expresses truthful and patriot
sentiments, from its standpoint Of obser
walton. At the present time everythin!
contemplated in the abpve resolution ha
been accomplished, and yet the chic
leaders who proposed and carried
through are warning upon near y every
principle it embodes, with bitterness
and sayagery that have no parallel in tn
annals Of civilized, Christian countries
They seem 10 have forgotten their prom
ises, pledges and acts, and appear to b.
actuated only by a desire to oprress, an
noy. impoversh and ruin brave people
who, having lost the fight after gaIIan
struggle, have accepted the Circumstance
by which they are surrounded with a f
deity and dignity that should commans
universal respect
Well, Northern Representatives il
Congress passed the above resolution; tn
same representatives, in 1866, propose t.
repudiate every essential principle it con
Gains. The questain remains with The
Northern people to settle at heir mex
elections. That they will rebuke the
Radicals. and bring upon them over,
whelming defeat We have not the sG,alles
doubt.