The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-08-22
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES,

DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES, s
The National Union Convention, now as
sembled in the city of Philadelphia, compos-
ed of delegates from every State and Terrific
rly In the Union. admonished by the solemn
lessons which, for the last five years, it has
pleased the Supreme Ruler of the Universe to
give to the American people, profoundly
grateful for the return of peace, DESTROYS, as
are large majority of their countrymen, in
all sincerity to forget and forgive the past,
revering the Constitution as it comes 10 us
from our ancestors, regarding the Union, in
Its retoration as more sacred than ever look
ing with deep anxiety into the future as of
instant and continuing, trial, hereby issues
and proclaims the following Declaration of
PRINCIPLES and purposes on which they have
with perfect unanimity agreed:
First-Wehail with gratitude to Al
mighty God the end of war and the return
OF peace to our afflicted and beloved land.
Second-The war just closed has main
tanned the authority of the Constitution with
all the powers which it confers and all the
restrictions which it imposes upon the
General Government, unabridged and unal-
tered, and it has preserved the Union with
the equal rights, dignity and authority of
the United States perfect and unimpaired.
neutrality-suspicious. in the Congress of
the United States and in the Electoral Col
lege, is right recognized by the Constitu-
ton as abiding in every State, and as duty
imposed upon its people, fundamental in its
nature and essential to the exercise of our Re
publican institutions and neither Congress
nor the General Government has any author
ity or power to deny the right to any State OF
withhold its enjoyment under the Constitu-
ton from the people thereof.
F0urM-We call upon the people of the
United States to elect to Congress, as mem
bers thereof, none but men who admit this
fundamental right of representation, and who
will receive to seats therein loyal representa-
tives from every State in allegiance to the
United States, subject to the constitutional
right of each House to judge of the election,
returns and qualifications of its own men,
bers
FiJth-The Constitution of the United
States, and the laws made in pursuance there
Of are "the supreme law of the land, any
thing in the Constitution or laws of any State
to the contrary notwithstanding" All the
powers not conferred by the Constitution up
on the General Government nor prohibited
by to the States, are reserved to the States
or the people thereof, and among the rights
thus reserved to the States is the right to pre-
scribe qualifications for the elective franchise
therein, with which right Congress cannot in
terfere. No State or Convention of States
has the right to withdraw from the Union,
or to exclude, through Their. action in Con-
gress or otherwise, any State or States from
the Union. The Union of these States is
perpetual. and the authority of its Govern
ment is supreme within the limitations and
restrictions of the Constitution.
ISirth-Such amendments to the Constitu-.
ton of the United States may be made by
the people thereof as they IN ay deem expedi-
ent, but only in the mode pointed out by its
provisions, and in proposingsuch amendments
whether by Congress or by Convention,
and in ratifying the same, all the States of
the Union have an equal and IN indefeasible'
right to voice and a vote thereon.
Serenth-Slavery is abolished and forever
prohibited there is neither desire nor
purpose on the part of the Southern States
that it should ever be re-established.-upon
the soil or within the Jurisdiction of the Uni
ted States and the enfranchised slaves in all
the States of the Union should receive, in
common with all their inhabitants, equal pro-
lection in every right ofperson and property
Eighth-Wnile we regard as utterly invai-
id, and never to be assumed or made of bind
ing force, any obligation incurred or under.
taken in making war again ist the United
States, we hold the debt of tie Nation to be-
sacred and inviolable, and we proclaim our
purpose in discharging this, as in performing
all other national obligations, to maintain
unimpaired and unimpeached the honor and
the faith of the Republic.
Mnth-It is the duty of the National Gov
eminent to recognize the services Of the Fed
eral soldiers and sailors in the contest just
closed by meeting promptly and fully alb
their lust and rightful claims for the servi-
ces they have rendered the nation, and by
extending to those of them who have sur
vived. and to the widows and orphans of
those who have fallen, the most generous
and considerate care
TentA-In Andrew johnson, President of
the Tilted States, who in his great office has
proved steadfast in his devotion to the Con-
stitution and the laws intere stso OF his coun
try, unmoved by persecution and undeserved
reproach, having faith unassailable in the
people and in the free government, we rec
ognize Chief Magistrate worthy ofthe ma
ton and equal to the great crisis upon which
his lot is cast and we tender to him in the
discharge of his high End responsible duties
our profound respect, and assurances OF our
cordial and sincere support.
These resolutions were received, as each
was read, with great applause; and they
were adopted by the unanimous vote OF the
Convention, followed by loud and long con-
tinued cheers.