Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-09-20

VU6TOT HTCtIIS. 1ulS lS LuOr6 30 WuC4
one of the belligerents was composed OF re-
bels You are aware that Convention of
traitors was lately held at Philadelphia
Most of them had actually borne arms against
the United States, and helped murder half
million of our citizens. A few sympath1-
zers, from the North who ought to have
been South met with them. They extin-
guished the Democratic Party, and blotted
its name from the vocabulary of parties.-
No Democratic Party can henceforth ex-
ist
They laid down an elaborate party creed or
platform of principles for this conglomera-
ted mass. Being traitors, they of course
adopted the Presidents views.
Here is their fundamental article, to which
all the others conform. Mr.. Raymond's adj
dress says
"The Constitution of the United States
is to-day precisely what it was before the
war, the supreme law of the land, anything
in the Constitution or laws of any State to
the contrary Notwithstanding. And to-day
also as before the war all powers not con-
ferred by the Constitution on the General
Government nor prohibited by it to the
States are reserved by it to the several
States or the people thereof.
The United States acquired no new pow
er, no rights either territorial or of civil au-
thority which it did not possess before the
war broke out
This strange, wild and wicked doctrine
was unanimously adopted by the conclave.
What Six millions of rebels who had re-
nounced the Constitution who had loaded
the nation with debt and drenched it with
blood ; when conquered had forfeited no
right had lost no Jurisdiction or civil au-
thOrity and these conquerors had acquired
none, because there was q Constitution
which, while they obeyed, protected them,
but which they had discarded and torn to
pieces by war Was there ever before d
human brain frenzied enough to engender
such folly, or a human front brazen enough
to utter it I? No principle in national law
is clearer than that, when beligerents In
augurate war which is acknowledged to
be a public war, all the former obligations,
treaties and cOmp0ctS betaceen He parties be-
come mM and cold; and after tie coar are to
be 1eneoCed or repudiated, as the parties dg,ee
or as the comquerOr DEGREES. If either party
IS uterly sabdued, his life, liberty and pros
perity are dt the disposal Of the Uictor. Why
does not the Emperor of Austria say to the
King of Prussia, 'I lay down my arms,
and all things will remain as before the war;"
The Prussian would answer, "YoU are as
big fool as the President of America, or
the traitors league" No, sir. The war
has changed everything-old treaties and
leagues have ceased. Venetia is no longer
yours Hanover and the Duchies are mine;
and beside, you must pay the expenses of
the war-$45, 900, ,OOO" Who denies that is
the law Of nations except the advocates of
treason; who deny our right to make them
pay the expenses of the war ? They cry
out against cOnttScatiOn for crime, as If ID
acere inhe@aan. COD aUiLling, / shall try ID
again, and see if they do not pay part Of tie
cost and damages Of the qcar before Mey heLp
TO make oar laaCs. The Constitution un-
changed Then slavery exists then all
the provisions with regard to the rendition
of fugitives from labor remain then every
traitor has q right to sit down in Congress,
as the representative of three-ffths of all
the slaves beside the whites. We can
easily forgive the amiable and facile author
of the declaration, as he is no lawyer is
totally Ignorant of the law of nations or
the laws of war but what shall we say of
those able jurists who sat by and acquiesced,
unless we put it upon the same ground that
one Of the ablest and best of them did
when he advised to take o false oath to get
q vote and then to break it,
But, fellow citizens, / am occupying too
much ground. AS L said before, Tie great
issue TO be met at this election is The question Of
negro rights. I shall not deny, but admit,
that fundamental principle of the Repub-
llcan creed IS that every being possessing
an immortal soul is equal before the law
They are notand dcannotbe equal in strength
hight, beauty, intellectual and moral cul-
ture, or social requirements !; these are ac-
cidents which must govern their condition
according to circumstances. But in this
Republic, the same laws must and shall APP
ply to every mortal American, lrishman,
African, German or Turk. 1t is written by
the finger of the Almighty law-giver, "Ye
shall have one manner of laws, as well for
the stranger as for one of your own coun-
try for am the Lord your God"