The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-03-14
IN t. - E g

support of him. be he who he may who bears e stand
ard with Constitutional Union emuiaZoueo ca us
folds President Johnson is now, IN nay judgment taa
chief great standard bearer Of these puncpes and IN
his efforts at restoration should receive he cordial sup
port of every well wisher of his country.
In this consists this rests my Only nope. SHOULD
he be sustained, and the government be restored 70 MS
former functions al the States brought back o their
practical relations under the constitution our SITUATION
VIII be greatly changed from what IL was beioFeo q
radical and Fundamental change, as hs been aa5G has
been made in that organic law. We shall have lost what
was known as our "pecular lnsuInA9A E-1-L va
intertwined with the whole frame work o our state
body polite. We shall have lost nearly hat the accu,
mulated capital of century. But we shall have sui
left all the essentials of the free government contained
aud granted in the old constitution, untouched and I'M
impaired they from the hands OF our fathers
With these if had to begin entirely anew, the
psospect before would be much more encouraging
than the prospect before them when they lied from
the oppression of the old world and sought shelter and
homes in this then wilderness land The liberties We
begin with they had to achieve. With the same ener
gieS and virtues they displayed have much more to
cheer us than they had. With a climate uurlvaed in
salubrity with soil unsurpassed in fertility and With
products unequaed in value in the markets of the world
to say nothing of mineral resources, we shall have
much still to wed to the good old land With good
government, the matEix from which alone spring all
great human achievements, shall lack nothing but
proper eXertions not only to recover our for
prosperity, but to attain much higher degree Of
Development IN everything tnat characteFlses great
free, and happy people. At last | know of no other
land that the shines upon that offers better pros
poets under the contingencies stated.
The old Union was based upon the assumption, that
for the best interest of the people Of the States
to be united they We're each State faithfully per
forming to the people of the other States all their obh
cations under the common compact l always thought
this assumption founded upon broad, correct and
statesmanlke principles. think so yet. It was oAy
when it seemed to be impossible further to MAINTAIN It,
without hazardiug greater evils than would perhaps
attend separation that | yielded my assent in obe
dence to Che voice of Georgia, to try the experiment
which has Just resulted dsastrously to Indeed
during the whole ldmentable conflict, it was my oPln
ion that however the pending strife might terminate,
so far as the appeal to the sword was concerned yes
after while, when the passions and excitement OF the
day should pass away, adjustment or arrangement
would be made upon continental principles upon tho
general basis of reciprocal advantage and mutual
convenience" on which the Union first established
Ny earnest desire, however, throughout whatever
might be done might be peacefully done might be the
result of calm, dispassionate, and enlightened reason
locking to the permanent interests and welfare OF all
And now, after the chastisement of war, tho
general of the whole country shall come back to
the acknowledgement OF the oflgnal assumption, thas
is for the best interests Of all the States to be
united, as trust it will; the States still being sepa-
rate as the billowS but the sea )" perceive
why, under such restoration az q whole.
with peace and honest friendship with all
nations and entangling alliances with none" may NOT
enter upon career exciting increased wonder i'll
the old world by grander achievements hereafter to be
made, than any heretofore attained by the peaceful
and harmonious workings OF our American institutions
Of segOvernmeat All this Is posslblelt the hearts OF
the people be right. Il ts my earnest wish to it.
FoYdly would indulge my fanCy>in gazing such q
picture of the future With what rapture may W not
suppose the spirits of fathers would hail its opening
scenes from their mansions above Such my hopes,
resting such contingencies But if instead of all
this the passions of the day should continue to bear
sway; If prejudice shall rule the hours if conflict Of
races shall arise; if ambition shall turn the scale il
the sword shall be thrown in the balance against pa
trOtisrl; If the embers of the late shall be kept
glo wing until with new fuel they shall fame up again,
then present gloom is but the shadow, the peUH
6ru Of that deeper and darker eclipse which to totally
obscure this hemisphere and blight forever the anxious
anucipatIons and expectations of mankind! Then
hereafter by some bard it may be sung: