The Oxford falcon. [volume] (Oxford, Miss.) 1865-18??, 1867-10-12
LETTER FROM 7f'a
Gov. ,L,SHARlKEY
L. s Scnnt0r elect from Miss.
AN ABLEREYIEW OF THEREON.
sTRUCFION LAWS OF CONGRESS,
AND AN EARNEST PROTEST A.
Observation-Disclosures
THE PEOPLE OF MISSISSIPPI.
MHIW ~ ID sA
W. H. WoRr1I1NaroN. Esn.,

w "a W Wv 4 AAsNNANsNg AaTfNsT
Ed. tColumbusl Miss. Index:
You have kindly communicated
p me the 0rftodEish Of Yourself
nd other citizens of your Vicinity,
tat I should address the public
Trough the press on the subject
-Ot reconstruction under the Con
'grssional plan, The subject is
'0n' OF great importance, not only
'as / regards the prescut hut the
future also, and II has received tltc
mos dclibatatc and impartial re-
hecton that | was able to bcstow
upOuit. Whilst ] know there arr
someOf our citizens who honestly
diilerwith me, yet / have suffi-
,cicnt confidence in the correctness
of my position, and the correct
ness Of the reasons OF which it
Wa Erksq. 10 DC quito willing 10
satbhiit tfem t8 tile test Of public
scrutiny
That | nm in favor ofh just and
honorable restoration ofthc Union
as il wasfOi1hcd, noHn will doubt
wins know uuything ofmy antccc-
dcuts. Md 1bclicyr such TpstO-
ration was fully accomplished by
the people ofthe State, through the
aid given them by the President;
and had tho question been permit
ted 90 rest there, our -cQnditiOn
would uow be tsry ditieront ; We
should have bad u state of harmo.
ny we need never expect tOattain.
The plaW adopted, however, did
not suit tho radical party. Our
members wore first excluded from
their seats, and then what arc
known Rs the milithy rrc0nstruc-
ton bills were passed BY d body
which ought never TO have been
recognized rs tho Congress of tic
United States.
Itis not surprising that por-
ton of u people impoverished. de-
pressed, bearing all the burthens
OF government, but deprived of all
its blessings and oven OF equality
under it should have at first mani.
festod q willingness 10 acqdicscC
in any measures whict- socincd tc
hold out even n delusive hope Ol
relief Wien they shall have had
ample time and opportunity to re.
fleet, / ask them TO pause aud con
slider what may be the effect oi
carrying out their hastily express
cd opinions, aud them 20 adopt
that course which their deliberate
judgment may dictate.
In discussing this question it !,
necessary in tho outset. to- correc,
a Eallaey which has been urged by
some who still cling tothe explo
dod idea of 1.-THE rightof secession
inasmuch as they ptbfcss to fine
in it u sort Of Justification Of theil
former course. Aud this falls,
theory may have hid n very cx
tended influence. II has bqSn sale
in some of the public prints anC
elsewhere, that wo had right I,
sccedc, we did secedo and beeotn,
n aseparatc aud fOteign nation, m,
being conquered, VIC are bound t,
submit 10 whateveE terms tho con
quorsr may think proper to jim
pose on US. Tic, truth of tn
premises, to-wit:Mt We had !
right 20 ,seeedo, we did seeed
and become q foreign nation
has nevor been admitted save b.
q few very extreme radicals at IN
North who has adopted Obs thee
~ 70 justify their oprressife an
unconstitutional acts. On thoton
trary, ih moro than twenty instan
ccs the several depaftmehts q
Federal government, Executiv,
Legislative and Judicial. have rec
ognized the southern States, q
having always been in tho Union
Wc wero c0nquercd thon las n par
oftho Union, and not as n foroig
nntioh, thaEqiUsfidf wassgttodlb b
the war.
Rot suppose II Word tfuo tina
we bad a right TO secedo, did %
code, and booomoa separate natiov
tho conclusion attempted gtOrb
dFnwn that we arc bound - sut
nit % suchitornns asthcconquc0i
rNaF I.N If~f