Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-10-04

assurance. The crushing defeat OF the FED
eral army at that time, and the want of en-
thusiasm in the recruiting service, lnVolv-
ing the government in imminent danger,
the majority listened to the demands OF the
minority, and Congress avowed to the
country and to the civilized world the OBJ
iect of the war to be to suppress the " re-
bellion and restore the Union" and when
these objects were accomplished, to use
the language of the resolutions adopted
| by that body, the war ought to cease,
and the rights and the dig.aiy of the States
should remain ouain,paired
After this declaration, so plain, so dis
tinct and fully in keeping with the demand
of the people, the war was waged with
spirit to final success
The same pledges and spirit marked
much Of the debates and action of Congress
during the progress of the war. In the
| first wear Of the war, during the tendency
| of the Army bill in the Senate, MIR. POWELL
moved to amend it so as to provide that
So no part of the army or navy should be
employed in subiugating Or holding as
conquered province any sovereign State,
now or lately one of the United States
which was adopted. And Senator SHEER
MAN, then, as now, one of the leaders OF
the party, in order to satisfy the ConserVa-
tive members upon this point, spoke as fol-
| lows:
"I said distinctly that it was not the purpose OF
tbis war TO subiugate q State, pOu1cdL c0nehln-
1tit1J but will go as far he (Mr. Browning OF
| Tlnois) or any other living man to uphold the
government against all rebellous ca1zenS Whet1e
| or there be one or many of theI n State Ii
! nine -tenths of the people OF any State reDel
against the authority OF this government, the
| nIysi,aI power of this government should be
| brought to reduce those citizens to subJectlon
THE STATE SURVIVES.
How wantonly and maliciously has this
pledge been violated. The distinguished
Senator himself, with the entire strength
Of his party, has voted, solemnly and de-
liberately, to destroy the State govern
ments in ten of the States, four of them of
the original thirteen. But when men con-
fessedly act outside of the Constitution, it is
not to be wondered that they forget the
solemn pledges given in the heat of great
revolution
In a subsequent debate upon Senator
(now Presiaent) JoHNsoNs resolution to
"preserve the dignity, equality and rights
of the several States unimpaired," Senator
TRUMBULL said
"Sir: It has never been proposed, so lar as as
know. on the part of the Union people Of the Uni
ted States to subjugate STATES, or coerce STATES
1t is proposed. however to sunQgate c1e 81 tb
Union and to coerce them into obedience to the
laws of the Union. I dislike that word IN this
connection. Ill its broadcast sense am opposed
to it,
5 Senator JOHNSON said "the resolution
simply states that we are not waging war
for the suyugati0n Of States. Ii the Con
stitution is maintained and the laws carried
out, the States will take their places and
all rebel citizens must submit. That is the
, whole of it." And to-day President JOHN
e SON is true to the policy then enunciated-
/ proclaimed before his nomination for the
Vice Presidency. And because he is en-
: deayoring to carry out the pledges given
s by himself and his party during the war,
e he has been abused, villifed and threat
e ened with impeachment by the very mer
It who Joined him in these solemn declara
Il tons Of principles. Faithful among the
\ faithless, we hope he will be spared to SET
It his course endorsed by the people of the
) country.
i Tn this debate Senator FEssENDEN wa!
Il not only opposed to subiugating State
g but he did not like to apply the word ever
% to the citizen. He said:
IS 81 do not want to carry on this war tor the Pur
% pose of subjuJdtJ the people OF any State IN an
shane or form; and it is false idea, gotten up D.
l. bad men for bad purposes, that 1t ever has beer
+ the purpose Of any portion OF the people OF Uni
y country am wiling therefore, to meet then
n face to face, and say never had that purpose
. and have 1t not now. But we say-notwIthstand
% ing we have not that purpose, and distinctly a1q'
d it. we have purpose and that is, to defend tn
Constitution and the laws of the country, and pu
l. down this revolt at whatever hazard
l. In the course of the same debate, Sena
3 tor SHERMAN spoke as follows:
to Gan this clap-trap about su6jugdtion, it seem
49, | to me- ought to be dismissed from the Senate
es These men must be subjugated to obedience t
10 the Constitutions and when that is accomplished
then this resolution declares our purpose TO De
qiue them oil the rights conferred 6y the C0nsno
? tt0n.'
or It is little singular that these DECLARE
ID tions of principles by the leading Republ
or cans of the Senate are the very ones upo
a. which the Conservatives and Democrats al
be now DESTROYS of settling present trouble
RS The solemn pledges of these men have bee
er shamelessly broken, and the war is continue
of long after the shock of arms has ceased; Sta'
NJ governments are upturned and the dest
oil MES of ten of them are placed in the hant
nv of ignorant negroes in order to keep pow
,g in the possession of their party. The
ler were the promises and principles upo
nd which the war was fought and victory wo
,H- and the people of the conquering sectie
ON seem at last determined to fulfill the col
tes pact. Some of them have already so
re- clared, and in short time we hope to ha
Nv the demand repeated in the great Cent?
ed States of the Union.
jefferson Davis.
q" ANYTHING relating to this distinguish
gentleman is always interesting and cage