The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-01-29
AN ADDRESS,,
Eef H TO THE
People OF Georgia and the United
States

Ftit0E CHI~eRs " ueoIyfH dHh INC tRiteu
States.
By Convention held at Macon on the
9Th. and 9th of December, 1867, represent
ding the Conservative people of Georgia,
the unlersignel were appointed commit
toe to prepare an Address to you, setting
forth sentiments, their condition, their
fearful apprehension of future ruin, and the
final overthrow of Constitutional govern
ment y In diseharging this important duty
we bring to the task au earnest and patrl-
otic desire, not only topromotc the welfare
of our own State, but also that of our own
country.
When tho late unhappy war terminated
and the Confederate arms were surrender
ell % single condition only was required,
which was that we should return to the
pursuits of peace and obey the Constitu-
tion and laws of the United States, under
the pledge, by the victors, that, long as we
continued to do so, we should be protected
in the unmolcsted enjoyment of the rights
aud privileges which that Constitution and
those laws guarantee to each State and to
every citizen. We have kept our promise
in letter and spirit; and, from that day to
this, no resistance has been offered to the
Federal authorities. The laws of the Uni
ted States are quietly obeyed, without the
reeessity of military mower to enforce
them. Their Courts are open and their
processes respected. Crime can be pun
ished by the regular and established modes
ofJudieial procedure. With magnanimi-
IL and hDpefulness, our people united in
Nd honest effort to build up their ruined
fortuea and re-estabhsh their lost prosperi-
N., The war left our homes saddened with
bereavement, aud, in thousands of instan-
ees, in fishes. 1t brought universal sorrow
and poverty. Our fields were desolated,
our labor disorganized, our industry paral-
Red, all our enterprise destroyed or Grip
plcd, and our capital sunk Towns and
cities were plundered and burned, and
their inhabitants driven, in destitution,
from their homes. But these were the
fruits Of war--not legitimate, to be sure
such, however, as usually attends its
march of fire; and therefore, we submitted
to them with patience and fortune, cheer
I'd by the hope, that the quarrel aud car
and prosperity would begin, and that, at
least political fraternity would be restored
Ua,ter this inspiration we endeavor to for
ret the bitterness which the struggle had
engenilcred, to cultivate q spirit Of concili-
ton and harmony. and to evince. in every
possible way our desire to have Georgia
restoredto her constitutional relation to
the Union. Terrible has been our disap-
pOintment. Having been baffied in the at
tempt at secession, upon the idea that such
attempt was rebellion, we supposed that
its suppression left Georgia State in the
Union, still possessing the inherent right
Of self government and the constitutional
rightof representation in Congress. In
stead Of this, however. the President of the
United States required that we should or
ganize new State government, ratify the
Constitutional Amendment abolshing sla-
very and incorporating the same provision
into our fundamental Inv; that WE should
repudiate our State war debt and abroratc
the Ordinance of Secession and all the law
in fnrfhnranee of the Confederate eause.
Animated Inv n determination 10 make any
sacrifice bnt that of honor sunnressi,r
eyer, tho sn;rit of oonnla;nt Gov +bo sole
Of naace wo did ali that be raonired--even
snrrendnr;no op, noot yaI,olla nrono,tv
tbat If on s,o~asand eansanto 49, y 10
come ahno.t ' n,unsrs SUBMISSIVE that
such dennrt,mon l"" ia aJia,'ro tto ~,
,mnitnitv nf th', n;etaro t"wor,lS faiissn
ioe wa thn, ' thon,h to' s,,ra,,, t,a dom nf
peace was i, s s;@hf and tbat onr r;,,ht to
the n,otn,t;a,, "a i'annets 81 ooo,n,o,,
Const;tnt;on O" wa ,t D sa r.oo"n;seI We
elected omr Sa"ators and Penrassntati ves
TINS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS; r, mo-. NOT nniv aur a~ne ec'
tation Int also o"S a ap des;ra aaa;n
to nartininatn in tba ennne;ls and nromised
blesSincs IF tha S Irn;nn restornd Rnt ~.
before Observation-Disclosures was o,,r fate omr
members were summed from the Halls of
Congress- and our naonla de,r,uncnd 10
traitors and rehals We have heen ner.
sisteptlv chargea wifi hostility to- the
Constitution and Union and treafed as
outlaws from both Whilst va do NOT Tins
allude 70 the deportment and temper Of
oarpeople in u shirt of boastina. vet we
challenge contradiction of our statements
aud fearlessls array them before candid
world. rs evidence of the Injustice, un.
kindness and E,lselood of the charges
r.