The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1868-02-29

Tors IN all civilized communities, com.
blned with small minority of white
adventures from other States that
The majority Of said convention faith,
fully reflect the pecnliarities Of their
constituents that theitprojected acts
demonstrate them to beihe enemies Of
the people Of Mississippi, Who have
constituted the State from its tcritori,
al infancy to the present time; that.
under the fraudulent preteuse Of fran /,
ing q Constitution and civil govern
ment for the State, they are wickedly
aonspiriug to disfranehise and degrade
che people, to rob them alike, oftheir
liberty and their property, to, destroy
their social and political status, and
finally place them under the yoke Of
a negro Government.
Resolved, Thatthis Convention sol.
emnly afirms, that the measures which
The radical majority in Congress have
adopted since the close oft6e late war
and which arenow being enforced, nn.
der the pretense Of organizing civil
governments in ten Southern States
were not demanded BY any thing in
the condition of these States that. IN
surrendmg their arms, the Southern
people did, in good faith, submitthem.
selves, without reserve, TO the consti-
tutional andrighful authority Of the
United States that, although the
cause for which they took up arms,
was expousCd from honest ana sincere
convictions, (asthe great and heroic
sacrifices madein its defense sufficient
y attest, yet, the, abandonment Of
that cause was, and is, absolute, fnal
aud complete that, at the inception
OF these measures, the people Of these
States we're living peacefully under
forms OF government, not differing in
any naterial respect from these Of ma
ny of the Northern States, obeying,
without resistance, in any form of lie.
gal opposition, the Constitution and
laws Of the United States, sincerely
and anxiously desiring peace and res>
tOration to the Union that in estab>
fishing despOtiC military governments
over these States, when there we're no
disorders to repress and no resistance
to overcome, for the sole purpose Of
efFecting, by military coercion, chan,
ges in the fundamental laws of these
States, (changes notdemanded by any
necessity the Radical majority in.
Congress plainly manifest a purpose
by giving the balance of political
power to tho ignorant negroes of the
South, to secure their own marty ass
tendency not only over these States
but the government of the United
States, regardless of the true interests
of the two races, and the prosperity
and happiness Of the American peo.
pie.
Resolved, Thatthe general govern.
ment has justified, and can only ius
tiiy the war carried on BY them against
the people of the Southern States on
the ground that the act of secession
was unconstitutional andvoid, did not
absolVe the people of those States
from allegiance to the general governs
ment II such be the true theory Of.
the Government, as alledged by its
authorities, then the Constitution Of
the United States and the State of
Mississippi, as they existed at the
time Of secession, and the rights and
liberties Of the people under the same,
were not altered orimpaired or over
thrown BY the act Of secession. Or
the war which followed it. The State
Of Mississippi remains in its integrity
to-day, as it existed then; and every
citizen of the State is entitled to ali
the rights guaranteed by the then ex,
listing Constitutions, and may claim
their full protection.
Resolved, That il, by the act Of
secession, thus declared blythe United
States to be null and void and the
war which followed it, the existing
legal State governments now exist
such act of secession and war could
not destroy the State 10 its political
capacity, and did not overthrow or
destroy the Constitution of the States
or the rights and liberties Of the peo.
pie under them and the only power
which Congress can rightfuIly exer.
else in this emergency, under the
power given to the United States to
guarantee to each State 4 Republican
form Of government, is to re.establish
the State government as it existed IN.
der the Constitution and laws before
the act of secession aud war.
Resolved, That this Convention,
responding 20 the call OF the National
Democratic Executive Committee, ap.
point two delegates from each Of The
Congressional Districts, and four
from the State at large, to represent
Mississippiin the National Democratic
Convention authority to assemble, for
the nomination of President and
Vice President Of the United States.
Resolved, That as it may be neees.
sary SO to shape our policy, as tomeet
the exigencies that may arise il CON.
sequence Of future action Of Congress
or the Supreme Court, we leave the
question as to voting, or not voting,
iu the election to be held to
ratify Of reject the Constitution.
70 be submitted BY the so.oalled
Constitutional Congention, to the de.
termination Of the State Democratic
Central Committee to be designated
by this Convention, whose duty Ii
shall be to give timely notice to the
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