Year: 1863




one hand, seek, by usurpation, to pervert the
Constitution, to invade its sancGtfes and over
throw its securities, and on the other, to de-
lstroy the Consultation and the Union by for
oible revolution, the one in political, the other
in war-li1e array We must meet them in
the medes saotioned BY the Constitution
Through the ballot-boz we must eonEolleg egis-
lation within just limits, and by the Judiciary
/ protect against the infiction Of acts violative
of the Constitution; and with the whole re-
sources and military power of our Govern
ment, we must crush the rebellion and restore
thenational authority over therevolted States.
This is the pledge of conservatism; this we
must do, or our Government perishes: and
with it the hope Of free Government fore7erl


Fears are expressed and doubtless many are
sincere in their apprehensions that crushing
the rebellion win but open up the way to the
destruction Of that political equality of the
States, which has builded US up into a great
nationality, and given prosperity and happi-
ness to a mighty and free people It IS fear
ed that madmeu viii seek to force terms Of
submission upon the acceptance of the rebel
lious States, destructive of their State rights
and of their political equality. That there are
men wicked enough to do so, there is a little
room for doubt as there is to doubt that 9TH
ers are seeking to destroy the Government by
force. But the conservative men Of the whole
country have the strength and power, by uni
ty Of action, to crush the one, and defeat the
evil Vaccinations Of the other.


To betser assure the friends Of constitution
al Government of our security against such
danger, a few suggestive thoughts, by way of
Strengthening their confidence and assuring
their faith and hopes, may not be miss 1t
should be borne in mind that we have now,
and viii have at the close of the rebellion, the
identical Constitution which the extramists
seel, to destroy-the one by innovation, the
other by force. 1t can not be altered accept
in The manner therein prescribed. The same
facts exist IN reference to each State--loyal
SD l7yal Rebellion has not altered. 9r
/ changed. or modified, either the Federal or
State Constitutions. Nor has the rebellion
destroyed the existence Of the States, as States,
Of the Union. Their revolt only suspends the
action Of the civil authority Of the Federal
Government within the revolted districts,
pending the revolt and substitutes the mill
tary authority until their rebellion ceases, and
they consent to accept the civil instead Of the
military rule.


No reconstruction IS necessary. The Gov
ernment is complete-not broken-znot de-
stroyea; but, by the blessing Of God, shall en-
dure forever, A revolted State has nothing,
therefore, to do but to cease resistance to du-
ty and law, and return to its fealty, organize
under its Constitution, as it was before and
would be now but for the revolt, and thus
place Itself in harmony with the Federal Gov
ernment. Thus all that was suspended by
revolt viii be restored to action.


The States, by rebellion did not lose their
status, as States of the Union. Their harmo-
NOUS and peacefulrelations only were disturb
ed. By rebellion they invoked the military
to supersede the civil rule during the time of
rebellion Revolt did not disorganize and re-
NIT them to a territorial status; for revolution
attempted, but failing, is no revolutiOn-noth-
ing is changed, every thingremains. It's the
successful attempt, which revolutionizes-
changes-desroys. It follows, therefore that
no terms can be demanded except to submit
to the Constitution and laws as they are. To
demand any thing more would be to change
sides with the rebellion-to make war upon
the Constitution, at the moment the rebel be-
came willing to submit to it


But may not the rebel States be required
to assemble conventions and so modify their
constitutions as to meet these demands No
such convention can be called, to have any
legal power until after the State is organized
under the constitution, and makes the call pur-
suant to the mode fixed in the constitution
When organized so as to be in position to call
a convention. it will be in harmony with its
Federal relations, being all the time in and of
the Union and a sovereign State the Union
and no Polgsr or party would dare to attempt
to lay terms in violation of Federal and State
rights Te require such a convention would
be an admission Of the right; to admit the
right of such convention would be to concede
the right Of secession, and thus vindicale the
right claimed by rebellion.


1t is because we deny the power of such
conventions, either to bind or loose, and re-
gard their acts as nullities, that we claim the
revolted States as still ofus-bound to US by
constitutional obligation-and, therefore, we
are enforcing the observance of duty. We
can not, without ourselves becoming rebels to
the Constitution deny the return of State
toits peaeeful relations to the Government
precisely upon the terms it stood when those
relations were broken.


It's the duty of our Government. when the
armed rebels are driven from or subdued in a
reyolled State, to protect and encourage the
Loyalty y-dlsposed citizens remaining, in at once
organizing their State, and by the election of
all its oficers-Stato and FederaI-as provi-
ded for in their Constitution and laws, place
the State in organized harmony with the Gov
ernment. Humanity and the cause Of con-
stitutional liberty demand this course. Who
shall be punished, viii be a question for the
civil tribunals to determine To oprevent crime