Year: 1865



 , guished himself by storming and capturin Fort Fisher, down through the various grade , of heroic officers to the less conspicuous bu equally meritorious privates have not been SUI passed by any soldiers in the service of an government, in patient endurance in the fel and the hospital, in fortitude under imprison , ment and starvation, and in valor and intrepid . ity in battle. Their record furnishes stron, evidence that they entered the service under deep conviction that 1t was a duty they owet te their country, to humanity, and to God. T The military service which has been thu rendered together with ali the cost of money and the loss of life which have resulted iron T the rebellion, have been made necessary by tn, persistent and interruptions efforts of certain States to maintain and extend an institution inimical to the general interests.

 At the time the Union was formed the peo pie were jealous of centralized powers anG fearing that they would be used to oppress cit lzeas in the republic as they had been in the monarchies and despotisms of the old world declared that all powers not delegated to the United States were reserved to the States or to the people.

 They however perceived that in the future advancement and enlargement of the nation it might become important for the general wei fare and safety to place subjects not then deGn- ed unoer national control, and they wisely made provision by which the constitution might be altered to meet necessities made apparent by progress and experience. i The question of exercising this light in its application to the proximate cause of the rebel lion, is now submitted for your action by res olution adopted by Congress to amend the Constitution of the United States. The reso- lution is herewith presented. If adopted by three fourths of the States, it takes from the States the reserved right to maintain a system of domestic slavery, and transfers all questions 1 which relate to that institution to the sovereign control of the of nation. ~ Slavery is a local institution, and is protect ed by State authority. Yet its influence has been felt ill every section of our widely extend ed country. It has given character to national legislation and direction to national policy. It sowed the seeds of sectional jealousy and hos tiliIy, which have sprung up and brought forth the bitter fruits of public violence and crime. An institution so extended in it's influence, and so powerful to infect the peace anu the destiny Of this nation, cannot be governed so as to pro- mote the general welfare by local authority and should be brought under the sovereign power of a government establish sd to promote the in- teress and preserve the liberties of the whole

 

 people. ...... It would be highly credi able to the intelli. gence and patriotism of your constituents, and add a noble record to our history, if the pro posed amendment to the Constitution should be adopted by your honorable body without dissenting voice.

 The rebellion has led us to see more clearly than before the distinction between state rights and national sovereignty State rights are the centrifugal forces of the government which tend to disintegration. National sovereignty eu,- f5raees the ceptrinetal forces which teud to cen. trarza1on and despotism. Both arc Inherent in, and essential to, our complex system of government but they should be held in just equilibrium, and act in harmony, in order to secure the highest benefit.

 The States are integral parts of the nation. They have rights, but not the right of separa- tion from the Union. They have authority and can exercise sovereignty over questions which affect interests lying wholly within their jurisdiction and territorial limits, but over and above, covering and absorbing that authority, rises the inherent sovereignty of the nation, which controls every subject in which citizens of the several States have common interest. But those who sat at the feet of that eminent sophist, John c. Calhoun. received his exposi- tions of the doctrine of State Rights as mean ing sovereingty over subjects outside of and beyond the reach and control of the States.- This poison, so delicious to their taste, they drank freely until it pervaded the head and the ] heart, developed itself on almost every public occasion, and finally produced a criminal re- bellion to secure State independence through national disintegration.

 f The old confederacy could not give equal protection nor distribute public burdens equal ly. Its laws were merely advisory. not author ative. It failed to become a nation because the States refused to relinquish to it their sov- ereigDty,--a essential element of nationality The rebellion furnishes additional proof of the inadequacy of a mere confed-racy of States te perform all the functions of government. Ou enemies who have been most clamorous ir support of the doctrine of State Sovereignty now declare that it has been the weakness o their cause, has impaired confederate authority and has been employed to subvert all m ensures designed for the common defense and genera welfare. -:s sf.... ss

 | This must ever be the result of an attempt to put into practice the theory that State car properly determine whether or not her citizen. shall be responsible to and obey the laws of ths general government.

 The right of States to impede the execution of national laws, the demands of slavery for ex- tension, and the claims of minority to dictate terms upon which they will live in harmon, with the majority, are questions which should have been determined by the established court! of law and equity. But instead of this, they have been pressed to the arbitrament of the sword.

 After years of war these questions are stil unadjusted, and through the inability of one o the parties to continue the contest, are about tt be withdrawn from that tribunal and submitted to the people. Here the conflict may be pros ecuted with earnestness, vigor, and even witt bitterness; but it will be bloodIess. It will however, be found that the terrible sufferino caused by the sword have given freemep nor, clear understanding of the foundations upo, which republican liberty must rest, and hay, prepared the public to submit to verdict ren. dered at the ballot box If the decision sbal be made with reference to the claims of righ and universal justice. we hope for endurin, peace. But if for the sake of securing immedi. ate relief or of conciliating public enemies, W, silence the conscience of the nation, letter lib erty, and attempt to stop the progress of civili. zatlon and religion, we may expect that tn lie Of the nation will be again ieopardized, an, dellverance come only by another bitter, ant more bloody revolution.

 we can see clearly that this nation has no been led by the will of mau, or controlled by tthe wisdom of counsellors; but, by event which, under God. are working out His de .l signs for the benefit of freedom and humanity T Our enemies, who plotted treas n, and con < ir odgafrS fhpox