Year: 1867

community which in ignorance he dishon


ored and burdened Secondly, upon tn.


basis of universal suffrage, we urge The


people Of the south to direct their effort.


to the establishment and maintenance O.


system of public schools for the educa


ton Of the children of all classes


Finally, public policy should stimu


late the laboring people 20 become land
! holders. The owners OF large estate:
sho I'd divide and sub-divide their lands
and sell them at reasonable rates to those
who need them and who can improve
them. In the South there is land enough
for all, and all who desired should be per.
mitted to obtain homes. This is com
mon human right, which cannot be de-
MED with safety to society. In these
measures of justice we expect and shall
welcome the aid of many who were for
merly shareholders and participated In
the rebellion. By the acts herewith pre-
sented it will be seen that Congress re-
serves to itself the full and unrestricted
right of judgment whenever state pre-
sents itself for admission into the Union
That right will be exercised fairly and
generously. But yet. in the interest of
peace and loyalty, certain conditions and
precedents are laid down in laws. This
must be met But beyond these condi.
tons Congress must be satisfied also that
the people OF the proposed states respcc-
tlvelv are, and are likely to be, loyal to
the Union, by decisive and trustworthy
majorities that the institutions are
framed upon the basis Of equality, and
that they will from year to year, and
from age to age, contribute to the peaee,
progress and prosperity Of the staJes and
of the country


IF the people of the states lately in
rebellion shall shall eheetfully and in
good faith recognize their governments
upon the principles of the laws passed by
Congress, there will then remain no causes
OF difference between various section, of
country. The republican party is hostile
to slavery and opposed to its spirit and
purposes. If the spirit cf slavery is per-
mitted to control the institutions and
civilization Of the south there can be no
restoration Of the Union in fact. if there
should be in name. The restoration of
the Union means the establishment Of
those relations OF friendship between the
states OF the north and the south which
now subsists between the states of the
north. WI hen that moment ar yes, as
1t Will soon arrive, II the purposes of Con
gress are met in a proper spirit by the
people Of the south, the nation will at
once employ its immense resource and
power for the development Of that region
OF country, and in short period of time.
bot only viii the evidences of war have
disappeared, but reorganized states will
be in the enjoyment of degree of pros
peFlty not before experienced. There can
be restoration, conclliation, friendship
and prosperity for all if the states lately
in rebellion rebuild their institutions
upon principles Of justice: but il they
dwell upon the past. revive and strength
eli the hatreds that were engendered bv
the contests about s,ayerv-if they denv
land, education. or equality Of rights in
any particular to any class Of their citi-
zens-~tlien, in some degree, the lnalign
Influences Of he past and present will be
transmitted 10 the future. "