Year: 1865




To the peoplc Of TcrGS;


The condition Of the country 10 such a'
to awaken the anxious solicitude Of every
citizen. Portions Of you have honored mC
with your confidence on many occasional
| | have tried 20 repay that confidence by sin
cere efforts for your good, and by faithful
service. Though now a prisoner, in solita.
/ nv confinement, and far from you, without
knowing when, If ever, shall bep.rmitted
to mingle with you again, my children and
relatives and friends are among you, and
my anxiety for their and your welfare, in
duces me to ask permission of the govern
mcnt to send you this communication. l
have tried TO form correct estimate of the
condition of affairs, and send you the result
of my reflections. The times demand the
exercise of thought and reason, and the
free expression Of opinions. l hope mine
may be at least suggestive. AZ our condi-
ton forces unwelcome thoughts and action
on us, and as, in my judgment, your best
interests require you to assent to facts and
conclusions conforming to the new order OF
things, which must be repugnant to your
past experience, and to your reason and
prejudiccs, take the liberty of suggesting
to You frankly, that line Of action, which
seems to me, best calculated in your exist
ing condition, to promote and secure your
future welfare. need not assure you of
my sympathy with you, and | think need
not doubt your confidence that | would Gd-
wise YOU to no course which did not think
best for you.


see that General Hamilton, who has been
appointed Provisional Governor by tho
President, has entered on the discharge of
his duties. He will have advised you of the
policy of the Government, and of what will
be expected of you, and will, no doubt, call
Convention to reorganize the State Gov
ernment, as is being done in other States
similarly situated.


Your condition nc o people Is one of now
city and experiment; involving tho necessi-
ty of political, SOCIAL, and industrial recon-
struction, after sweeping and thorough
revolution in all these respects; and this has
to be accomplished in opposition to your
education, traditional policy, and preiu-
dices.


do not propose to discuss either what
belongs to the past, or the policy Of what
is now required Of you; but to accept the
present condition of things as the result Of
tho war, and of inevitable necessity; and
from this, as starting point, TO enquire
what policy cur people should adopt for the
future.


You must, in the first place, recognize
the necessity Of making the most you can
ont of cur present condition, without the
hope of doing all you might desire. This
is required both by reaeon and necessity.


The State occupies the condition Of q
conquered nation. State Government and
State Sovereignty are in allegiance, and will
he SO held until you adopt n Government
and policy acceptable to the conquerors. A
refusal TO acceed to these conditions would
only result in prolonsaticn of the time
during which you will be deprived of civ
il government your own choice. and con-
tiIue subject to military rule.


And il would do more than this; ii would
keep question of the grayest character
open for discussion and agitation, and by
degrees accusom the whole country to a
sort of military government, which, if
greatly proougucd, must necessarily sub
vert the civil government, md result in the
establishment Of military despotism,
without bringing you any nearer to the at
tainment of your wishes than you are at
present In order TO secure yourselves
again the blessings of local sclfgovern-
meat; and to avoid military rule, and the
danger ef running into military despotism,
you must agree:


First To recognize the supreme authcri-
ty of the Government of the United States,
within the sphere of it's power, and its
right 20 protect itself against disintegra-
ton by the secession Of the States.
And, seconi, You must recognize the alb
olition of slavery, and the right of thoee
-ho koy hanp pula In n url
protection Of the law of tho land.


From what / can see, this much will be
required as the least that would be likely
to satisfy the Government and secure to
you the benefits of civil government, and
the admission of your members into the
Congress of the United States.


But even this may fail in the attainment
of these ends, unless provision shall be
made by the new State Government, for
conferring the elective franchise on the
former slaves. And present appeara aces
indicate that this will be required by North
ern public sentiment and by Congress-
And our people are in no condition to dis
regard that opinion or power with safety.


But / AN persuaded you may satisfy both
without further injury to yourselves than
has already occurred. If you can do this,
and secure TO yourselves liberty, the protec-
ton of the Constitution and laws Of the
United States, and the right of local self
government, you will be more fortunate
than many other conquered people have
been. The Government and the people of
the Northern States will, have no doubt,
recognize the necessity Of securing these
blessings, as important TO the whole coun-
try, as means Of preserving to it constitu-
tional liberty and the present form OF re-
publican government. This is a new Lam
gusge to employ in addressing you, and
will be as unwelcome to you as Il is sorrow
full TO me. But it would be more than folly,
it would be great crime, for you, and l
and those who may be charged with the du-
ty of recognizing and restoring the State
| to the Union, to refuse to recognize the facts
of your situation, however disagreeable, and
to speak Of and deal with them with can
dor and directness.


While the Government offers its terms
! for the restoration Of the State to the Un-
ion, it demands no other sacrifices than
these already made, by the result OF the
war, Of renouncing the right Of secession,
and recognizing the abolition Of slavery,
with the necessary consequences. These
/ demands being complied with, the Civil
Government will be organized, the Military
Government Withdrawn, your members
will be admitted 10 their seats in Congress
and the State will be in the Union on an
equality in ell respects with the other
L