Year: 1867

ernments in the rebellious States when


the war ceased? Ifso, the supreme


cy of Federal authority restored them


10 their former relations with the


General Government. If we found


disloyal State Governments the resid-


ing power, certainly they were in con-


flict with the Constitution, and could
not, without usurpation of its authori-
| ty, be SO restored. If the General


Government had power to disband the


disloyal State Governments, was there
any State Government existing after


such disbandment?


II there were no State Governments


existing, were not their political rela-


tions with the General Government ef-


iectually destroyed, save the territory


alone, which they could not remove,


and in which the exercise of Federal


authority is preserved only by the


presence of the military forces of the


Government =? Thus possessing no


rights under the Constitution or laws,


Justice demands that sufficient guaran-


tees for their future conduct shall be


given. Congress demands that their


new constitutions for the restoration


of their State Governments under the


Fedora Constitution shall conform to


the spirit of the text.


That they shall not politically en-


slave the minoritics that remained


loyal during the war that all men, as


far as civil rights are concerned, shall
stand equal before the law, and polti-
cal privileges only be withheld by the


will Of the majority, Or in punishment


for crime. That no reign of caste shall
abridgc the rights of humanity that
freedom shall mean freedom and not
servitude; and that every citizen, re-
gardlcss Of race or color, shall enjoy
personal protection in their liberties
by law and deed. That treason must
and shall be punished as crime.


To clothe our enemies with the
panoply of political power is too
dangerous an cxpedient to experiment
upon in the restoration OF this Union.
When they entcr,o national coun-
ellis they justly demand an apportion-
mcnt Of the Government patronage.
They will ask representation in all
The various departments to an extent
greater than what they enjoyed during
the war, (and itsecms almost that they
could receive this now, if they made
application with certain political
plcdges.) They VIII demand positions
in our army and navy.


Would urarmy or navy be safe in
their hands ? We committed them to
their care once, and we rccollcct with
what honor and fidelity they served
their trusts.


Who of you, fellow-soldiers, would
like to serve under the chivalric Mos
by, who stcalthily scanned the rear of
our armies to murder those who i'm
prudcntly withdrew from the limits Of
camp or the strict line of march? Who
of YOU, noble sailors, would like to
serve under the murderous pirate
s;emmcs, whose courage burned un-
armed vessels and destroyed our peace
lul commerce on the seas ?


These are no ovcrdrawn pictures
for if these men are permitted to fill the
high places of our Government, they
will be realities from which we have
Just cause to recoil. Would YOU trust
them to command our armies ? Would
you trust them to command navy!
No, never! If, then, it be unsafe to
place in disloyal hands the means by
which we protect and defend our
Government, by whatproccss ofreason-
ing can wesubmit to place the Govern
meut itself in the keeping of those
whose hands are yet rcd with blood,
No, thank God, it will never be done.


The People are not yet ready to
surrender their liberties. Too much
sacrifice, too much blood, too much
treasure, has been poured out for us to
step upon the Threshold of our liber-
ties and transfer our freedom to those
whom we conquered in the war for its
supremacy.


If Rebels arc admitted to Congress
and to their share of public patronage,
what higher endorsements will they
need to recommend an applicant than
the fact that he was foremost in the
effort to destroy the Government they
now seek to control.


The State of Maryland is to-day
guarding her despotism with n militia
educated in the rebel ranks, while
Kentucky sends rebel officers elected
by rebel ballots over candidates that
gave honorable service in the Union
army. These are truths that cannot
be denied.


In common with every patriot in
this land, we desire to see our Union
speedily and harmoniously restored.
But it must be restored upon the prin-
ciples which gave it birth-upon the
teachings of its founders-and that
tyranny and aristocracy shall not live
to subvert freedom and Democracy
that the civil rights of no man shall
be abridged because the wisdom of
God has made him unlike ourselves in
c1lor that truth, justice and cquali-
tyshall reign and rule supreme.
They are imperishable DEGREES of
Heaven. We have in the party poll
tics of the day two parties, known as
the Democratic and Republican.


They have both asserted through
their representative leaders in Con-
rrors and out oft their plans of res