Year: 1866

To THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.


Having met in Convention at the city OF
Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania,
this 10th day of August, 1866, as the rep.
resentatives of the people in all sections,
and all the States and Territories of the
Union, to consult upon the condition and
wants of our common country, we address
to you this declaration of our principles,
and of the political. purposes we seek to
promote.


Since the meeting of the last National
Convention, in the year 1860, events have
occurred which have changed the charac-
ter Of our internal politics, and given the
United States new place among the ma.
tions of the earth. Our government has
passed through the vicissitudcs and pcrils
of civil war-a war which, though mainly
sectional in its character, has nevertheless
decided political differences that from the
very beginning of the government had
threatened the unity of our national exis-
tenee, and has left It's impress deep and in
effaceable upon all the interests, the senti-
ments, and the destiny of the republic.
While it has inflicted upon the whole coun-
try severe iosscs in life and in property, and
has imposed burdens which must weigh on
its resources for generations to come, it has
developed degree Of national courage in
the presence of national dangers-a capaci-
ty for military organization and achieve
mcnt, and devotion on the part of the
people to the form of government which
they have ordained, and to the principles
of liberty which that government was de,
Aligned to promote, which must coafrm the
confidence of the people in the perpetuity
OF its republican institutions, and command
the respect of the civilized world.


Like all great contests which rouse the
passions and test tho endurance of fnatons,
this war has given new scope to the ambi-
tion of political parties, and fresh impulse
to plans of innovation and reform Amidst
the chaos of conflicting sentiments insepa
rable from such era, while the public heart
is keenly alive to all the passions that can
sway the public judgment and affect the
public action while the wounds of war
arc still fresh and bleeding on either side,
and fears for the future take unjust pro.
portions from the memories and resent
ments of the past, 1t is difficult, but an
imperative duty which on your behalf we.
who are here assembled, have undertaken
to perform.


For the first time after six long years of
alienation and of conflict, we have come
together from every State and every sec
tion of our land, as citizens of common
country, under that flag, the symbol again
OF common glory, to consult together how
best to cement and perpetuate that Union
which is again the object of our common
love, and thus secure the blessings Of lib
erty to ourselves and our posterity.


In the first place, We invoke you to re-
member always and everywhere, that the
war is ended and the nation again at peace.
The shock of contending armies no longer
assails the shuddering heart of the repub-
lie. The insurrection against the supreme
authority OF the nation has been suppress
ed, and that authority has been again ac
kknowledged, by word and act, by every
State and by every citizen within its juris
diction. We are no longer required or
permitted to regard or treat each other as
enemies. Not only have the acts OF war
been discontinued, and the weapons of
war laid aside, but the state of war no Ion.
ger exists, and the sentiments, tie passions,
the relations Of war have no longer lawful
or rightful place anywhere throughout our
broad domain. We are again people of
the United States, fellow. citizens of one
country, bound by the duties and obliga-
lions OF q common patriotism, and having
neither rights nor interests apart from q
common destiny. The duties that dcvolve
upon US now are again the duties of peace,
and no longer the duties of war. We have
assembled here to take counsel concernipe q
tho interests Of peace to decide how we
may most wisely and effectualy heal the
wounds the war has made, and perfect and
perpetuate the benefits it has secured, and
the blessings which, under wise and be.
nign Providence, have sprung up in its
fiery track. This is the work, not of pas
sion, but Of calm and sober judgment; not
OF resentment for past offenses, prolonged
beyond the limit which justice and reason
prescribe, but Of liberal craftsmanship