Year: 1866




of our government require that 1T wa:
in these respects the result of compro
misses and concessions to which, however
necessary when the Constitution wa:
formed, we are no longer compelled tC
submit, and that now, having the power
through successful war and just warrant
for its exercise in the hostile conduct oil
the insurgent section, the actual govern
ment of the United States may impose its
own conditions, and make the Constitu-
tion conform in all provisions to its own
ideas of equality and the rights of man.
Congress at its last session proposed a.
mendmpnts to the Constitution, enlarging
in some very important particulars the
authority of the general government over
that of the several States, and reducing,
by direct disfranchisement, the represen-
tative power of the States in which slave
ry formerly existed and it is claimed that
these amendments may be made valid as
parts of the original Constitution without
the concurrence of the States to be most
seriously affected by them, or may be i'm
posed upon those States by three -fourths
of the remaining States, as conditions of
their readmlssion to representation In
Congress and in the electoral college


1t is the unquestionable right of the
people Of the United States to make such
changes in the Constitution as they, upon
due deliberation, may deem expedient.-
But we insist that they shall be made in
the mode which the Constitution itself
points out-in conformity with the letter
and the spirit Of that instrument, and
with the principles of self-government
and of equal rights which lie at the basis
of our republican institutions. We deny
the right Of Congress to make these chan
ges in the fundamental law without the
concurrence of three fourths of all the
States, including especially those to be
most seriously affected by them, or to i'm
pose them upon States or people, as con-
ditions Of representation, or of admission
to any of the rights, duties or obligations
which belong under the Constitution of
all the States alike. And with still great
er emphasis do we deny the right Of any
portion of the States, excluding the rest
of the States from any share in their
councils, to propose or sanction changes
in the Constitution which are to affect
permanently their political relations and
control or coerce the legitimate action of
the several members Of the common Uni
on. Such an exercise of power is simply
a usurpation; just as unwarrantable when
exercised by nothern States as it would
be if exercised by southern, and not to
be forfeited or palliated by any thing in
the past history either of those by whom
it is attempted or Of those upon whose
rights and liberties it is to take effect. 1t
finds no warrant in the Constitution. 1t
is at war with the fundamental principles
Of our government If tolerated in one
instance, it becomes the precedent for fu-
ture invasions Of liberty and constitutional
right dependent solely upon the will OF
the party in possession of power, and thus
leads, by direct sequence, to the most IA
tai and intolerable of all tyrannies-the
tyranny Of shifting and irresponsible po.
litical factions. 1t is against this, the
most formidable of all the dangers which
menace the stability of free government,
that the Constitution of the United States
was intended most carefully to provide
We demand a strict and steadfast adhe.
renee to its provisions. In this, and in
this alone, can We find basis of perma-
nent union and peace.


Fourth. But it is alleged, in justifca-
tion Of the usurpation which we condemn
that the condition of the southern States
and people is not such as renders safe
their readmission to a share in the gov
ernment of the country, that they are still
dsloyal in sentiment and purpose, and
that neither the honor, the credit, nor the
interests of the nation would be safe il
they were readmitted to share in its
councils. We might reply to this,


l. That We have no right, for such rea
sons, to deny any portion Of the States ol
people rights expressly conferred upor
them by the Constitution of the United
States.


2. That SO long as their acts are those
of loyalty, so long as they conform in al
their public conduct to the requirement:
of the Constitution and ofthe laws, we hav,
no right to exact from them CONFORMITY
in theirsentimentsa and opinions to our own


3. That we have no right to distrus
the purpose or the ability of the peopl
of the Union to protect and defend, uu
der all contingencies aud by whateve
means may be required, its honor and it
welfare.


These would, in our judgment, be ful
and conclusive answers to the plea thu
advanced for the exclusion of these State
from the Union. But we say furthe
that this plea rests upon complete mis-
apprehension or an unjust perversion o
existing facts.


We do not hesitate to affirm that ther,
is no section of the country where tn,
Constitution and laws of the United State
find a more prompt and entire obedienc,
than in those States and among thos
people who were lately in arms agains
them, or where there is less purpose o.
| e. "a, IN hrnt