Year: 1866

on dlstruts and the weapons OF force.


In the next place, we call upon you tc
recognize in their full significance, and
to accept with all their legitimate conse
. queuces, the political results of the wal
just closed. La two most important par
ticulars the victory achieved by the ma
tlonal government has been final and de-
clsive. First, it has established beyond
all further controversy, and by the high
est OF all human sanctions, the absolute
supremacy of the national government, as
defined and limited by the Constitution
of the United States, and the permanent
integrity and indissolubility of the Fede-
raj Union as a necessary consequence
and, second, it has put an end finally and
forever to the existence of slavery upon
the soil or Within the jurisdiction of the
United States. Both these points became
directly involved in the contest, and con-
troversy upon both was ended absolutely
and finally by the result.


In the third place, we deem it of the
utmost importance that the real character
Of the war and the victory by which it
was closed should be accurately under
stood. The war was carried on by the
government of the United States in main
tenance of its own authority and in de-
fense of its own existence, both of which
were menaced by the insurrection which
it sought to suppress. The suppression
of that insurrection accomplished that re
suit The government of the United
States maintained by force Of arms the
supreme authority over all the territory
and over all the States and people within
its jurisdiction which the Constitution
confers upon it; but it acquired thereby
no new power, no enlarged jurisdiction,
no rights either of territorial possession
or of civil authority, which it did not pos
sess before the rebellion broke out. All
the rightful power it can ever possess is
that which is conferred upon it, either in
express terms or by fair and necessary
implication, by the Constitution of the
United States. 1t was that power and
that authority which the rebellion sought
to overthrow, and victory of the Federal
arms was simply the defeat of that at
tempt. The government of the United
States acted throughout the war on the de-
fensive. 1t sought only to hold possession
of what was already its own. Neither
the war, nor the victory by which it was
closed, changed in any way the Constitu-
tion of the United States. The war was
carried on by virtue of its provisions, and
under the limitations whcich they pre-
scribe, and the result of the war did not
either enlarge, abridge, or in any way
change or affect the powers it confers up
on the Federal government, or release that
government from the restrictions it has
imposed


The constitution Of the United States
is to-day, precisely as it was before the
war, the supreme law of the land, any
thing in the constitution or laws of any
State to the contrary Notwithstanding"
and to-day, also, precisely as before the
war, all the powers not conferred by the
Constitution upon the general government,
not prohibited by it to the States, are Gre
served to the several States,or to the
people thereof"


This position is vindicated not only by
the essential nature of our government,
and the language and spirit of the Con-
atitution, but by all the acts and the lam
guage of our government, in all its de-
partments, and at all times, from the out
brake of the rebellion to its final over
throw. In every message and proclama-
ton of the executive it was explicitly de-
cleared that the sole object and purpose
of the war was to maiutain the authority
of the Constitution and to preserve the
integrity ofthe Union aud Congress more
than once reiterated this solemn declara-
ton, and added the assurance that, when
ever this object should be attained, the
war should cease, and all the States should
retain their equal rights and dignity un-
impaired. 1t is only since the war was
closed that other rights have been assert
ed on behalf of one department Of the
general government. 1t has been pro-
claimed by Congress that, in addition to
the powers conferred upon it by the Con-
stitution, the Federal government may
now claim over the States, the territory
and the people involved in the insurrec-
ton the rights of war, the right of con-
anest aud of coniscation, the right to
abrogate all existing governments, institu-
tions and laws, aud to subject the terri
tory conquered and its inhabitants to such
laws, regulations and depriTations as the
legislative departments of the government
may see fit to impose. Under this broad
and sweeping claim, that clause, OF the
Constitution which provides that"no State
shall without its consent be deprived of
it's equal suffrage in the Senate of the
United States" has been annulled, and
ten States have been refused, and are still
refused, representation altogether in both
branches of the Federal Congress. And
the Congress in which only part of the
States and of the people of the Union are
represented has asserted the right thus
to exclude the rest from representation,
and from all share in making their own
laws or choosing their own rulers, until


u 4. A IA