Year: 1867




will well and faithfully discharge the duies of the
Office on which am about to enteress Selp me
God! And any person who shall falsely take ssid
oath, shall be guilty of perjury and on conviction
in addition to the penalties now prescribed for thai
offence shall be deprived of his ef6ee, and render
ed incapable of ever after holding any Office OF
place under the United States y, Il ....,,- s,
Is representation in Congress 30 very desirable,
that we should send men there who can take that
oath rather than that we should remain unrepre.
sented longer2 Can the people Of the State trust
those who could or who would take it? For the
honor of our State, should prefer that she should
not be represented in the halls ofCongress until
her delegates can enter them as free men, repre-.
senting sovereign State, with all her ''dignity,
equality and rights unimpaired :" When that day
comes, there may be q restoration Of the Union in
fact, as well as in theory; when North and South,
forgiving tho past even if they cannot forgetit it,
mayneet as equals on some common ground, where
the honor, the rights and the feelings Of both can
be recognized and respected. But until that day
does come, in the words of Patrick Henry, Seen
tlemen may cry peace peacel but there is no
peaoeP' ~ .at's : s,, & .aa


Itisscarcely necessary for me to say that, enter
tanning the views / have expressed, think it far
preferable the State should remain in its present
condition. under military rule, than that it should
give its sanction to measures which we believe to
be illegal, unconstitutional and ruinous It is my
honest and firm belief that the voluntary. .accept-
anee of these measures by our people, would surely
bring, not only to the South, but to the whole
country, evils far greater than anywe have yet suf
fered. The North, flushed with success and drunk
with power, may not be able to realize this fact
but as surely as the South fasa victim to rrespon-
sibe and unlicensed power 30 surely will the North
lose its liberties. Ruin to the South will react on
the North, and if we are crushed into the dust,
the Northern people will see but the foreshadowing
of their own certain doom. Recognize as an es-
tablished principle, the right Of any political party
that may be in the ascendancy to fix upon all who
differ with them laws unauthorized by the Const-
tuition of the United States, and we shall begin
that downward career which will lead US steadily
through confusion, anarchy and blood, Ito the GER
tain overthrow Of republican institutions and free
government Believing this, I regard it as the
duty of every man. in the exercise of the right ac-
corded to all by these military bills to oppose their
adoption by all lawful means Asthe people have
the privilege, then, of expressing either assent or
dissent on this question, advise them, earnestly,
to record the latter as fully and soemnly as posi-.
Ible. Let euey mai, register, and cast his rote a.
gai,lst the convention. since the question will be
made on that ISSUE ... ........ .......


These, gentlemen, are the conclusions to which
I have been brought by the most anxious consider
alton of those important matters soon to be sub
n,itted to the people of the State" They have
been laid before you at greater length than | In
tended, but it seemed to me best to let you have
my premises, as well as my conclusions, in order
that you might Judge of the correctness Of BOTH
can only say that have discussed this momentous
question with the single desire to arrive at the
TRUTH and hope that it has, at least, been discus
sed in o temperate and dispassionate spirit. Let
me bring one other subject suggested by your let
ter, to your consideration, and shall tax your pa
tienee no farther. ........ ...-...


You say, truly, that I, as well as yourselves,


shave hoped and striven for entire harmony of &C
ton among our people," 1t has been my most
earnest desire to secure this harmony, as it has
been my constant effort 10 aay excitement, and to
counsel obedience to the laws This has been the
prevailing sentiment among our people, and if it
fails Of its object, it will not be our fault


As it is of the last consequence to maintain the
same amicable relations which have heretofore ex-
listed between the whites and the blacks, cannot
too strongly reiterate my counsel that all classes
should cultivate harmony and exercise forbearance.
Let cur people remember that the negroes have,
as generalrule, behaved admirably, and that they
are in no manner responsible for the present con-
dition of affairs. Should they, in the future, be
misled by wicked or designing men, let us consider
how ignorant they necessarily are, and let u.s. only
the MORE try to convince them that we are their
best friends. Deal with them with perfect justice,
and thus show that you wish to promote their ad-
vancement and enlightenment. Do this, and the
negroes will not only learn to trust you but they
will soon appreciate the fact so evident to u.s. that
zoe ccn do ,cathot them far better than they can do
aoittout u.s. ..--. f.


Or a late public occasion, where many Of you
were present. I expressed my perfect willingness
to see impartial suffrage established at the South,
and believe that this opinion is entertained, not
only by large majority of the intelligent and re-
Aecting whites, but also Of the same class among
the blacks. I deprecate universal suffrage, not
only on general principles, but especially in the
case before us, because deny the right of Con
ress to prescribe the rules of citizenship in the
States. The Supreme Court has decided that
negro is not citizen Of the United States, and
Congress cannot reverse that decision by an Act
The States, however, are competent to confer
citizenship on the negro and think it is the part
of wisdom that such action should be taken
by the Southern States We have recognized
the freedom of the blacks, and have placed
this fact beyond all probability of doubt, denial or
recall. Let us recognize in the same frank man
ner, and as fully, their political rights also. For
myself confess that am perfectly willing to see
constitution adopted by our State, comforting the
elective franchise on the negro, on precisely the
same terms as it is to be exercised by the white
man, guarding against the abuse OF this privilege
by establishing slight educational and property
qualification for all classes.


have thus, gentleman, eudeavored to comply,
as fully as possible, with the request conveyed In
your letter. A sense of duty to the State, and an
eminent desire to show my respect to my fellow
citizens, from whom I have received so many
marks of kindness and confidence, are the only
motives which could have induced me to take any
part in public affairs If the crude views thrown
out for your consideration, are instrumental in a.


INV, o,o 70 sonoa of the dangers surround