Year: 1866

Our government has passed through the


vicissitudes and the perils of civil var


war which, though mainly sectiopsl


in its character, has nevertheless decided


political differences that, from the very be.


ginning Of the Government, had threaten


ed the unity of our national existeuce, and


has left its impress deep and .iueffacabie up


on all the interests, sentiments aud the des-


tiny of the Republic While it has infiict-
ed upon the whole country severe losses in
life and in property, and has imposed bur.
deus which must weigh on its resources for
generations to come, it has developed o de-
gree of national courage in the presence OF
national dangers, capacity for military or.
ganization and achievement, and a devotion
on the part of the people to the form Of gov.
ernment which they have ordained, and to
the principles of liberty which that Govern
ment was designed to promote, which must
confirm the confidence of the nation In the
perpstuity Of its republican institutions and
command the. respect of the civilized world.


Like all great contests wbich rouse the pas.
siops and sest the endurance of nations,
this war has given new scope to the smbi-
tion Of political parties, and fresh impulse
to plans of innovation snd reform. Amidstto
the chaos of conflicting sentiments inseper


able from such an era, while the public
heart is keenly alive to all the passions that
can sway the public judgment aud effect the
public actions while the wounds of var are
still fresh and bleeding on either side, and
fears for the future take unjust proportions
from the memories aud resentmsuts of the
past, it is difficult but Imperative duty
which, Oh your behalf, we who are hera as.
seubled have undertaken to perform.


For the first time after six long years Of
alienation and of conflict We have come to
gether, from every State and every section
of our land, as citizens OF common coun-
try, under that flag, the symbol again of q
common glory, to consult together how best
to cement aud perpetuate that Union which
is again the object of our common love, and
thus secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and our posterity.


In the first place we invoke you to re-
member always and everywhere that the
war is ended, and the nation is again at
peace. The shock of contending arms no
longer assails the sbuddering heart of the
republic. The insurrection against the 50
preme authority Of the natien has been sup
pressed, and that authority has been again
acknowledged by word and act in every State
and BY every citizen within its jurisdiction.
We are no longer required or permitted to
regard or treat each other as enemies. Not
ouly have the acts of war been discontinued
and the weapons of war laid aside, but the
state of war no longer exists; and the senti-
ments, passions, the relations of war have
no longer lawful or rightful place anywhere
throughout our wide domain. We are
again people of the United States-fellow.
citizens of one country, bound by the duties
and obligations ola common patriotism,
and having neither rights nor interests
apart from common destiny. The duties
that devolve upon Us now are again the du-
ties of peace, and no longer the duties of war.
We have assembled here to take counsel
concerning the interests of peace to decide
how We may most wisely and effectively
heal the wounds the war has made, and per
feet and perpetuate the blessings it has SO.
cured and the blessings which, under wise
and benign Providence, have spraug up in
its fiery track. This is the work not of pas
sion, but of calm and sober judgment; not
of resentment for past offences, prolonged
beyond the limits which justice and reason
prescribe, but of liberal craftsmanship
which tolerates what it cannot prevent and
builds Its plans and its hopes for the future
rather than upon community of interest
and ambition than upon distrust snd the
weapons of force. To the next place, We
call upon you to recognize, in their full
and to 2coept with all their le
gitimate consequences, the political results
of the war just closed. In the most import.
ant particular, the victory achieved by the
national government has been final and de
cisive. First, it has established, beyond all
further controversy, and by the highest of
all human sanctions, the absolute suprema-
cy of the national government, as defined and
limited by the constitution of the United
States, aud the permanent integrity and iu.
dissolubility of the Federal Uuoion as q
necessary consequence And eooud, it
has put an end, finally and forever, to
the exlsterce of slavery upon the soil or
within the jurisdiction of the United States


Both these points came directly involved in
the contest, and controversy upon both was
ended absolutely and finally by the result


In tine third place, We deem it of the ut
most importance that the real character Of
the war, and the victory by which it was
closed, should be accurately understood
The war was carried on by the government
of the United States in maintenance of its
OVID authority and 10 defence of its own ex-
istence, both of which were menaced by the
insurrection which it sought to suppress -
The suppression of that insurrection accom-
plished that result. The government of the
United maintained by force of arms the
supreme authority over all the territory and
over all the States and people within in its
jurisdiction, which the constitution confers
upon it. But it acquired thereby no new


nnuer. no anlarnaa inriadintinn M riuhts