Year: 1866



 satisfaction This comes not only from tue severity of the contest, but also from the knowledge that the peace upon which we have entered is based upon universal liberty. The only great obstacle Co the unity of the American people, n the past, Is removed. The dark cause of the recent irightiul war, is constitutionally abolished. In our last we printed the proclamation of Secretary Seward annnouncing the fact. Twenty or two thirds of all the States in the Union, have adopted the following amendment, and it is now part of the constitution and necessary or intrinsic consequence of tLe war itself:

 ARTICLE XII.

 SECTION 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary scrytude, except a punishment for crime whereof thc party shall have been duly convicted shall exist within the United States, or any piace subject To their jurisdctiUn.

 SEC. 2 Congress shall have the power Go cu- force this article by appropriate legislation.

 Some may say that the vote of such States as South Carolina and Georgia, was given under undue force, but from the sentiments everywhere expressed by southern men since the close of the war we do not believe it to be the case. With scarcely an exception they have pronounced in favor of the amend ment. The language of one of the leaders of the Confederacy, and fTife long champion of "the peculiar institusiuH, VIC siiii3s l.. Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, is as follows:

 "The chief consolation have in the result Of the war Is that slavery is forever abolished. that not only tho slaves arc, tn fact at st freed from bondage, but that l am freed from them

 We think that all men, whatever their opinions in the past, must sincerely rejoice that the great bone of contention is destroyed Mr. Wise says:

 '' unfeignedly rejoice at the fact and am recon esAad to many of the worst calamitics of the war, Deeouse am now convinced that the war was a special providence of God, unavoidable by the nation at either extreme, 10 tear loose from us a black idol from which could never have been separated by any other means than those of fire and hlcoa, sweFd and sacrifice"

 A peace concluded with slavery yet in ex- istence, must have been but temporary and unsatisfactory peace, liable to interruption at any moment. A peace founded upon the tri- umph of justice and the proclamation of free dom to all, must be permanent and whole saF7e. We may deplore the violence with ukA such peace has been secured but we sh0asa not only abide by it and acquiesce in iss bs9 also strive by all the means in our power tc make it blessing to our country.

 There are those who think the reconstruc- tion of the southern States likely to be matter of much difficulty. We believe that slavery being out of the way and so acknowl- edged by all, the task will be an easy one. The steps already taken warrant the belief

 Georgia papers speak of the rapid recovery of that State from the effects of the war. The Augusta Cayoaieis aad Seaiiad says: Where the emancipated slaves have abana- oned the homestead the farmer and his sons have plowed the fields. and have now reared 3 fair harvest. h every branch of trade, also. our people have shown more enterprise and greater spirit of self-reliance than ever be- fore. Necessity having thrown many upon their OWL resources, they are proving by their deeds that they are fully equal to the task before them. This spirit is a glorious one. There Is no despcadency, no repining in it."

 We can find no language adequate to depict the glowing future of the free republic. In the felicitous words of the Presidents message, we ask:

 Where, in past history, does a parallel exist to the public happiness which is within the reach of the people of the United States Where, in any part of the globe, can institu- tiorrs be found so suited tother haSits or SO en. titled to their love as under their own free Con stitution2 Every one of them, then, in what ever part of the land he has his home, m,ist wish its perpetuity. Who of them will not now acknowledge, in the words of Washing ton, that every step by which the people of the United States have advanced to the char aeter oi an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of proyi- dental agency'F

 From this time an American may be more proud Of bis country and its institutions than he had cause to be at any period in the past, when its hopes were the highest and its char Acter stood fairest in the eyes of the world United and inyncible as the free and resolute American people must henceforth and forever be, they may not only defy the world. but upon this broad western continent. dedicated to constitutional government, and to repub- lIcan institutions, erect a nobler civilization provide better refuge for oppressed human ity, and promote a higher morality and purer christianity than the world has ever known

 A NATIONAL MINING BUREAr.-Sepg;,r f la