Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-08-30
Letter from, Wendell Phillips.

SIR You misrcPrcScnt me when you shy that
discourage cnlistmcnts IN the Union armies though
for aught | know, the gaTblcd extracts and lying
versions of Newly ork papers may make me do that
and many other things of which | have thought
You know, by experience that the american Press.
in general neither trcs nor means to speak the truth
about AbulitionStS Of any type. | have never dis
couragcd cnlistmcns. In the Union army are my
kindred and some of my dearest friends Other,
rest in fresh and honorable graves. No one of these
ever heard a word from 10 discourage his enlist
| ing. | had the honor, last March, to address the
lith Massachusetts at Fort Albany and, this very
week, the SD Massachusetts at Camp Cameron. No
man in either regiment heard anything from my lips
10 discourage his wholcSUued service of the Union
ALLOW me TO state my own position. From 1913 10
! 1861. was Disunionist and sought to break this
Uniun convinced that disuniun the only righteous
! path, and the best one for the white and the
/ black. | sought disunion, not through conspiracy
! and violence, but by means which the Constitution
itself warranted and protected. | rejoice in these
efforts They were wise and useful Sumter changed
the whole question. After that, peace and justice
! both forbade disunion. now believe three things
/. The destruction of Slaqcry i inevitable, which
| ever section conqucrs IN this struggle.
>. There never can be or union till Slavery is de-
struycd
3, There never can be peace till one Government
rules from the Gulf to the Lake. and having wrong
! cd the Negro for two centuries. owe him the
preservation Oft Union to guard his transition from
| Slavery TO Freedom, and make it short, easy and
perfect.
Believing these three things. accept Webster :
sentiment, Liberty and Union now and forever, one
and inscparablC Gladly would | serve that Union
! giving it muskct, sword voice, pen-thc best
have. But the Union, which has for twenty five
years barred me isom it. highest privileges BY de-
manding an oath tu a PrU-Slaycry Constitution still
shuts that door in my face and this Administration
ciings to- n policy which, think makes every life
now lot in Virginia, and every dollar now spent
there, utter waste. cannot conScicmtou,ly support
| such Union and Administration. But there is room
for honest difference of opinion Others support
/ it To such Say-Go; give 20 the Unlon your best
blood, your hcartlcss support.
Is sthcre then, place lett for me? Yes. | be-
lcyc in the Union. But Government and the Union
are ono thing This Administration is quite another
Whether the Administration will ever pilot US thro'
our troubles have serious doubts that il never will
unless it changes it, present policy, an quite certain
Where, then, is my place under Republican Gov
crnmcnt, which only reflects and executes public
opinion l believe in getting through thi, war by
the machinery of regular Government. not by any
Cromwell stalking iuiu the Senate chamber or the
White House. Where then, il my post, especially
under IN Administration that Hvowcdly sits waiting.
begging to be told what to do | must educate
arouse and mature public opihiun that compel the
Administration tu adopt and support in puTsuiug the
policy can aid. This do by frankly and candidlv
criticiEing its present policy, civil and military
However "innpt and Objectionable You may think
my means, they are exactly described in your
own words The good citizen may owe his Govern.
ment counsel, entreaty, almoniton. to abandon q
mistaken policy, rs well as force TO sustain it in the
IN the discharge of its great responsibilities NJ
Il
his conscience, and the limits within which he /.
bound to sacrifice his opinion are reached Ii
the Press had not Systematically culogilcd General
whom none knew, aud few really trusted. we should
, hnVe saved twelve months five hundred millions Of
dollars, and II hundred thousand lives. In my opin,
7 Ion had The Tribune continued, last August 10 dc
its duty and demand vigor of the Government, you
would have changed controlled the Cabinet II
another month, and saved " millions Of dollars
thousands OF lives, and untold disgrace. Such eit
eisln Is always every thinking man duty, War cx
cuscs no man from this duty least OF all now whor
a change OF public sentiment to lead the Adminisra
ton TO, and support it in, new policy is only
hope OF saving the Union, The Union belongs to m,
, as much as TO Abraham Lincoln. What right has b,
or any ohcial-our scryants-to claim that | shall
criticsng his mistakes when they are draggine
the bnion 10 ruin | hnd grave faults in Prcsilcn
Lincoln but do not believe he makes any sucl
claim.
said on the lst of Angus, that. had been in the
Senate, should have refused the Administration
dollar or man until ii adopted right policy 1ha
repeat, Had been. in That way, II part of the
, Government, should have tried To control IT,
, action, You were bound as u journalist think tC
have impressed that duty on the Republican part,
which holds the Administration. Such course /
riSht and proper under free Governments. Bu
, when Congress has decided and under its authority
or by his own, the President demands soldiers tn,
hour for such effort or protest is gone. We have no
right then TO discourage custments as means {,
ahango public opinion, or TO influence the Admins
tTation. Our remedy is different Ii we canno
actively AID, We must submit to the penalty, ant
strive meanwhile TO change that public though
which aono can alter the aotioh of Government
That duty try to dc in my measure, Ny criticism
Il not iikethat Of The Boston Courier and its kindred
meant to poralyze the Administration but to goal i
to more actively and vigor, TO change the Cabinet
claim ~ You, as journalist of broad influence tina
you resume the post which think you deserted las
Summer, fnd hasten the ripening OF that necessar,
, public puIlose by constant and fearless criticism o
the whold policy of the Administration, civil anC
military, IN order TO avert years of war thou
sands OF ives, to guard the industry of the future
from grinding taxes, to secure speedy and complete
justice for fhE negro, aud to put the Unson boyon,
HOARD He.peifullv Yours,
WENDELL PHILIPS
! August 10. 1862