The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-10-29
ADDRESS OF THE UNION STATE
CENTARL COMMITTEE.

an address was issued for your considera.
ton, from the city of jackson, which bore
the names Of men protesting various po,
litical creeds, but all united in q common
devotion TO the government framed and
bequeathed TO us by the fathers of the
Revolution. That address, after briefly
depicting the dangers that then threaten
ed the life Of the nation, rallied every cit
izen to her altars, that some plan of res.
cue might at once be both conceived and
executed. The patriotic summons touch
ed and moved the hearts of the people,
and on the I'd of October inst, they as.
sembled in solemn convention, and re-
solved that in this hour Of our country's
peril, az aOas the supreme duty of all pa
triotic men to meet, and irrespective OF
party, to unite an one great se5fsGcryfc'
ing effort TO preserve our national erist-
ence, that such unity could not be effect
ed through either of the present party or
ganzations, but could only be accomplish
ed by union of the people themselves,
for the purpose of putting in nomination
such men rs were honest, capable and
faithful TO the constitution; who would
pledge to the President an unlaltering
support in the measures adopted by him
il the exercise of the powers given him
for the overthrow of the rebellion, wheth-
er such measures conformed or not TO
their own peculiar views; that rs good
citizens they would submit to the policy
fixed, and whether approving or disap-
proOing, they mould stu, steadily, heart
ily and patrioticall4y stand By the gov-
erRment.
Briefly expressed, the ruling ideas in
the resolves of these patriotic men are as
follows, viz:
lst. The rebellion with which the ma
ton is now wrestling, can have no coun-
tenance, excuse or apology, bat should be
suppressed by all the authority and ener-
gy of the government, and the cordial
support and cooperation of all classes of
citizens.
I'd. The measures adopted by the
President towards this end, should, as
against the rebellion, be supported by ev-
cry patriotic citizen, whatever may be his
party preferences or his political views of
TIE particular policy decided on by the
government.
Sd. The organization Of parties, the
exoltaticn and advocacy of party men
and measures in the present critical pos
ture of public affairs, when policy and
partisanship are either mistaken for, or
preferred TO broad and unselish patriot
ism, is simply faetion, and should there
fore be frowned down by every devoted
patriot and friend of the government.
4th. The two great and ruling desires
of the American people now are, the
complete suppression Of the rebellion, by
the employment of every agency known
to civilized warfare, and the preservation
of The constitution, pure and unimpared.
These, and no others, are the views and
resolves Of the Union movement as organ
lied at Jackson; and men representing
these ideas, and pledged TO their advoca-
cy in the councils Of the people, have ac-
cordingly been selected to fill the State
and Congressional offices. They have
since been renominated by the Democrat
ic State and Congressional Conventions,
and arc now offered and commended to
the people of Michigan as public servants
on whom the hearts of the people may
safely rest. They seek not office for Of
fees sake, for the promptings Of an ele-
waited patriotism should, in times like
these, inspire all men with strong de-
sire to convert and employ the places of
power conferred by the people to their
nominal purpose Of building up and
Strengthening the government. Hither-
to, this high aim and end of official po-
sition has been practically denied to the
people, by those intrusted with such re-
sponsibiites; and hence has succeeded,
in very large measure, that evil tide of
secession, whose. angry surges now beat
with such fearful violence around the very
foundations of the Republic. But the
people in their Union ticket have assum-
ed to lnaugurate new rule IN our pub
lie affairs, and no true man can doubt that
il ought to be accepted and responded to
by every truly loyal heart in the State.
The careful observer of our national af-
fairs, must have long since seen, that the
actual question of to-day is, not whether
one man or an other shall fill the public
offices, but whether we are any longer to
have offices TO fll. Whether this beau
tiful system of republican government is
longer to be continued TO us, or whether
-as is already the case in tho rebellious
States-nll these present precious possess
ions are to be subverted, and hurled down
into ono wild chaos Of anarchy and blood.
So far as the rebellious armies of the
South are concerned, they are determined
if possible, to involve the peaceful and
law-abiding North in precisely such fear
full destruction. And in order to carry
out their design in this respect, the entire
people Of the South, so far as we can
Judge. have either already surrendered, or
are nrenored IN surrender not only those