, 1863-08-15
THE RETURN OF REBELL10US
STATES TO TaE UNION.
Letter from Hon. WIN. Whiting.


To Tie Onion League Of Philadelphia:
Grs11EMES: Your letter has been received,
IN which yon have done me the honor Of re-
nuestipg me to address the members Of the
Union Lengne OF Philsdelphia upon subjects
connected with the present state Of public
I haye expected, until recently, to be able
to comply with your Invitation; but as my
engagements rill, for the present, place It
onS of rny power to do. 30, beg peFmisston
to mike few A"eeestione fur your eonsld-
Grafton. -.-.-
DANGERS Is TIE PRESENT CRISIS Of TIE
WAR.
How brilliant the SUCCESS Of our mill
tary operations has been, the country is en-
compassed By dangers. Two wars are still
wared between the citizens Of the United
stafes-a Har Of Arms and war Of Ideas.
Achievements In the field cannot much ont
strip tho Victories Of tbs fornm. While We
6x our Intention upon the cheekered fortunes
Of cur heroic soldiers, and trace their marches
over hills and villages made memorable
through all time BY their disasters or thefr
triumphs; while we are filed with alternating
hopes and tears, With exu1tations and disap:
pofntments; while our brothers and Sons are
rudely torn from their homes, and tho weeds
Of the mother and sister record in the family
the fearful glory Of the fallen braye; while
the movements Of our yast armies, in all the
pomp, pride, md circumstance Of glorious
War-th the thunder Of their guns-the news Of
their brilliant successes I'LL the head and
heart, let us not forget that there is another
war, waged by men not less brave, for VIC
tories not less renowned, than are won On
battle-1elds.
The deadly struggle Is between civilization
aud barbar1sm-heedom and dslayery-repuhli-
The true patriot will watch with profound
interest the fortunes Of this intellectual aud
moral conflict, because the Issue involves the
country's safety, prosperity and honor. If
victory shall crown the efforts Of those brave
men who believe and trust In God, then shall
the years Of suffering shall exa1t Us among the
nations; If We fail, no triumph Of brute force
can compensate the world for our unfathom:
able degradation.
Let Us then endeavor to appreciate the aifa-
culties Of our present position.
OF several subjects to which, were it now
IN my power, wonld ask your earnest atten-
ton, can speak Of one only.
As the success Of the Union cause shall be-
come more certain and apparent to the enemy
In various localities, they will lay down their
arms and cease fighting. Their bitter and
| deep-rc oted hatred OF the Government and Of
all Northern men who nre not traitors, and Of
all Southern men who are loyal. will still re-
main interToven IN every fiber Of their hearts,
and will be made, If possible, more Intense
by the humiliation Of conquest and snbiection.
The foot Of the conqueror planted upon their
proud necks will not Rweeten their tempers,
and their defiant and trescheEous nature will
tionE, and all anderhand methods Of ve nting
spite which. they dare not manifest by open
Wnr, nnd In driving out Of their bordera all
loyal men To suppose that Union senti-
ment Will remain IN any considerable number
Of men. amonga people who have strained
hr,A An }4 IA
st1oy: the Union. Indicates dishonesty, In
sanity, or feeb1eness Of intellect.
The inhabitants Of the conquered districts
will begin by claiming the right to exercise
! the powers Of government, and under their
construction Of State rights, to get control Of
blacks, and poor whites, and legalizca pow
er, through the instrumentality OF State laws,
| made to answer their own purposes, to op-
pose and prevent the execution Of the Constl.
| tation and laws Of the United States, within
districts Of tho country Inhabited by them.
Thus, for inst1nce-When South Caro-.
| Ina shall have ceased Sighting, she will
say to toe President, 1--WE have now laid down
| our arms; We submit to the authority Of the
United States Government. You mny restore
| your custom. houses, your courts Of Justice
and il We hold any public property, We glveit
| seutatlyes to Congress, and demand their I'D.
mission, and the fuu establishment Of all our
| State rights, and OFT restoration. to all OIL
former privileges and immunity rs citizens oi
the United States"
This demand is made. by men who arc
traitors In heart; men who bate and despIse
the Union; men who never had patriotic
sentiment; men who, It they could, would
hing every friend Of the Government. But,
for the sake Of gettIpg power into their own
| bands by our concession, which they could
not obtain By fighting, and for the sake q
mnnd restoration under the guise Of claiming
| Gtate rights.
to his demand?
They win galn the rlght Of managing the,'
affairs according to M their wM and pleasure
the people Of the United States.
They Will be enabled By the Intervention O.
their State Iawa and State courts to put ant
maintain themselves In efIectual and perpet
ual opposition 70 the LAWS and Constitution
Of the United States, IS they hare done, fol-
power to pass such local laws as will eGvetu
al1y exclude al Northern men, all soldiers, al
free b1acks, and al persons and things which
shall be Inconsistent with the theory Of max
ing slaveTy the cornerstone Of their 1oca
government; and 1tey may make slavery per
pttual, In violation OF the laws of. the United
States and proclamationB Of the President
They may continue the enforcement Of those
classes Of laws sgainst free speech aud Tree
dom Of the press, which will forever exclude
popular education and al1 other means O
moral, soc1nl and political Advancement.
They may eend back to Congress the eamt
traitors and conspfrators who have once be
traycd tho country into civil war, and whe
| Will hTa1t and cmbofrass n1 measures tend
Ing to restore the Union By harmonizing tht
interests and the institutions Of the people
aud 60, being introduced into camp, as tn.
/ into tTr1y fynfr fr1r M
treason that which they could not achieve b.
feats Of arms. The insanity, Of 2tate.rights
doctrines will be uourtshed and strengthened
by admitting back conquered people as on
equals, and its baleful Influences cannot bt
The solemn pledge Of Freedom offered tc
the colored citizens by Congress aud By ths
Proclamation must be broken, ard the coun
TT and the government SCARED with unspeak
able intamy. ESenfoIcign nations might then
cause Of humanity and civilization.
Suppose. to-day, the rehcl1i> n quc1lcd ant
tho question Put, VIII you now give to you]
enemy the power Of making your laws
Eastern Virginia, Norida, and Lonisians
admission into tic Union. Men come to Wash
ington, choeen BY . handful Of associates ;
elevated, By revolution, to nnaccustomed dig
nifty; representing themselves as Union men
ard earnest to hayo State rights bestowed or
their constituents.
II their constituents nro clothed with tht
power to constitute State, into whose hands
will that power tal?
Beware Of committing yourselves to the fl
tai doctrine of recognizing the existence, II
the Union, Of States which have been declared
by the Presidents Proclamation to be in 70
he1lion. For, by this new device Of the en-.
emy-thfs now version Of the poisonous State
Rights doctsine-the secessionists Will be able
to get back BY fraud, what they failed to get
by lighting. Do NOT permit them, without
proper safeguards. to resume in your cpuu.
sells In the Senate and in the House, the powe,
which their treason has stripped from them
Do not allow old States, with their consti
! tutious still unoltered, to resume Statf
powers.
/ Re frne tn fhc ITnfnn r7er nf Tho Gorfh . mi