, 1864-05-10
NATIONAL UNION COyVEN-
IION.
Letter from Hon. I. n. Arnold Auatnst
PostponfnE tile Convention,

WASHINGTON, Monday, May 9, 1861
WY. G. BRYANT, EsQ.-Str: I haye re-
cclved q printed circular to which your and
other distinguished names are attached, ure-
Ing the postponemens Of the National Con-
vention. a.
Believing that such postponement would
be most unwiss aud dangerous to the loyal
eause,~I ask the privilege, through thr col
umns Of the Eue"in9 Rst, very briefly to giye
my Eeasona for such belief
concur most fully with tho gentlemen
who signed the paper referred to, "that 1t IL
very important that all parties friendly to thu
Government should be united In suppozt Of
Il single candidate, for President and that
when selection shall be mads, 1t shall be &C.
quIesced in BY all loyal sections Of the coun-
Try, and all branches of the legal p.rty.''
:. I am perfectly convinced that the best
nesER- Of securing a>.result SO essential to
succees Ia an early convention; and that
nothing would be more likely to prevent such
union than its postporemeut.
The postponement would be the signal for
the organization Of the friends of the various
tearnest and Jealous. canvass Of the claims,
merits and dement's of those candidates,
IT the time should be changed to Septem-
Ter, VIC should see tho most violent contro-
ye1sJ within the Union ranks. known In the
history OF parties. So "
we encourage and stimulate 1t By postpontng
the conTcnt1on?., ~
I think am fully warranted in stating that
up to this time there has been no cousfder-
able difference Of opinion among the people
I on the Presidential question It IL q most
ssignlt!cant fact that, notwi outstanding the et-
forts made In this city and elsewhere, In be-
half Of prominent and able men In military
aud civil life; notwithstanding thoroughly
organized, able, ardent and Jealous opposi-
tion here to Mr. Lincoln. embodyinS great
artlitlcs and abundant means, with the co.
papers at the Union, and with the aid Of
kemc Of tho distinguished names of trusted
national leaders attached to your petition:
yet ali this has produced no perceptfble effect
NJ On public opinion. The minds of the pco-
PIE are fixed upon the great contest for na-
tiGual existence, and are impatient OF quar-
.rels and controFcrsies among ourselves. The
opposition to the President In our own party,
ta ented, eloquent, zesIous and active as it H.
has scarcely produced ripple on the waye
of public Sentiment, which is SO strongly
rolling on In 4asor Of hr Ltncoln's re-eiec-
ttcn-
The1s 10 no organization among the friends
Of .tae PRESIDENT; they arc doing nothing:
1nt the action Of the people is spontaneous
uEpIonpted and sincere State after stats
mods its conventions, appoints its delegates,
ard without 2 dissenting. voice, instructs
them to rote fer Mr. Lincoln. Tits popular
itJ Of the President, this unanimftY ofitho
people, ls confined to no section, but East as
well as West, Middle state and Border State,
they al speak one roicc-let us hare N. Lin
e. c., Jsr e4r' candidate: Do ! e3aggerate:
her yoics is echoed by California from the
Pacific; New Hampshire and Kansas, Con-
nectlc1t and Minnesota, Wisconsin and Weat
virginia, Iowa and Ohio, and now comes tho
great State OF Pennsylvania, stconainr Mary
~, !a,ld, one atler ANOTHER, they all ydecfare for
the reelection of the President. Is it hot
wiser to recognize and accept this great fact
ra1htr than Struggle against ltY
The truth is, the masBes Of the people and.
the soldiers everywhere, trust and love the
President. They know bis hands xre clcan
and his heart Is honest and pure. They
know that tho devil has no bribe biz enough, !
no temptation of wealth OF power, Wh|ch
can stduce the Integrity Of Abraham Lincoln.
Hence, the people, the brave, honest. self.
denying people, Who have furnished the
men, and are ready to pay the taxes nece-
sary to crush the rebellion, aud who are de-
te1mined to establish national unity, based 1
on liberty, they are more wise, less lactioas
and more d'sinterested than the politicians,
Their instructive sagacity md good sense
kaye settled the Presidential question. It
cannot be unsettled without q convntsion
WHICH WILL enaangeF the Union cause. 4.
postponement Of tile Convention would not
prevent "Mr. Linco}n's re nomination; It
might possibly endnnger his election.
;. Acqntesceucc. union nnd harmony Till foil I
low the june Convention. Delay encourages
tact1on, controreBy and division, I say har,
mony will follow the June Convention, /
saJ this because I believe Gen. FREMONT and
bis trfenda: are loyal to liberty, aud will NOT |
endanger Its triumph BY dividing the friends |
Of freedom. I say this, because the radical |
Germans, who support Fremont, who haye, /
done 80 much In this contest to. sustain the
catse Of free Institutions, cannot be Induced
BY their enthusiasm for man to desert or
tho triumph of their principles,
he hour is critical. Weapproach the very
crises Of our fata AZ nation. With union
eho harmony, our success Is certain The /
residential election rapidly approaches. We t,
cannot din IT attention from It by postponing |!
me Convention. We cannot safely change
our leader In the midst Of tho storm that Is
aging around ua. The people have no tima
or the discussions mhich must prccede and
olloW such change.
. repeat, we cannot safely or wisely cbanpo
'ur leader In the mldat Of the great eyenfs
which Will not wait for conventions. Such Is
ne instructive, nearly universal Judgment, Of
be people. Let, then, the convention meet
nd ratify the choice which the people bsyc
Ieady SO clearly indicated.
Very respectfully, yours,