, 1864-07-27
The BALTIMORE NOMENA-
T1VNS.
Governor Jo11 NJ onss Letter OF Acccpt-
ANce.
The following is Gov Johnson's reply 10

based, substantially saying what I now have
to say. From the comments made upon that
to which my attention has been directed,
considered it 10 be regarded as full accept
ance.
In view, however. of thu desire ex-
prcEsld in your communication, l will fully
alludc to few points that have been hereto
fore presented.
NY opinions on the leading questions at
present agitating and distracting the public
mind, and especially In reference to the re-
bellion now being Waged against the Govern
menr and authority Of the United States, l
presume are generally understood Before
the Southern people assumed bellIgerent
attitude, (and repeatedly since I took occa-
entertained In reiation to the wicked pur-
poses Of the Southern politicians. They lave
since undergone but little, If any change.
Time and subsequent events have rather con-
n1med than diminished my confidence in
their correctness.
entertained the 8 me opinion Of it do now,
and in my pace in the Senate denounced 1t
as treason, worthy the punishment OF death,
aud warned the Government and people OF
the impending danetr. But my voice was
not heard OF counsel needed until 1t was too
late to avert the impeneing storm. 1t still
continued to gather over us without mo1es-
tat!on from the authorities at Washington.
until at length it broke with all its fury upon
the country. And now, il we would save
the Government IRON being overwhelmed by
it, We must meet it In the true spirit of pat
riotism, and bring traitors to the punishment
due their crime, and, by force Of arms, crush
ont and subdue the iasf vestige Of rebel an.
thority in every State. felt then, as now,
that tie destruction of the Government was
deliberately determined upon By wicked and
designing conspirators, whose lives and for
tunes were pledged to carry 1t ont; and that
no compromise, short Of an unconditional
recognition Of the independence Of the
Southern States, could have been, or could
Low be proposed, which they would accept
The clamoE for 'tSouthern Riehts,'' rs the
rebel Journals were pleased to designate their
rallying cry, was not TO secure their assumed
rights in the Union and under the Constitu-
tablish an independent organization, based
upon slavery, which they could at ali times
control.
Tie separation Of the Government has for
years past been the cherished purpose Of the
Southern lcaders. Baffied in 1882 b. the stern,
patrioric herolsm Of Andrew Jackson, they
snllen?y acquiesced, only to mature their d.
abolical schemes, and await the recurrence
of more favorable opportunity to execute
ths N. Then the pretcxt Was the tariff, and
Jackson. after foi1ing their schemes OF nulli-
1ica.ion and disuElon, with prophetic perspi.
De1al Of thtir efforts to dismember the Gov
ernment.
In letter dated May l, 1858, to the Rev.
A j. Crawford, x1ter demonstrating the heart
less insincerity OF the Southern nuiliaers, he
eaid:
t'Therefore the tariff Was only pretext,
and disanion aud Southern Confederacy the
real object. Tie nezt ptetext will be the ne
gro or slavery question"
Time has fally verified this prediction, aud
We have now only "the neg gro or slavery
question" Is The p5stext but the real cause
ge.ber. 1t is vain to attempt to reconstruct
the Union with the distractins element OF
slavery in It. Experience has demonstrated
Its lnconpatibility with free aud republican
Governments, and 1t would be unWlse aud
unjust longer to continue 1t as one Of the
ed subordinate to the Constitution and laws
Of the United States, I yielded to It my sup.
pert, but when 1t became rebellious and at.
tempted to rise above the Government aud
control It's action, throw my humble indu.
cDce ngainstit.
lreme. and will admit OF no rivalry. No In
stitution can rise above it, whether it be
slavery Or any other organized power In our
hnppy 1orM Of government all must be eubor-
1iL ate to the will Of the people, when re-
hected through the Constitution and laws
IL
This ereat principle lies at the foundation OF
eyer1 Government, and cannot be disrezarded
without the destruction Of the Government
ITSELF In the supp 5rt and practice Of correct
principles We can never reach wrong results !;
and By vigorously .dhering to this great fun
damental truth, the end rill be the preserva-
ton OF the Union, and the overthrow Of an
institution which has made war upon, and
attempted the destruction OF the Government
itself
The mode By which this great chauge-the
emancipation Of the sl4yc-can te effected, is
properly found in the power to amend the
Constitution If the United States. This pl4n
is effectual, aud Of no doubtful authority !;
and while 1t does not contravene the timely
War Power By the President In his Emauci-
patton Proclamation, 1t comes stamped with
the authority Of the people themselves, act
Ing In accordance with the written rule of
the supreme law of the land. and must there
fore give mere general satisfaction and quiet
ude TO the distracted public mind.
By recurring to the principles contained In
The resolutions 60 unanimously adopted by
the Convention, | ind that they substantial
y accord with my public ats aud opiulons
heretofore made known and expressed and
are therefore most cordially Endorsed and up.
proved. and the nomination, h7ying been
conferred nithout any solicitation On nv
part, IL With the greater pleasure accepted.
In accepting the nomination, might here
close, but cannot forego the Opportunity
Of saying to my old friends OF the Democrat
ic party proper, with whom have SO lon.
and pleasantly been associated, that the hour
has Low come when that great party can
Justly yindicnte It's devotion to true Demo-
cratic policy aud measures Of expedieucy
The war is war of great principles. It in
wolves the supremacy and lie Of the Govern
ment itself. Il the rebellion tr1umphs. tree
government-North and South-fails. II, on
the other hand, the Government is 6nccess.
ful-as do not doubt-its destiny is fixed
lts basis permanent and enduring, and its ca
reer of honor and glory just begun. Ina great
contest like this for the existence OF free gov
e1nment the path Of duty Is patriotism and
lions of administrative policy should give
way to the higher duty OF first preserving
the Government, and then there Will be time
enough to wrangle oyer the men and meas
ures pertaining to its administration,
This Is not the hour for strife aud division
among ourselves. Such differences OF opin-
Ion only encourage the enemy, prolong the
war, and waste the country. Unity Of &C.
tion and concentration 81 power shonld be
conplisbeo, the time will rapidly approach
when their armies In the 6eld-the great
power of the rebellton-wil be broken and
crushed by our gallant officers and brave
soldiers, and ere long they will return to
their homes and tresldes to resume again
the ayocations Of peace, with the proud con-
sciouEness that they have aided In the noble
work Of re-establlshing upon surer and
more permanent basis the great temple of
American Freedom.
am, gentlemen, With sentiments Of high
regard. Yours truly,