Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-08-03
BALTIMORE UNION NOMINEES.
ANDREW JoHHsons LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.
NASHVILLE. TEN. July ,. 1864.
Hon Wna. De7anison, Chr, and Others, Cam.
National Union Conuention

/ NGtloHal Union Couuertion
GES7LEIES Tour Communication Of the
9th ult., informing ne Of nv nomination fof
the Vice Presidency Of the United States,o by
the National Convention held at Baltimore,
| and enclosing a copy OF the resolutions
/ adopted bv that body, was not received untH
the 25th ult
reply on NV part had been previously
made TO the action OF the Convention IN pre-
! senting my name, in a speech delivered in
this city on the evening succeeding the day
Of the adjournment OF the Convention, in
+ which | indicated my acceptance of the dis
tipguished honor conferred by that body, and
I defined the grounds upon which that accept
ance was based substantially saying what /
now have to say. From the comments made
I upon that speech by the various presses Of
/ the country. to which my attention has been
I directed, l considered il to be regarded as a
4 full acceptance.
IN view. however of the desire expressed
in your communication, viii more fully al
llde to few points that have been hereto
y fore presented -
Nv opinions on the leading questions at
I present agitating and dstracting the public
mind and especially in reference to the re
JeIhou now being waged against the govern
ment aud authority OF the United States,
presume are generally understood. Before
| the Sou thern people assumed q belligerent
attitude, and repeatedly since, | took occa-
| Sion most frankly TO declare the views l then
entertained in relation to the wicked pur-
| poses of the Southern politicians. They have
| since undergone but little, If any change
! Time and subsequent events have rather con
/ frmed than diminished my confidence in
| their correctness.
At the beginning of this great struggle, |
/ entertained the same opinion of it do now,
! and in my place III the Senate | denounced it
/ as treason, worthy the punishment of death,
| and warned the Government and people of
/ the impending danger. But my voice was
! not heard or counsel needed until it was too
/ late to avert the storm. 1t still continued to
| gather over US without molestation from the
1 authorities at Washington, until at length it
| broke with all its fury upon the country
| And now, if we would save the Government
/ from being overwhelmed by it, we must meet
| 1t in the true spirit OF patriotism, and bring
| traitors TO the punishment due their crime,
| and, By force Of arms, crush out and subdue
| the last yestige of rebel authority in every
| State. | felt then now, that the destruc-
| ton Of the Government was deliberately de-
| termined upon by wicked and designing con
| spirators, whose lives and fortunes were
| pledged to carry il out; and that no compro-
| mise short of unconditional recognition of
the Southern States, could now be proposed
which they would accept. The elamor for
| " Southern Rights" as the rebel journals were
| pleased to designate their railying cry was
not TO secure their assumed rights IN tie
Union and 19sdeT tie Constitution, but to dis
rupt the Government and establish an indie
! pendent organization, based upon slavery,
| which they could at all times control
/ The separation of the Government has for
years past been the cherished purpose of the
Southern leaders. Baffled in 1882 by the
stern, patriotic heroism Of Andrew Jackson,
| they sullenly acquiesced, only to mature their
| diabolical schemes, and await the recurrence
of more favorable opportunity to execute
| them. Then the preteXt tariff, and Jack
son, after foiling their schemes of nullifica-
ton and disunion, with prophetic perspeaci.
ty, warned the country against the renewal
of their efforts to dismember the Govern
ment.
In a letter, dated May 1, 1888, to the Rev
y. J. Crawford, after demonstrat ng the
heartless insincerity of the Southern multi
fers, he said:
Therefore, the tariff was only pre-
text, and disunion and a Southern Confeder
acy the real object. The next pretext viii
be the negro or slavery question"
Time has fully verified this prediction, and
we have now not only " the negro or slavery
question as the pretext, but the real cause
OF the rebellion, and both must go down to-
gether. IL Is vain TO attempt to reconstruct
|
| slavery IN 1t. Experience has demonstrated
its iucompatibiity with free and republican
| Governments, and 1t would be unwise anC
/ unjust longer to continue it as one of the In
situations of the country. While it remain
( ed subordinate to the Constitution aud law.
of the United States, l yielded to it my sup
port; but when il became rebellious and at
tempted to rise above the Government. ant
control its action, threw my humble inhu
enee against it.
The authority Of the Government is su
prtme, and will admit of no rivalry No in
stitution can rise above it, whether it be-
slavery or any other organized power. II
our happy form OF government all must be
D subordinate 10 the viii of the people wheI
I reflected through the Constitution and law
made pursuant theretO-State or Federal
This great principle lies at the foundation o
every Government, and cannot be disregard
ed without the destruction of the Govern
ment itself IN the support and practice o
correct principles we can never reach wrong
results and by vigorously adhering TO this
great fundamental truth, the end viii be the
preservation Of the Union, the overthrow o
! an institution which has made war upon anC
attempted the destruction of the Govern
mcnt itself
The mode by which this great change-th,
emancipation of the slaye-can be effected
Is properly loQlu IN the power 10 amend the
Constitution OF the United States This plar
is etfectual, and of no doubtful authority auC
while 1t does not coutravene the timely exer
else OF the war power of the President in hi
. Emancipation Proclamation, it comes STAMPED
with the authority OF the people themselves
acting in accordance with the written rule O
the supreme law of the land, and must, there
fore. give more general satisfaction and quie
tudc TO the distracted public mind.
BY recurring to the principles contained in
tie resolutions so unanimously adopted by
he convention, | find that they substantially
accord with my public acts and opinions
/ heretofore made known and expressed, and
are therefore most cordially indorsed and APP
proved, and the nomination having been con
terred without any solicitation on nv part.
Is with the greater pleasure accepted
In accepting the nomination, might here
close, hut / cannot fogego the opportunity OF
saying to my old friends Of the Democratic
party proper, with whom l have been so long
/ and pleasantly associated that the hour has
now come when that great party can Justly
ylndicate its devotion TO the true Democratic
policy and measures of expedieucy. The war
Is a war OF great principles. 1t involves the
supremacy and life of the government itself
I & Ha .1atfls1 rrSr.