St. Mary's gazette., 1865-07-13

LErr%r Frou Jouv VAN BrRES.-The
Democrats of New York cr!cbratcd the
fourth Of July with great '"hh. Speeches
were made and l+tters written by nearly
all nf the old leaders. The following Is
an extract of letter from John Van Bu-
reD:
This great question which will divide
the people of the United States for some
time to come. will Lr how the Government
of the United States shall deal with the
loyal people Of the several States that have
at,emp.ei to throw off that Government,
and are lot now represented in the Con-
ercss Of the United States.
For instance. a very general deus
sion is now gong on as to what shall be
done with Mr.. Jefferson Davis. Leading
Republicans. such as Henry Ward Beech
cr. Gerrit Smirh, Wm. Lloyd Garrison,
and others. think he should be pardoned.
Lord Derby and other English lords, who
have never heretofore mentioned the L.
States except as a beacon 20 be summed by
all who seek for safe forms Of government,
not only concur in this opinion. bur az
feet to tremble with apprehension, lest in
our dealing with this telon we nay lropar'i
our fair fame Democrats generally. with
whom have convcrsed, think Mr.. Davis
should be severely punished. | mention
this merely to show that a question like
this is not, and from necessity, cannot be
IA national or party question. But the
mode in which those who are declared by
II 81, Yr,h
to detcrmin y to constitute the several
States in rebellion shall be treated, is a
great governmcn'al question which will
be very likely to divide the people of ,hi:
country in much the sam" way as they
have been divided in the protracted
ard honorable contests which have
distinguished on: past political histo-
~.
"Anl. in regard TO this, I an glad To
think that he President Of the United
States has lail down the only true. wise
and constitutional policy--a policy based
nyon The principles which lie at the foun-
la,ion Of our government. and which re-
iects with equal Scorn the suicidal hsrcsy
of secession and The destructive theory OF
consolidation The loyal people of the
several States heretofore in rebellion have
lost by the war such property as they may
have had in slave They would be wise
to put this question out of the range of fu-
ture discussion by rat:fyiug the prop ,sed
amendment Of the Constitution upon this
last act. But beyond this they have for
fcited no rights They have undergone
sufferings almost unparalleled without Sc
rious fault on their own part. They are
cutitled now to form a S'a.c government
and to have their Senators and Rrprcs n
tatives admitted to Congress upon precise
Iy the same terms as the States which
have not seeded Ii is for ,hem exclu-
sively to jaige who beside themselves shall
vote at thcir elections. The privilege of
voting is conceded by State 10 such per-
sons as it chooses Whether women
miners. aliens. Indians. negroes, all Of
whom are or may become citizens. shall
be allowed to vote. is, uglcr our United
States Constitution, wisely left to the de.
cisiou of each State. as best Informed. to
those interested in It's proper disposition.
The several States in rebellion vii! rcor-
gau;ze under III" proclamations Of the Pres
leut. They will continue, as they have
never ceased 10 be, States of the Tn
ion.
Il believe President Johnson 10 be an
honest, intelligent, thorough democrat; as
such he knows that the democratic theory
of the Constitution i. the only one tina, vii!
preserve it. and that the true defenders o!
the country's honor abroad aud ss fety a,
home, in war aud in peace, can only be
found in that great, powerful, and pa
triotic party which has administer
I'd the government with such sue
cess through far The longest aud most
honorable portion OF our career"