Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-21
NASHVILLE TENNESSEE TUESDAY, AUGUST d, 1866

a military capacity and aptitude for achieve
ments of war, both by sea and land, before
unknown even to ourselves, and destined to
exercise hereafter xnder united councils an
important influence upon the character and
destiny of the continent and the world.
And while it has thus revealed, disciplined
and compacted our power, 1t has proven to
US bevond controversy or doubt, by the
course pursued towards both contending sec
tions by foreign powers, that we must be the
guardians of our own independence, and that
the principles of republican FREEDOM we rep
resent can find among the nations of the
earth no friends or defenders but ourselves.
We call upon you, therefore, by every con-
sideration of your own dignity and safety,
and in the name of liberty throughout the
world. to complete the work of restoration
and peace which the President OF the
United States has so well begun, and which
the policy adopted and the principles
asserted by the present Congress alone OBJ
struct.
The time is close at hand when members
of a new Congress are to be elected. If that
Congress shall perpetuate this policy, and
by excluding loyal States and people from
representation in its halls shall continue the
usurpation by which the legislative powers
of the Government are now exercised, COM
mon prudence cOmpels us to anticipate aug
mented discomfort, a sullen withdrawal from
the duties and obligations Of the Federal
Government, internal dissensions, and a gen
eral collision of sentiments, and pretensiOns
which NAV renew in a still more fearful
shape the civil war from which we havejust
emerged. We call upon you to interpose
your power to prevent the recurrence of so
transcendent a calamity. We call upon you
in every Congressional district of every
State to secure the election of members who,
whatever other differences may characterize
their political action, will unite in recOg-
nizing the right of every State of the Union
to representation in Congress, and who will
admit TO seats in either branch every loyal
Representative from every State in al
legiance to the Government who may be
found by each House, in the exercise OF the
power conferred upon it by the Constitution,
to have been duly elected, returned and
qualified for a seat therein.
When this shall have been done the Gov
ernment will have been restored to It's lnteg-
ritv, the Constitution of the United States
will have been re-established in Its full
supremacy, and the American Union will
have become what it was designed to be by
those who formed it-a sovereign nation,
composed of separate States, each like itself
moving in a distinct and Independent
sphere, exercising powers defined and re-
served by a common Constitution, and rest
ing upon the assent, the confidence, and Co
operation of all the States and all the people
subject to It's authority. Thus reorganlzed
and restored TO their constitutional relations,
the States and the General Government can
enter in fraternal spirit with common
purpose and a common interest, upon what
ever reforms the security of personal rights,
the enlargement of popular liberty, and the
perfection of our republican institutions
NAV demand.