, 1866-09-22
OF TIE
National Union Republican Com.
ntittee
TO TIE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

were, Tor time, wholly in the power OF a
hostile Confedefacy; the other three par
TALLY So. The undoubtedly loyal States were
repeatedly. and fosmidabiy invaded by rebel
stinatc and bloody battles. Through four
ycors Of aIduous, desperate civil strife, the
hosts Of the rebel Confederncy withstood
those Of the Union. Agents Of that Con-
fcderacy traversed the civilized world, seek
Ing allies in their #ar against the Republic,
and melting The rapaelous and upprlncipled
to TT out armed corsairs TO- prey upon our
commerce. By State authority, and In the
perverted names Of patriotism and loyalty,
hundreds Of thousands Of our countrymeu
were conscripted into rebel armies ana
made to aght desnerately for our national
blessing Of God and the valor and constancy
of our loyal people, the rebellion was finally
and utterly crushed, 1t did not succumb until
it had caused the destruction Of more than
half million Of precious human lives, not
to speak of property to the value Of at least
five billions of dolla1s.
At length, the rebel armies surrendered
and the rebel power utterly collapsed and
vanished. What then?
The claim Of the insurgents that they eth
CT now rc-acqufred orhad never forfeited their
constitutional rights in the Union, including
that Of representation In Congress, stands il
pointed antagonism alike to to the require
mcnts Of Congress and those Of the acting
President. II WIS the Executive alone who,
Ia.e1 ~ rGpsn.ou was no moIe, appolnted
-, atu'!s.o'.a. . uptsInuIs lof tne no" suotul6-
s!Se, utAs.nea ta.. a1 souanern states on tle as
ssut.n;ptaon Inas ny ssoel4ioh haa 1een fevo-
.utio.u5 ..iit5 anu nau 4eGftco lhc people
who required the assembling of ~ Convcn-
tlon, composed OF delegates to be cho-
sen By that portion Of the people of
saM sta1G who are loyal 10 the United
s s.atss, una ~ ctAc'a, lol Tue PURPOSE OF after
n. 1uE an1 ~ aIMenaipE r. the ConsI1otton q SAID
Iatc as Cctoper last-Whcn all shallow OF
9selt RESISTANCE ~ t1c unt9n had long elncc
atsappcaFcd-tnsisted That It was not enough
tHal stale WHICH hau resoItcu must teco:s.
n!1e Ies Ordlnance o. secession as null and
st;.. sGta from me DesinntnG' anG rasHy re Con.
evelmofe, put ehe 119st also repud!ate
every dollar OF lndcbledhess created to
a'd IN carying on the Rebellion" Il was
tle WHO ofaereo me dispersion by military
ioree ol any Legisiature chosen under the re-"
5.,i beilion winch M should aes4me power TO make
laws alter that rebellion had fallen. II was
le who referred to Congress all in9uirers as
10 tlc prohno,lity OF Keprescntaiivcs from
the States inteiy N revolt being admitted to
seats in either HOUSE, md Suggested that
they should present their credentials, not at
Tue organization Of Congress, but aftcrwaed.
N-%A- - t'As +>Ao NV II ~
suggested TO hts GovcFnor shaEkey Of Missis.
elpPl. that
'1fyou could extend the elective franchise
TO al persous OF color who can read the Con.
stttution OF the United States In English and
write thsir names, and to nll persons Of color
who own real estate valued nt not less thuu
S5o and pay taxes thereon, you would COM
pletely disarM the adversary, and set an c1-
u1nplc that other States will folfow.n
II, then, there tc any controversy US to the
right Of the loyal States to exact conditions
and require, guarantees Of those which
plunged Madiy into secession and rebellion,
the supporters respectively OF Andrew John.
Son aud of Congress cannot be antagonist
parties to that contest, since tlele record
places them on the came side.
It being thus agreed that conditions Of res.
bellion may be exactcd Of the States latcly
In revolt, tho right Of Congress to a voice Ia
prescribing those conditions and in shaping
those guarantees, Is plainly incontcstlblc,
Whether II takc the shapc Of law or Of a
constitutional amendment, tho action u o.
settled by treaty, the ratiacation Of Tic * Sen. ~
atc, l,y q two.tlirds vote, would bc indls
1u1'sa6lc. There is nothing in The Federal
Constitution. nor ia tl,o I.ature m oil Of tle % case
that urtcuancca nn Executive mononoIy
Of this power.
What, then, Is the ground of COMPLAINT
against Congrcesy e"N f'"'1'
is Il chaf,.sd lint the oction Of thc twc
Houses were tardy and lryltutlnry Con
siicr low mo,ncni1us were NJ. t',esi,o,,s IN,
yoIvcd, Inc lssltcs depending, Consider Icw Nv
novel and extraordinary *ns tic xituation
Consider how utterly silent ani Hunk Is the
| Federal Constitution, touching til. trcat,,e,.i
| Of ittsur1,cnt Stntcs. wllrthrr during fhri,
| GnErant hosillItv 10 Tho tInton ar nficr thrlI
! discontinue. Conrtdrr with low many cu,
barrassmcuts and dIilicultics tic problem, i,
l
were rnufrcd @ 10 nvse "oi rtct tn an ,'us. ,ass
Iy n t,xn.thirtls vntc in rIthrr IInusr - iu Il
nnfi snic rim nr rcconstrn,tfH, ~' :" '"s'
| Y.f lint ninn ims hsen tnntn-ca n has
nassci' tic S"n"te liz tt;rtr't,,rc" to- ,icvnn
ind fhc lio,,sc I,r on" l,;,rtsrcI ,,,a tNirsv -
fiic conntrv i,nyinc niTca,i, hc,.,, r,fIflri II,
lie lie Irslsla,urcs ~ several ] Stoics @ an rciec;
ID Nv nnnc JIn;1cr il .i,a Itata ~ ~. To;,t,os
sec has hccn fs,rmall,v restored ia ali n,
nriyjicrcs f,rfci,c'i Ic rchsi,ion incSm,sne t,'s
1cnresentntinn in .;tbSr TIons" ~ rnn"rrst :
inxft,n,,fr o,,a,, 10 XII ,rhn atSii 1;n,..
1r,,i.n,i; ofe" " I'LL WIZ 7si'' 9'hsse
w ~, o,ra,,,,ns .,,,,s ,rosa.;,,oa ,,,.o1
o-ah,e w ~ a,.o,. T',,,itut1r T, naJ
substance ] % these. sA Illuminating 'nsS a'e Il
AZ 1,as,cott Or .G anl.zed M IN IN In
foI stotcs ,,'S ehoii 81 ~ " ts ~. -
e;t;.o.n auu s.".. sus ~ a"e III, Eats - - y
n.xer ~ atd H. nn .atc sala nae
coss ~ rse,o Lille lost 1'suseons an
neGfssarS WIuc Rlnv,son nv s'ato. mi,
a.r.r ~ ~. H., nat1. I, a'ta
rwe4 - ~ 4pei ~ ~ esfc ~ tsant"iss ~
anto " ~ eo,T,, tho ~ "SEna ~ - eaG
hascd nnon Is rntfanchiscd .,onn,at,oSS ~ ~"
S,ntn s,,aii ci,nna f,r ~, ~ o
no}it;ca1 rirhts ~ "nr rnra ~ ~ cnsta, - tn,s
tnnaa a,r. g. as laee os easse, ~ 3.n
nf ,n the I iuion OI ras'e as oas'
VI tpAk!e1A to"cEl IL tue CH!u4"
x,1aa -: ne mno nas once neld once On ta
Sni Cn.s.s,. =, nis eotenn oadh ~ support In
lorsWo1n % htlnsell ana tre:sona6sy plotted
supselI t..an sSonst.5ntlon sh3li hsneeioft
nolo no Rontical ounce till congress, "
iMo,lniIas ,.3iI soie, snhil remove or modify III
| deaDlNtS.