The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1866-08-26
NatiouaI SOLDIER. and s.;,. -

" 02A GIN
The soldiers and sailors conven.
tion' the call for which we published a
'e" days since, in our telegraphic re-
ports, will be held at Cleveland in
place OF Chicago as it first proposed.
Inc change has been made for the
convenience of delegates, Cleveland
being considered more desirable as a
central location. The call is signed
by Gems. Gustav, McCook, Dix and
over one hundred officers of high rank
in the Federal army They have is
sued an address to the soldiers and
sailors of the Union army setting forth
the importance of the issues before
the country:
But it is said Congress will concede
the right of representation wherever
the constitutional amendment shall
have been adopted, and each prescribed
State shall have ratified it; but it is
quite certain that the amendment will
not be ratified by three fourths of the
States, and therefore that it will not be
adopted. Some, perhaps many of the
Northern States will reject it, and we
cannot expect its legal ratification by
any OF the insurrectionary States. If
there were no other reason why the
Southern States will reject it, it is
enough that itproposes to disfranchise
nearly all the men in the South who
have influence over the masses of the
people. IfnOne were to be disfran-
chised except officers of Ethe rebel
army, we still could not expect the
South to adopt it : for n large majority
of men in the lately insurrectionary
States, through compulsion or choice,
served in the rebel armies. and their
votes alone overwhelmingly defeat itE
Would Union soldiers, to recover
political privileges, disfranchise their
leaders, whom they love and revere
for their heroic virtues? How, then,
can we expect Southern soldiers to
disfranchise and degrade their old
commanders
The address concluded as follows
But we are not asked to be magnani-
nous, but only consistent and just.
This we cannot refuse to be without
violation of the Constitution of our
country, and risk of its utter overthrow.
in political action with men, North or
South. who are not avowedly, in onr
opinion, sincerely faithful to the con
stitutional principles for which we
fought; but if men who have taught
or practiced treason now openly re
nounce their errors, and maintain with
us the true principles of our Govern
ment, we shall not reject their cooper
alton when the restoration of the
Union and the preservation of our
form Of government are in issue.
However much we regret to sever
cherished political associations, and to
cooperate with former enemies, we
must prefer to act with those who have
been wrong and are now right, rather
than with those who were right and
now wrong.
Beleveing that our Government is
again in peril, we appeal to you, who
have fought to save it, and who hold it
dearer and more sacred than all party
ties, to come to the rescue. Let the
soldiers and sailors agreeing with us
in sentiment, but who cannot in per
son attend, send delegates through the
action Of their societies or conyen-
tions Let MS meet in force at Cleve-
land on the 18th of September, the an
niversary of the day when the Consti-
tuition was proclaimed by our fore
fathers, and let us vie in restoring the
Union and the liberties it was ordain-
ed to secure.