East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-09-06

y
been invited 10 act as chaplain to the
Convention Of Soldiers and Sailors at
Cleveland, returned the following an
swer:
PEEKsKIII, Aug. 30.
To chas. g. Halpine. Brevet- Brgadier Generals
II. W. Slocum, Major General
Gordon Granger, Major General, Committee
Gentlemen--I am obliged to you
for the invitation which you have made
to me to act as chaplain to the Con-
vention of Sailors and Soldiers about
to convene at Cleveland. / cannot
attend it, but ] heartily wish it and
all other conventions, Of what party
soever, success, whose object is the
restoration of all the States lately in
rebellion to their federal relations
Our theory of government has no
place for State except in the Union.
1t is Justly taken for granted that the
duties ard responsibilities of State
in federal relations tend to its politi-
cal health and to that of the whole
nation. Even Territories are hastily
brought in, often before the pre-
scribed conditions are fulfilled as if it
were dangerous to leave a community
outside of the great body polite
Had the loyal senator's and represen-
Latiyes of Tennessee been admitted Mt
once on the assembling of Congress,
and in moderate succession, Arkansas,
Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina
and Virginia the public mind of the
South would have been far more
healthy than it is, and those States
which fingered on probation to the
last would have been under a more
salutary influence to good conduct
than if dozen armies watched over
them. Every month that we delay
this healthful step complexities the
case. The excluded population,
enough unsettled before, grow more
irritable the army becomes indispen-
sible to local government, and super
sedes it; the Government at Wash
ineton is called to interfere in one and
another difficulty, and this will be
done inaptly, and often with great
injustice, for our Government, wisely
adapted to its own proper functions, is
utterly devoid Of those habits, and
unequipped with the instruments
which fit a centralized government to
exercise authority in romoto States
over local affairs. Every attempt to
perform such duties has resulted in
mistakes which have excited the ma
ton. But whatever imprudence there
may be in the method, the real crit
cism should be against the requisition
of such duties of the General Govern
ment. The Federal Government is
unfit to exercise minor police and
local government, and will inevitably
blunder when it attempts it. To keep
half score Of States under federal
but without national ties and
to oblige the central
authority to govern half the territory
of the Union by federal civil officers
and by the army, is policy not only
in opposition to our ideas and princi-
pies, but pre- eminently dangerous to
the spirit Of our government. How
ever humane the object and the mo-
tive, it is in fact source of instruc-
ton, preparing our Government to be
lespUtiU, and fanIiliarisins tho panple
10 a stretch Of authority which can
never DO other than dangerous to lib
erty. i am aware that good men are
from advocating the prompt
and successive admission of the rebel
States, by the fear chiefly of its effect
upon parties and upon freedmen, 1t
is said that if admitted to Congress
the Southern Senators and Represen-
tatives will coalesce with Northern
Democrats and rule the country. Is
this nation then to remain .dismem-
bered to serve the ends of parties P
Have we learned no wisdom by the
history Of the last ten years in which
Just this course of sacrificing the ma
ton to the exigencies OF parties
plunged us into rebellion and war p
Even admit that the power would
pass into the hauds Of party made
up of Southern rebels and the hither
to dishonored and misled Dem cracy
of the Nnr,h, that pau,o- could net Lv
used Just as they pleased. The war
has changed not alone institutions but
IDEAS. The whole country has add
vanced. Public sentiment is exerted
far beyond what it has been at any
former period. A now party would,
like a river, be obliged +, to seek its
channels in the already existing slopes
and forms of the continent, We have
entered new era of liberty. The
style Of thought is freer and more no
BILE. The young men of our times are
The great army has
been school, and hundreds Of thous-
ands of men are gone home to preach
a truer and nobler view of human
rights. All the industrial interests of
society are moving with increased
wisdom towards intelligence and lib
erty. Everywhere, in churches, in
literature, in natural sciences, in
physical industries, in social ques-
lions, as well as In politics, the ma
ton feels that the winter is over and
! new spring hangs in the horizon
and works through all the elements.
In this happily changed and ad-
vanced condition of things, no party
IF the retrograde can maintain itself.
Everything marches and parties must
march. hear with wonder and shame
and scorn the fear of few that the |
South once more in. adjustment with |
he Federal Government will rule this
nation. The North is rich, never sol
rich; the South is poor, never before
70 poor. The population of the North |
s nearly double that of the South
he industry Of the North in diversity, |
n forwardness and productiveness, in |
Ill the machinery and education re-
luired for manufacturing ia half m |