The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-09-04
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher,s Reply


Committee
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's Reply.
PEEKsKILL, August 30.
Charles G. Ealp'nc, Breret Brigadier. Gener-
eral; III. ". SiocRm, Major General; Cor
don Granger, MAJOR Geaeral-Committee
GENTLEMEN--I am obliged to you for
the invitation which you have made to
me to act rs Chaplain to the Convention
of Sailors and Soldiers about to convene
at Cleveland. / cannot attend it, bat
heartily wish it, and all other conven-
tions, of what party soever, success,
whose object is the restoration of ali the
States late 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
and responsibilities of a State in federal
relations tend 10 its political health, and
to that of the whole nation. Even Ter
ritories are h,,stily brought in, often be-
fore the prescribed conditions are full
filled, as if it were dangerous to leaye a
community outside of the great body
polite.
Had the loyal Senators and Repressn-
tatives of Tennessee been admitted at
once on the assembling of Congress, and,
in moderate succession, Arkansas, Geor.
gia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Vir-
ginia, the public mind of the South
would have been far more healthy than
it is, end those States which fingered on
probation W the last would have been
under mole salutary influeree to good
conduct than if a dozen armies watched
over them.
Every mouth that we delay this health
full step compllcates the case. The ex-
cluded population, enough unsettled be-
fore, grow more irritable; the army be-
comes indispensable to local government,
and supersedes it; the government at
Washington is called to interfere in one
aud another difficulty, and this will be
done inapt'y, and sometimes with great
injustice for our government, wisely
adapted To its own proper functions, is
utterly devoid of those habits and un-
equipped with the instruments which fit
q centralized government to exercise au-
thority in remote States over local affairs.
Every attempt to perform such duties
has resulted in mistakes which have eX-
cited the nation. But whatever impru-
dence there may be in the method, the
real criticism should be against the
reuuisitiou of such duties OF the general
government
The federal government is unfit to
exercise minor police and local govern
ment, and will inevitably blunder when
it attempts it To keep half score of
States under federal authority, but with.
out national ties and responsibilities to
oblige the central authority to govern
half the territory of the Union by feder-
al civil officers and by the army, Is a
policy not only uncorgenial to our ideas
and principles, but prominently dan.
gerous to the spirit of our government.
However humane the ends sought and
the motives, it is in fact, course of in
struction, preparing our government to
be despotic, and familiarizing the people
to a stretch Of authority which can
never he other than dangerous to liber-
ty.
1 lam aware that good men are with
held from advocating the prompt and
Successive admission of the exiled States
by the fear, chiefly, of its effect upon
parties, aud upon the freedmen.
1t is said, that If admitted to Congress,
the Southern Senators and Representa-
tives will coalesce with Northern Demo-
Gratis, and rule the country. Is this
nation, then, to remain dismembered to
serve the ends of parties2 Have we
learned 10 wisdom by the history of the
last ten years, in which just this course
of sacrificing the nation to the exigencies
of parties plunged US into rebellion and
warl
Even admit that the power would
pass into the hands of party made up
of Southern men, and the hitherto dis
honored and misled Democracy of the
North, that power cOuld not be used
Just as they pleased. The war has
changed, not alone institutions, but
ideas. The whole country has advanced.
Public sentiment is exalted far beyond
what it has been at any former period
A new party would, like a river, be
Obliged TO seek out 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
noble, The young men of our times are
regenerated. The great army has been
a school, and hundreds of thousands of
men are gone home to preach truer aud
nobler view of human rights. All the
industrial interests of society are NOV
Ing with increasing wisdom toward in
telligence and liberty. Everywhere, in
churches, in literature, in natural sci
tnces, in physical industries, in social
questions, as well as in politics, the ma
ii IN feels that winter is over, and new
springs hangs in the horizon, and works
through all the elements. In this happi-
ly changed and advanced condition of
things, no pariy of the retrogade can
maintain itself Everything marches,
and parties must march.
Lo,r x-;tb rvondar and ekau,a ard