New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-02-26
Correspondence Between Henry a. Wist
and Fernando Wood.
Fron The Riehnond Enquirer

fJLHNOND va, ItU. - ie'r''
Ie he hon. FERNANDO Woon
DEAR SIR: The past and the presen: both
Justify me TO myself in appealing TO you, Sir for such
information and counsel If You have it, as will relieve
nv mind and heart OF the painful doubt aud anxiety
which oppress them respecting the fate not only Of the
Southern States and people bet of the Republic and Of
the civil liberty which il was created TO establish and
defend. NV own views are in = word, aobiHS in my
present position 70 be heeded eyen much less 20 be-
made known with any hope that they would prevail.
You know MY position before the war: To Esh ~ Ae
Union under the express letter of the Consiituiiono
take up arms by the sovereign authority OF Staesto
repel Invasion and to suppress Instruction
assenied 20 Secession on the grounds OF Mr. Madison
that IL was AZ most hut revolutionary remedy IN The
conflict Of sOyercigtes among the States Of The On,oH
that II successful il would preserve linn.
tatons defend the night of sefgovernneDi and secure
civil liberty; and II unsuccessful that II would leave Us
at least we were ore tsNgn under the Tgis oi the
Constitution OF the United States As the supreme law
OF the Nation and al IL parts. she Confederate States
remaining bodies polc, OF sovereign STATES SIM IN
! the Union
| The revolution OF s0vereigDties was unsuccessful
never contaminated Confederate independence. and
never for one moment took single State out Of the
Union but left each and Ill they were under the
Federal Constitution, bound by It's compacis ana
protected by IL provisions and guarantees. By the re-
suit OF the war the Union not 1csf0r,d for II was
never destroyed broken; IL was not TO be 'Teeoa
tuiion States were ol States citizens were stu ci
zens; Federal rights and relations were still the same
obligations and duties were the same. privileges and
protection and penalties all the same. Just simply
becov : Copsi.g0H Of Le Ueifed &0ies was stall the
came aud the Union was still tho same, a.
netlei mad teeg destroyed, though the !Wmer
was heavily GSf9ed and the latter HAD omen been vi0'
the one stood the shock and test Of and the
other still reigns the supreme law. such fairly stated
apprebeDd and hope 10 he the position Of President
3obron founded on the laws OF civil war among so'er
eign States
reace has not been proclaimed, Why the writ Of
habeas coIpus has no, been resOredi Why oiyi nrs.
dcton las not been allowed 10 take cognilancc OF all
case. belonging 10 the courts Of law and equity under
the Consttutonf Ia the power to continue after
war itself has ceased Are arms 10 be employed sti
long alter the ordinary process OF the udica tribunals
can be executedi Are the civil laws TO he continued
suspended Are original oad sovereign States to be
pror,ciai ed and "terrilOTiagedF IL the COnsiitu
tlon of the United States itself 10 feDsin suspended
until some power or Other shall form Ma
,ionol Goreramcnty / might add inquiry to inquiry.
further bur these enough and confess 10 you that
have seen nothing from any querIer "a yet shedding
light on these inomen.ous question: Whether look
20 the edefal Executive Congress OF Judiciary or
10 the country AT large al Is dark see iurld hglt
only u the camps oi the army. still surrounding our
very homes and tresides Can you from your stand
point NE 70 any clear unclOded prospect to cheer the
pstrio heart which longs 20 old Union and old Con-
sivtio1 respected aud hoDored. ard obeycd as they
really exist and have ever since i'o' existed without
any Reconstruction
| A year you implorod the Southern people 10 re.
tur 10 the Union on basis OF equality and fraternity.
This you did from the HB Of the House OF kepresents
tives, where We have no representatives now, while
we are paying heavy excise duties and other taxes.
During the war you were manfuy opposed 20 II. but
Won were for the return OF the So 0nd iOr the Union
on An amicable adjustment o, all questions at ISSUE
YOU did not believe that the differences existing were
either irreconeilable to be determined and adjusted
only by the sword. The ms3 difference that OF Sia.
very Las been since determined forever 81 cone,ta,,
| 6elii i am convinced that 10 could never have been
settled in auy other way and that for that reason the
war itsef wa<ugovideDtiJ, ~ was Gods var. and who
on earth dares gsinsay it, 1t has fixed the Union firm
its base unless IL has unbKed the Constitution But
the has destroyed the latter it has destroyed the
former. forever Why have you been silent 30 long
Whist is the state OF national affairs present and pros
pectiyet Let ne hear from you soon Very truly your
| friend, HENRI A. WIsk-
! REPLY OF MR. WOOD.
/ NEw.YORK. Feb. 10. 1866.
| Ny DEAR Sn You soy. correctly that have been
silent national politics since my speech OF February
last In Congress. IN which implored tho Southern
people return to the Union. have been pnrposey
| so During my absence in Europe, last Spring and
Summer. the war abruptly closed. the Executive was
more abruptly changed and the consequences Of these
| events precpitsted upon the country O condition
OF things cooprehend which few minds capable.
thought that sileat observation would the better
! enable me to understand and appreciate this new
order OF public efsrs and TO reach conclusion which
however unimpOrant TO Others. would ct least be satis
factory 10 myself I have reached this conclusion.
and having been thus called upon in your letter Of the
I2th inst will give IL IN reply The form OF govern
u mept established by the present Constitution was
not the rst created after Independence. was it
publican The first that established BY the articles
Of confederation making Q league of colonies which
in i76s wss replaced by the present form. en-
iareog the central authority but retaining much OF th,
cou.edsrate chsractsrstos but this wss nevertheless
essentially confederscy. and not republic In the tru.
ssusp Tie republic form 'is that OF State IN whci
Ia sovsreisn power Is in tho representatives elected b.
The people" This was not nor lie It yet our system &C
oo5dne the theory Of Ststs government Ths State
| arc rcvobieep but not the Federal Uniop. Two GOV
srstgn powers cannot exist within the
covef,txuu Wss retsils1 By tAe oeees, u eeAh 10