The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1866-09-19
BEECuER'S LETTER.

Rev. Henry Ward Beecher IN recent
letter to the signers OF the Cleveland
Convention so far committed himself to
the sustaining of President Johnson
that it called down upon kim the bitter
reproaches and complaints OF many leads
ing journals and most of his near friends.
Compelled by the great pressure, by let
ters from friends and by the public press,
he has written another letter in answer
to one from friend, yindicating him
self and removing at once ali doubt as
to the consistency Of tone which charac,
terized his first. He says in the first
place that
81 regret the misdpprchcnsion which
it has caused, and yet more, amy sorrow
which it may have necdlesSy imposed
upon dear friends. AS II look back upon
my course, | see no deviation from that
raisht line winch haye made without
wavering tor near thirty years OF public
life in favor of Justice, liberty and the
elevation of the poor and ignorant. The
attempt to class me with men whose
course | have opposed all my life long
will utterly fail. Neither an 1 Jchn>
son man in eng received meaning Of the
term. have never thought that it would
he Wise to bring back all the States in a
body at once, any more than it would be
to keep them all out together. One by
one. in due succession, under practical
judgement, rather than by a wholesale
theoretc rule, would have them read.
mit,ed. | still think midtle course
between the Presidents AMI that Of
Congress would be wiser than either
But with this my agreement with the
President ends, | have long regretted
his ignorance Of Northern IDEAS and
sentiments, and have been a,t)nished
and PANIED at his increasing indiScrimi>
nation. UAconsciously tie President is
the chef obstacle TO the re,0dmiSSion of the
Southern States I an, and from thr, first
haze been, tuly Of the opinion thdt the
amendment of tie Constitution proposed ly
Congress eQurli;iy representation i
NomhcyD and Southern States ,O0S intrtn
scaiiy jWst and reasonable, and that ii
shouId be sought ly a wholesome and PER.
sia,"t moraL dgtaioa. have not left
and do not propose to leave or to be put
out Of the Republican party. | am in
sympathy with its aims, its great prlnci>
pies, and its army Of noble men.
This is clear enough aud in as strong
language as could be wished. The
Conservative press have already caught
like drowning men TO the slraws thrown
out by Beecher and must feel greater
chill when he thus consigns them anew
to the waters OF their dark political gulf
His endorsement OF the Cleveland Con-
vention it will be observed by the fol
lowing, has the broadest possible signi
fcancc: Il heartily wish it, and all other
conventions, OF what party soevet, sues
cess, whose object is the restoration Of
all the States late in rebellion TO their
federal relations"
This is also, in perfect accordance with
the sentiment OF every true American
citizen. lie don't pretend that that Con.
vention is other than oslcns.bly to re-
store harmony and so far as it tends TO
that end he is with them. So are all but
we all cannot believe the element and
doctrines espoused will hastenthc desired
restoration, but that it will rather widen
the gap.
The language quoted above is sufi>
cient to show all sensible men where
MIR. Beecher stands upon the questions
before the people. .....