The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-05-25
SEC. sEWARp AT HOME.
his VIEWS OF RECONSTRUCTION
Address to the Citizens Of Auburn.

4A4S - 49, " - ~ -
Address to the Citizens Of Auburn.
| AuHuRN, N. Y, May 22.-Nr. Sew
lard addressed a large meeting of his
fellow citizens, as follows:
/ my GOOD IFRIENDS:-Since we last
met, the national condition has under
gone some material changes. We were
then on the verge OF. a series Of elec5
ltions throughout the States. The lead=
ers who so perniciously ceased to. be
5Democratic, organized with their GUS
tomary machinery. They had wisely
ceased to denounce as afatlure the war
for the Union, W hich hnd at last become
La glorious success. They thought to
undermine the distinctive party Of the
| Union, by affecting a new born admir-
alton for its chief, Audrey johnson.
They seemed anxious to / prove their
! devotion to onrs by committing Them
for tie Presidency in 1868. They wrote
to our Administration letters of recon-
ciliation; showed their newly wrought
banners; and, reorganizing their strag-
Cling lines wellas they SO hastily could, /,
charged on for a partizan, not patrt- :
otto victory. What led the Dem ocratie
leaders to nake;this change, was the
striking, I may call it the marvellous
phenomenon, which was just then ex-
| hibiteds on the scene of the recent re-
bellion. The whole disloyal commu-
nifty In that blighted and desolate. re.
amnesty, and the Invitations TO return-
ing allegiance which were proclaimed
by the administration all at once re-
nounced the principles, practice and
policy of secession and dIsunfon, ten
derad. us a new covenant of loyalty,
sealed with their oaths and brought
forward with alacrity the remains of
their long cherished Institution of slav-
cry, and cheerfully lyI threw them to be
burned upon the constitutional altar,
which they had SO newly restored. -
These unex pected changes In the at
titude of political adVerSarieS, once SO
obstinate, naturally ep9ugh excited
sIons among the loyal and tried Union
men. 1t is the case which has ever Oc-
CURED, and which must forevermore
occur at the end of successful resis-
tance to rebellion. How could Demo-
Gratis and rebels be converted to the
support of a triumphant Union admin
| istratiOn2 This was the question every
where put by the Jealous leaders Of the
Union party. 1t was at that moment
thatI answered that question by ask
ing another,4 namely: How could
Democrats and rebels avoid being con-
verted? Is it not their conversion that
you contended for, and that you now
desire? expressed the opinion that
the condition of peace, with new re-
sponsibilities, would sthenceforth be
in good faith accepted advised
prompt and complete reconciliation
with the restoration, at once, of the
constitutional symmetry OF the Union;
Rejecting the ungenerous suspic icion thai
the rebels and their Democratic abet-
tors were only changing their political
strategy with traitorous purposes, ar
gIied that with few and marked excep-
lions they were now to be received and
accepted as fellow citizens and -breth-
rem IiaEgned that this would be safe
Iy done, IL only the tried friends of the
Administration, remaining united and
harmonious, and thus retaining their
Justly acquired prestiges, should them
selves promptly and ymagnanimously
secure TO the nation the enjoyment of
an ardently desired peace and newly
required prosperity s.,rl4l :. ,,s,1.-,,sl,t-. 81
For tfme the friends OF. the! Union
acted upon that policy.
The elections. everywhere resulted In
the defeat and overthrow of the Demo-
cratic organization, and placed the Ad-
minislrationi of Andrew johnson be-
yond. the reach of danger at home or
abroad. % s9f''1 i7aii'@ 5s'''7i55n
The work of reconciliation has OUT
run my expectation. Indeed, 1t has
never had parallelsin human affairs.
With lntenal commotions and disturb
anees less serious than those which
some times attend pop lar elections in
free country in the time of peace,
heretofore disloyal people of Virginia,
Tennessee, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Arkansas, Mississippi,
Louisiana, Florida and Texas, success
lively, nay, almost simultaneouslY,,as as
sembled aud adopted new constitutions
| IN conformity with the Constitution of
the-i United States, Theylupturned re-
bellion with all its far spreading roots,
and all its pernicious functions, and
they accep pied and ratified the then pend
ing congressional amendment TO- the
Constitution of The United States, which
The people OF these States have, at the
same time, chosen for themselves; by
free and uncontrolled suffrage, Govern
ofs, Legislatures, JudtctarieS and mu-
nicipaI authorities. Between the Fed.
eraIl Governments and those restored
and reorganized State Governments,
there exists now a more complete and
practical harmony, than has ever before
prevailed between the Union and SO
many of It's members, since 1t was first
establ > w hin the same time the
Executive Department OF the limited
States has assumed its place among the
people of those former disloyal States.
The State Department speaks for them,
with their consent, to the principalities
and powers. The Treasury collects the
national imposts and taxes there. The
War Department distributes its forces
whenever and wherevertt seems neces-
sary. The navy of the United States
rides freely in all their Ireopened ports
and harbors; !; the postottice circulates
Through every State the knowledge
which is the feviving flood of a united
Republic. The Interior Department