The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-07-25

Governor Seward has written letter Civ
ing his reasons for his approval of the CAV
I for the Philadelphia Convention. Those
reasons may not be sufficient to convince any
considerable number of his lifelong admirers
that he is right; but they will be received as
conclusive of his settled purpose to cooper
ate with the President IN his policy of COM
promise and Cancellation. Those who know
Governor Seward best win have the least
doubt of the patriotism and purity of the
motives by which he is actuated. He be-
lieves that the best good of the country de-
mands different policy from that laid down
by Congress-an Immediate restoration of
the Union, by the immediate and uncondi-
tional admission of all "loyal representatives
Ut the loyal people of the eleven States SO
long unrepresented in Congress-" In his
opinion, nothing but this can complete it
nothing more remains to be done, and nothing
more is necessary"
As usual, Governor Seward presents the
strongest argument possible in support of
his views. The refusal of Congress to admit
these loyal representatives was, as we have
constantly urged, mistake And this mis-
take is the more to be regretted when it is
known that, of the whole number of South
ern representatives who presented themselves,
not more than five could have met the test
which both Congress and the President de-
manded as requisite to admission. But, I'M
fortunately, it was determined to hold all
thereturned representatives from these eleven
States as equally disqualified and in doing
so, Congress gave to those hostile to it, the
only popular argument they possess.
This" Mr.. Seward says, "is the question
of the day" and he assumes that the only
mode of meeting this question is through
Convention representing all parties, as no one
party can do effectualiy what is needful to
be done.
And just here is where the great mass of
those who have always acted with Governor
Seward will find themselves dissenting from
him. They will not admit that, to effect
restoration of the Union, it is necessary to
go into council with those whose hands are
stained with loyal blood, and whose hearts
still rankle with hatred towards those who
opposed them in their fratracidal attempt to
destroy the Union Even though Congress
may have erred in its policy, and have exac-
ted more than wise patriotism demanded,
the power to restore the Union is still with
those who successfully fought out the war
for its preservation. May we not say of the
Union party what Mr.. Seward was wont to
say of the old Wing party when it Jagged
behind him in his noble aspirations for free
DON'T may not be all it should be, but
there is no other organization through whose
agency the good desired may be SO certainly
and speedily accomplished.
We will not impugn Governor Stewards
motives. We have known him too long and
have followed him too implicitly and un-
doubtingly, not to know that he has taken
his position on this as on every other ques-
ton from the highest and purest motives
He believes that what is proposed will con-
tribute to the end he desires speedy and
harmonious and perfect restoration of the
Union. But this is net the opinion of the
great mass of the Union party. They be-
lieve that all that is desirable, needful and
proper can be better achieved through the
agency of that party than any other-more
certainly than through the agency of the men
who are adroitly selling upon this movement
for the purpose of oserthrowing that organi-
zation, and of bringing back to power the
men who instigated and carried on the Re
bellion which has drenched the land in blood
and tears. And this can be the only result
of this convocation It may distract, and,
to some extent, divide the Union party, but
it cannot destroy it. It will continue, in all
its vitality and power, until it shall have
achieved its mission by perfecting the work
of Freedom and Justice which the war
initiated -AH0nu EDenan1 ,T,,ty7l1Z