The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-10-04
The Soldiers and Sailors, Plat
form.

The following is the eminently sound
platform of principles adopted by the
Soldiers and Sailors National Convention
at Pittsburg:- =
Reso1Oed, That the action of the pres
ent Congress, in passing the pending
constitutional amendment, is wise, 9ru-
dent and just. 1t clearly defines Ameri-
can citizenship, and guarantees all his
rights to every citizen. It places on a
just and equal basis the right of repre-
sentation, making the vote of man in
Ole State equally potent with the vote Of
another man in any State. It righteous
ly excludes from places of honor and
trust the chief conspirators and guiltiest
rebels, whose unrepented crimes have
drenched the land in fraternal blood 1t
puts into the frame of our Government
the invfolabilIty of the national debt, and
the nuliity forever of all obligations CON
tracted in support of the rebellion.
ResolUed, That it is unfortunate for the
country that these propositions have not
been received in the spirit of Cancellation,
clemency and fraternal feeling in which
they were offered, as they are the mildest
terms ever granted to subdued rebels.
ReSoiVe9, That the President, as an
Executive officer, has no rightto policy
as against the Legislative Department of
the Government. That his attempt to
fasten his scheme of reconstruction upon
the country is as dangerous as it is un-
wise his acts in sustaining it have re-
tarded the restoration of peace and unity ;
they have converted conquered rebels
into impudent claimants to rights which
they have forfeited, and places which
they have desecrated If consummated,
it would render the sacrifices of the nation
useless, the loss OF the lives of our buried
comrades vain, and the war, in which we
have so gloriously triumphed, what his
present friends at Chicago, in 1864, de-
clared to be failure.
RcSOlUed, That the rights Of the con-
quero- to legislate for the conquered has
been recognized By the public law of all
civilized nations by the operation of that
law for the conservation of the good of
the whole country, Congress has the un-
doubted right to establish measures for
the conduct OF the reYolted States, and to
all acls Of legislation that are necessary
for the complete restoration of the Union.
ReSOIved, That when the President
claims that by the aid of the army and
navy he might have made himself dictator,
he insulted every soldier and sailor in the
Republic; he ought distinctly to under
stand that the tried patriots of this nation
can never be used to overthrow civil lib
erty or popular government.
Resoloed, That .he neutrality laws should
be so amended as to give the fullest lib
erty to the citizen consistent with the
national faith that the great Union
Republican party is pledged to sustain
liberty and equality of rights everywhere,
and, therefore, We tender to all people
struggling for freedom our sympathy and
cordial cooperation.
Reso2ved, That the Union men of the
South, without distraction of race or color,
are entitled to the gratitude of every loyal
soldier and sailor who served his country
in suppressing the rebellion, and that in
their present dark hour of trial when they
are being prosecuted by thousands solely
becausc they are now and have been true
to the Government, we will not prove
recreant to our obligations, but will stand
by and protect with our lives, if necessary,
those brave men who remain true TO Us
when all around are false and faithless.
ResolUed, That in reorgan;zing the army,
Justice to the volunteer officers and SOL
diers demands that faithful and efficient
service in the field ought ever to have
place in the army or navy OF tho Union.