The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-13
''Untl His Lamp has Ceased to Burn,
the VIIest Sinner May RetuTn.''

Mr.. JAMES NJ. SCovEL has written the following
letter 10 Hon. MARCUS l.. WARD:-
CAMDEN, n. j., August IL, lS66.-To Hon.
Marcus l.. Ward, Governor OF New Jersey:-I
regret to see an mdisposition manifested in GER
tam quarters TO convene the Legislatures of
the dinerent States to ratiiy the Constitutional
amendments recently proposed by Congress
Whatever reasons may exist for this course in
other States hope no reason or cause what
ever VIII be permitted to prevail in preventing
the conVening OF the Legislature of this State
tor such ratification. New Jersey was grie-
VOusly dishonored by her long refusal to ratify
the tOrmer Constitutional amendment, and
she should now be among the first to express
her approval of the lust, proper, and necessary
amendments which have been constitutlonally
proposed by Congress, 1t may be quite safe for
other States to await the election OF new Legis-
latures, and it may be safe for to do the same;
but no Legislature which we can elect can now
be deemed so certain to discharge this great duty
as the one now in existence. The next Leoisla.
ture mdydo this-the present one is certain to do
1t. II by waiting we lose the present opportu
nifty, The loss may be irreparable | am impelled
20 write this letter, and do it after much hes
tauon, by sense OF duty to my constituents,
very many of whom earnestly entreat me to
define nv position upon this question, which so
nearly concerns the future OF the republic. /
have, therefore, no right to be silent. Permit
me, then, most earnestly to request your Excel
lency 10 convene the Legislature OF the State,
Tor the purpose mentioned, at as early day as
may be thought convenient.
Aclh"ihi uSaI sI, very truly yours,
JAMES NJ. SCoVEL,
Senator for the County of Camden.
This change in tie tone of Mr.. SCovEL is one
which we hail with Observation-Disclosures
not so much because of the accession of any
| strength to the Union party, as because we
have always felt sincere regret at witnessing
how Mr.. SCovEL has blackened his past record
For three years he acted like patriot he so
| cOmpoIted himselfas 20 merit the confidence of
the great loyal masses of the North, and we
would have trusted him to an almost unlimited
| extent. Imagination can picture our surprise
and Indignation at seeing him treacherously
abandon all his professions, and prove himself
utterly unworthy of the confidence reposed in
| his honor. II is not too much for us to say that
| we have no corresponding case of political
| falsity, if we except TYLER. Perfectly disgusted
with the tIeachcry which lost the Union party
! its hard won victory, We have freely spoken
our opinion of Mr.. SCoVEL.
We now, however, see desire on his part to
retract his steps, an evident regret at what we felt
certain his calmcr moments would convince him
was grave error, if not crime The tone of
his letter would lead us to believe that ii Gov.
ernor WARD was to convene the Legislature, his
vote would be on the side OF the party which
elected him to power We say that its tone
would lead Us TO thus believe, but such infer