The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-07-25
ORGANS Of the great Union party of the


ism than anv party ever did previously IN
the history of the world. That party IS still
in being. with its organization intact, and It's
organs known; and as that party, ny its
faith it's doctrines, and its exertions, has, IN
tie face of the prophecies of half the New
and all the Old World, saved the Govern
ment and the republican institutions OF our
common country from decentralization. and
indeed from utter ruin, by indicating at all
hazards the primordial theory of tile eternal,
indissoluble union of the States, through
which only can a particle OF the theory o,
State rights ever be maintained and carried
out, it would appear to me to be still tue
only or at any rate the most eftectual means,
as far as a party can do it, OF finally ADJUST,
ing all the remaining minor and unsettled
matters of reconstruction, consistent with
the requirements of the theory mentioned.
This party is the same to-day as it was IN
the DAYS of its trial; the same party now as
when. but few short months ago, 1t elected
Lincoln and johnson, and the majority OF
the present Congress; and as acted with 1t
then. for paramount reasons, my sense OF duty
demands that remain and act with 1T now.
The pith and marrow of the present call,
/ should say, tends toward o Convention to
form party for sustaining, not the Govern
ment in its entirety, Gas has been the mission
of the Union party) but department OF the
Government. And here l must take the hb-
erty of adding that / can hardly conceive OF
any sadGer spectacle, under the Crisis OF
present circumstances, than that OF the tried
Union party of this country becoming dis
located and broken up by divisions, or that
of one branch of the Government OF the
country taking an isolated position upon
questions of deep and common interest, and
placing itself in hostile conflict with co-or-
dinate departments.
For these and other reasons which might
be mentioned, l cannot join in the call tor
the Convention in Philadelphia.
have said that many of the principles
stated in the call are, in my view. uno3jec-
tionable l will not stop to criticise those
which are Objectionable, but content myself
with stating that the call fails to take any
notice of one of the great issues now before
the American people. l alludc 10 the ques-
ton whether the several States shall ratify
or reject the last amendment proposed by
Congress to the Constitution of the United
States. This is grave and all-important
question. The issue upon it cannot be avoid
ed 1t should be placed fairly, and squarely
before the people. The failure to take
ground upon so important and all-absorbing
question must be attributed either to
desire to avoid the issue, or as declaration
of belief and policy against the adoption OF
the amendment Being myself earnestly and
decidedly in favor of the adoption of the
amendment by the States. I cannot go into
an organization that would either openly OPP
pose that measure or that would smother it
by avoiding its discussion.
must also add, that no man is more de-
sirous than am to attain the entire restora-
ton of the American Union. with its prac-
teal workings in more perfect harmony and
concord than ever, and the surety, as far as
mortal affairs can be made sure, of endless
perpetuity in the future. The blessings to
flow from such Union are countless and in
estimable. But such Union, consistent
within itself, maintained by the universal
consent of all classes and sections, and laugh
ing to scorn both the assaults of foes internal
or external, and the ravages of time and
change, will only be obtained by sternly re-
tracing every departure from, or compromise
with, the supreme and general idea of the
American fundamental law, the Constitution.
That general idea consists, in brief, of the
political liberty and equality of mankind
under the law. Such, and such only, can be
the Union, the nationality, that will put in
form the magnificent and lofty dreams Of the
American continental mind, and fulfil in the
future the highest. efforts of the present and
the past. 1t is not the vague delusion that
the rights of the States need doctoring. The
American theory eliminates properly in the
sacredness of the rights of individuals-of
each single individual. That, after all, is
what Washington carved out with the sword,
and Jefferson, filtering it through his subtle
and free mind, drew up and put on record
with the pen.
1t is well known that in the political and
legal history of the United States, the only
departures or compromises of tfekind ailud-
ed to have been those in the interests of sIa-
very, and of its manifoldincidents do not
of course propose to go over the thousand
times told tale of the past sixty years. To-
day, slavery, as confessed legality, is, as we
all know, no more. But some of the most
important of its incidents or compromises
still remain-blots and incongruities upon
thelaw. What equitable reason can be Civ
en- why these incidents also should not be er-
ased? Time was that when the brains were
out the man would die; but now we see tile
limbs demanding to live and move, as if the
nervous centre still existed.
The persistent attempt to keep in the Con-
stitution the rule of an unequal and unfair
basis of representation is perilious to the fu-
ture peace of the country, and will surely
cause chatting sense of injustice as long
as it is continued s
Furthermore, the high mission of the Union
party, as avowed in the Baltimore ConYen-
ton, to extnpate," includes the removal of
all hateful and anti-popular excrescences en-
grated by that institution for its own sell
fish ACKNOWLEDGEMENT upon our free national
laws and polity. That high mission and OBJ
legation cannot be accomplished until all
which slavery has so engrafted is cut out !;
for until then slavery is not q extirpatedn
Earnestly sympathizing with the men, who
look to law of equal representation as the
only guaranty both for popular rights and
popular acquiescence, l would feel myself
out ofplace in party that fayors basis Of
representation giving peculiar and unright-
eous advantages to portion of the body
polite, to the detriment and dissatisfaction
of the whole. =
Uniting with you and all good men in the
soui-lelC desire tnat peace, prosperity, and
that amicable brotherhood which is more
than any worldly prosperity, may soon pre-
vail, and continue unbroken through our be-
loved common country. that former enrni-
ties shall die out and beforever lost,and that
all over the broad domain of America equal
laws shall protect equal rights to all man
Kind, 1870 'sit ~
have the honor to subscribe myself your
obedient servant, JAMES SPEED.