The national Republican., 1866-07-13
LETTER FROM THE HON. GIDEON
wELLE~, srCNETARY OF THE
NAVY, IL FAyOH OF THE Ma

iiosRL UNios CosvEsTI0S.
The Hon. Secretary OF the Navy has ad.
dressed the following letter to Senator boo.
LITTLE:
wAsHrseroS, D. O., July II 1860
Sin: Your note Of the 10th instant was received
yesterday. 1 cordially approve the movement
which has been instituted 10 +" sustain the Admin
istraton In maintaining unbrUken the Union OF the
States" and recognise in the call which you have
-eut me the principles and views by which the Ad-
ministration has been governed.
The stteupt made to destroy the national intsg.
rity by secession, or the voluntary withdrawal OF
State from the Union, has been defeated. War
has forever .Itinguished the beresy of secession
On the suppression of the rebellion, measures were
promptly commenced to re-establish those fraternsl
relations which for iour yoar had been interrupted
The pslioy initiated by President Lincoln TO re.
store national unity was adopted and carried for
ward by President johnson; the States which had
been in rebellion wore. undr this benign policy,
resuming their legitimate fuuctiOns the people had
laid down their arms, and those ~ho had been In
insurrecton were returning to their ailegance the
Constitution had been vindicaied and the Union
Was supposed to be restored, whom q check was put
upon the progress to national harmony and pros.
perity thus dawning upon the country. On the as
sembng Of Congress all efforts towards union and
nationality became suddenly psralyzed; the meas.
urss Of reconciliation which the President had,
with eminent succsss. were ssssiied, and their be-
nshcent purpose, to great extent, defeatsdj at
tempts were made 10 impose conditions precedent
upon States before permitting them to exercise
their constitutional rights loyal Senators and Rep.
resentatives from the States which had been In
rebellion were refused admit tance into Congress
the people were denied rghtfu constitutional rep-
rssentstion-and eleven States were and are eI-
cluded from all participation in the Government.
These proceedings, which conflict with the funda-
mental principles on which our whole governmental
system is founded, are generating and consolidating
sectional aniuosity, and II long persisted in, must
eventuate In permanent alienation / rejoice
therefore, In q movement which has for its obi cot
the union In one bond Of love Of the people Of our
common country, and which invites to council and
to political action tbs citizens Of every State and
Territory, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
from the Lakes TO the Gulf The centralising theory
that the loyal and qualified senators and Repre-.
sentaives from eleven States shall be excluded from
Congress, and that those States and the people OF
those States shall not participate In the Govern.
msnt is scarcely less rsPusuant than that Of seoes.
Propositions to change the Constitution and un.
settle Of the foundation principles Of our or.
ganio law-to change our judicial system 10 suoh q
manner TO destroy the Independence Of the States
by insidiously transferring to the Federal tribu-
mails all questions relating to the 'iife, liberty,
and property Of the citizen'-to change the
basis Of representation, which was one Of the
difficult and delicate compromises Of the con-
venton Of 1887 when Lo States were excluded
from rspresentatitn-to change the existing
and wisely adjusted distribution Of powers be-
tween the different departments Of the Government
by transferring the pardOning power Ia certain
cases from the Executive, where II properly be-
longs, to Congress the legislative branch Of the
Government to which It does not legit mately per-
tainto incorporate into our Constitution. which ID
to stand through all time, sproscrptiOn Of citizens
Who have erred, and who are liable to penalties un-
der existing enactments, by Disqualification. par
taking Of the nature OF er past Jsrto laws and bills
of attaindsr--tbese propositions or changes sggre
gated as one, and called an amendment to the Con-
stitution. designed to operate on the people and
States which denied all representation Or voice
In the Congress which originates them, are Of q
radical, II not revolutionary, character.
These and other proceedings, and the political
crisis which they have tended to produce, justify
and demanl D a convocation Of the people by dele.
gates from all the States and from the whole ooun-
try ..
Til. President has Iabored with devoted assiduity
and fidelity to promote union, harmony, property
and ,ppnes' among the States and people, but
has met with resistance, Misrepresentation and
oalumny where he had right TO expect co.opera-
ti"n and friendly support. That the great body Of
our eountrymen are earnestly and cordially With
him in his Efforts to promote the national welfare
have never doubted, notwithstanding the hostility
Of malevolsnt partisans, stimulated hy perverted
party organizations and I rejoice that q eonven.
tion which shall represent all true Union men Of
our whole country has been called to sustain him.
Very respectfully, GIpEoH WELLss.
Hon. ], r, DOOLliIL., ws.hins.on, D. Q.