Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-08-29
ITIONAL UNION CONVENTION.
address to the People Of the United
States.


I $685. as the representative OF the
beople in all sections, and all the States
nd Territories of the Union, to con-
Mut upon the condition and the wants
4 our common country, we address
o YOU this declaration of our princi-
ples, and of the political purposes we
eek to promote,
M THE LATE WAR.
Since the meeting of the last Ma
/ tional Convention, in the year 1860,
events have occurred which have
changed the character of our internal
poitics and given the United States a
new place among the nations of the
earth Our Government has passed
/ through the vicissitudes and the perils
of civil war-a war which, though
mainly sectional in its character, has
nevertheless decided political differ
ences that from the very beginning of
/ n the Government had threatened the
unity of our national existence, and
has left its impress deep and inefface-
able upon all the interests, the senti
ments, and the destiny Of the Republic.
While it has inflicted upon the whole
country severe losses in life and prop
erty, and has imposed burdens which
must weigh on its resources for gen
erations to come, ii has developed a
degree of national courage in the pres
ence of national dangers-a capacity
for military organization and achieve
ment. and a devotion on the par. of
the people to the form of government
which they have ordained, and TO the
principles of liberty which that Gov.
enment was designed to promote,
which must confirm the confidence of
the nation in the perpetuity OF its re-
publican institutions, and command
the respect of the civilized world.
Like all great contests which rouse
the passions and test the endurance OF
nations, this war has given new scope
to the ambition of political parties,
aud fresh impulse to plans of innova-
ton and reform Amidst the chaos
of conflicting sentiments inseparable
from such an era, while the public
heart is keenly alive to all the pas
sons that can sway the public judg-
ment and affect the public action
while the wounds of war are still fresh
and bleeding on either side, and fears
for the future take unjust proportions
from memories and resentments OF the
past, it is q difficult but an imperative
duty which on your behalf we, who
are here assembled, have undertaken
to perform.
AssEMBLAGE IN AMITY.
For the first time after six long
years of alienation and of conflict, W.
have come together from every State
and every section of our land, as cltl
zens of a common country, under tha'
flag, the symbol again of a common
glory, to consult together how best K
cement and perpetuate that UnioI
which is again the object of our com
mon love, and thus secure the bless
ings of liberty to ourselves and ou
posterity,
In the first place we invoke you t
remember, always and everywhere
that the war is ended and the natio
is again at peace. The shock of cor
tending arms no longer assails th
shuddering heart Of the Republic. Th
insumecton against the supreme au
thorty of the nation has been SUI
pressed, and that authority has bee
again acknowledged, by word an
act, in every State and by every cit
zen within its Jurisdiction. We ar
no longer required or permitted to n
gard or treat each other as enemie
Not only have the acts of war bee
discontinued, and the weapons of wa
laid aside, but the state of war u
longer exists, and the sentiments, th
passions, the relations of war have n
longer lawful or rightful place an.
where throughout our broad domain
Weare again people of the Unite
States, fellow citizens of one countr.
bound by the duties and obligation
of common patriotism, and havin
neither rights nor interests apart fro
a common destiny.
DUTIES OF PEACE.
The duties that devolve upon !
now are again the duties of peace, al
no longer the duties of war. We ha'
assembled here to take counsel CO
corning the interests Of peace to d
eide how we may most wisely al
effeotaslIy heal the wounds the W
has made, and perfect and perpetua
the benefits il has secured, and I
blessings which, under wise and
nign Providence, have sprung up
its fiery track. This is the work, n
of passion, but of calm and sober jud
ment, not of resentment for pa
offences prolonged beyond the lin
which justice and reason prescrl
but of liberal craftsmanship viii
tolerates what it cannot prevent, al