Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-09-27
SEPTEMBER 27, 1866.
The Chairman of the Chicago Con-
VentiOn Of 1860 for the .... ....
.g Presidents Policy. MN ....
He Supports II as Identical with
...r.-rE MIR. LincOIn'S. .n,if...,
[From the Now York World.l

r.sr.-HI Mr' AiucOihb' f'E...fI p
o.. .a.y From the New York World.l ,., ....
The Chairman of the first Convention
that nominated Abraham Lincoln, ut Chi
cago, in 1860, Hon. George Ashmun,w WAS ex-
pected to speak, butg Instead, transmitted
the following letter: :i,rl .ar fy.o.,I nj.
..fay u. SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Sept 10. 9.
GENTLEMEN - Concurring, as l most
heartily do, in the purposes of your pro-
posed meeting in New York on the 18th OF
this month, lam nevertheless compelled to
say, in reply to your invitation to be pres
ent, that my engagements will not allow
ME to comply with your request.
You propose ITO respond TO the action of
the Union Convention at Philadelphia"
and am sure that New York will return
most hearty response in affirmation and
appreciation of that action. The honor of
New York, as well as THE Intelligence 0fits
people, and its interests in restored integ-
rity of our Union, all combine to give as
surance of such result, both at your pre-
limipary popular gatherings and at the
final adjustment at the elections which are
to follow. am glad to see this assurance
strengthened by the united, earnest action
of gentlemen all over your State, as well as
on your committee, who have heretofore
been widely separated upon by-gone party
issues, which the march of time and events
has trampled out of sight and out of exist
ence. And this assurance is not weakened
by the fact that tine path along which
you propose to tread is illuminated by
the great heart and great intellect OF
a sou 1Of your own State, 1whJ has
done and suffered more than any
living man for the cause of human
rights and Constitutional Government, and
Whose successful labors in keeping the
peace of the world at time when the bad
passions of some of our own people, and
the worst tendencies of foreign Govern
mentS, seemed ready to plunge us into
general conllagration, gives him the high
est title to beckon us onward; where he
leads tits safe at least to follow. And it
would be shameful, indeed, if now his own
State should falter and fall for lack of faith
in his fidelity! | will not believe it. And
surely in New York the name of Mr.. Sew
ard should be a protection, if any were
needed, against the foul imputations upon
the motives of the President OF the United
States in his efforts for an immediate and
safe restoration of the Union of the States.
| know Mr.. Johnson well. lie is honest,
sagaciOus, true, and firm, and all such i'm
putations upon his Eotives are most VI Just.
know, too, that he is faithfully following
the same line of generous and fhr-seeing
policy which guiled Mr.. Lincoln up to the
hour of his death, and cannot be brought
to doubt either its eXpcdiency or its Justice.
Certainly no higher or holier motive for
action, in public servant, can be suggest
ed, than that of desire for the immediate
restoration to friendly relations of those
parts of our country which have been alien
ated. The war, followed by a solid and
lasting peace, may, after all, prove n bless
ing. But a hollow truce, out of which
tierv passions and unscrupulous, personal
ambitions seek to make profitable harvest,
cannot be anything but Il curse. Restora-
tion upon the basis of mutual interests and
mutual honor. promises everything which
an honest heart can desire; and the resolu-
tions of the Union Convention at Phila-
delphia, solemnly made and acceded
to by Southern Representatives of
high personal character and position,
give us all the guarantees for the future"
which can be asked or wanted. Vengeance,
hatred, heart-burnings and ill blood can be
stimulated by high-sOunding words of
crimination and savage threats of a re-
opened war; but if we desire restored
commerce between the aliepated States, a
restored credit for our National currency,
restored prosperity to the industry OF every
part of our great country, and renewed
and increased power to present an undivid-
ed and unbroken front upon all national
questions toward the rest of the world, let
us at once, without hesitation or reluctance.
extend to the Southern States the most
precious political right of Constitutional
government-tbe right of representation,
and thus make our Union "NOlo and for
ever, one and indivisible." g.I f, paI
The issue, and the only Issue for trial by
the people to-day, is as to this right of rep
resentation. Other questions are started
by adroit partisan managers who seek to
distract attention from the great and vital
one. But all others should be subordinate
to this one of representation. Shall the
Southern States be treated by us as con-
qaerors would deal with conquered terri
tory, or should they be recognized as States
of the Union, with equal andunquestion-
able rights Of representation in gpngress2
In other. words, shall we have Union or
disuniOn? Let that issue be kept broadly
and fully in the public mind, and we may
safely await the final Judgment of the peo-
pie. The passions OF the hour may, and
undoubtedly will, in some parts of our
country. have sway, for while; but the
final Judgment will be against faction and
for the Union. INV, ..,....,,'' -.
- ''' Respectfully, yours, '..N q. T'l
'a' FI' d'f'I" GEORGE AsHMUN.g
To Messrs. BLATCHFoRD, and others, COM