The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-09-14
tFrom Tho New York News.l
The Failure OF Congress 10 DO
Any Thing for the Country
Letfer from JudgP mi

Any Thing for the COuntry--
Letter from Judge DenIO.
The letter from Hon. II. DEMO. of
Utica, to Hon. r. II. Pruyn, in ac-
acknowledgement of his collection as one
of the delegates from the State at large
TO the Philadelphia Convention, is pub
lished. After expressing regret that
prior engagements would prevent
his attendance atthe Convention, Judge
DEMO says:
On the successful termination, in the
spring of last year, of the bloody con-
test in which we have been engaged
for four years, we found the country IN
nm exceptional condition. We were
burdened with an enormous debt; we
had a currency greatly debased, and
eleven States composing the Federal
Union were in an anomalous and dislo-
Gated state as regards their relation TO
the National Government. The question
wasnot so much what the National au-
thorities had the power or the abstract
right TO 90 in regard to the commu.
mites lately in revolt as what, under
all circumstances, was required to be
done, in order to restore q settled order
of things, to enable us to master our
financial embarrassmcnts, and to pro-
mote, as'far as possible, the future per-
manency of the Union under the Con-
stitution. That the situation was one
OF inherent difficulty can not be denied.
But IL was not hopeless. No one or
n very few, seriously thought or
professed to think of abandoning the
National Union, or of subiecting any
part ofthe territory embraced in the
States as they existed before the war
to an exceptional regime, inconsistent
with their status as Constitutional
States under the National compact,
N there were some circumstances ex-
tremely favorable to a speedy r%estora-
ton Of tranquility.
The people Of the insurrectionary
States definitely acquiesced in the re-
suit 9ftho war, and nowhere through
out the whole extent was there the
slightest suggestion of continuing or
renewing the contest. They abandon
ed, too, at an enormous loss of what
they had been accustomed to call
property system of slavery, to secure
and extend which they had taken up
arms and they protested, and l believe
entertained, a strong desire to resume
their proper relations to the Union. 1t
IS easy to say, and perhaps natural to
feel, that they deserved further punish
ment. But who could think of subject
ing to personal chastisement millions
of people organized into seperate
States and if it could be done. OF what
advantage would it be to the people
Of the loyal States? 1t would not re-
store the brave men who laid down.
their lives for their country. Would
it be wise to sacrifice to our resentment.
however just, the happiness of tho peo-
pie Of the Union, or postpone to that
end the restoration of peace, unity and
tranqqilltyf ISE3F ~
The close. oil the war being nearly
eOincident in time with the assassina-
ton Of the late President, the Execu-
tive Government deyolYed upon the
distinguished and loyal citizen who
now. administer it, and whose services
and sacrifices had commended HIM TO
to the confidence of the people. He
has apparantely regarded the situation
very much ia the light which / have
suggested. He encouraged the reor-
%ganization ofthe lately rebellious States
in the manner commenced under the
sanction o fhiB predecessor, requiring
suchs~ concession from the; late insuF.,
gents IS the public good, the safety Of
the Union seomed to reqnires g and