American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-07-18


should be his own successor, and there
fore gave him unanimous denomination,
which he richly deserves.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, J
WASHINGTON, July 2, 1866, .
DEAR SIRs: The harmony and sue
cess of the Union organization, welded
together in the furnace-fre of four
years war, is Of such paramount impor-
tance to all other considerations, that |
write you this letter to be read at the
Westville Convention, that my pogitio
may be unniistakably understood by those
who have honored me with their conf
donce so cordially and so long.
Last Winter, when my name had been
suggested by several papers in various
parts OF the State for the Senate, | pub
lished a card, stating that | was not and
never had been, candidate for that dis
tinguished position, having always pre-.
tered service in the House. But my
name must not be in the way single
moment, if any considerable portion of
the Oouven tion prefer some other stand
md-bearer, even though that portion
should be minority. In taat event the
delegation from st. Joseph County are
lequcsted to withdraw my name, and to
pledge my most earnest exertions to who
ever OF the many active and faithful
friends OF the Union cause the Conven-
ton may prefer to nominate ..s
The contest before us is of as vital i'm
portance to the truest and best interests
Of the nation as the exciting contests of
1862 and 1864, and the issues should be
clearly and distinctly before the people
they can be condensed into asipgle ques-
tiou Which shall govern IN the councils
Of the Mutton, Loyalty or Disloya1ty ?"
1t has been we'll said, in language as
terse as it is true, that the power to car
Iy Oh War for National existence carries
with il the power to prescribe the terms
Of peace. The duty of guarding the
land against the danger Of a second Re.
bcalion is as imperative as its preserva-
ton from the first. And nothing seems
clearer than that the same authority
which prevented l states from DESTROY
ing the Union has right-as indisputa.
bic as the right, of self-defense-to reg
ulate the resumption of the relations Of
those States isG
W hen the Rebel armies surrendered,
The President decided, and rightly, that
civil government had been destroyed in
each of the Rebel States, and he official
ly proclaimed that fact in his commits
siqns TO Provisional Governors thereof
The Congressional policy starts from the
same initial point, The President de-
clarcd that essential conditions, involving
great changes, must be complied with by
those States before they could resume
their forfeited rights. And so does Con.
gress The President required the rati.
fcation of an important constitutional
amendment, which had been submitted
by a Congress representing the loyal
States, and in which the Rebel States
had ne voice. And Congress makes a
similar demand to-day. If the President
could rightfully require their ratification
Of one amendment, changing their whole
system of labor, and destroying what they
regarded as vested rights of property,
proposed by a aCongress in which they
were unrepresented, and in conflict, as it
was, with their lifelong preiudices, why
cannot the Congress elected as the law
making power of the country, by the
same voters as himself, require the rati.
fcation of another amendment, prevent.
ing the Recel States from welding in.
creased power ia Congress hereafter, be-
cause Of the war, which, against their
desires, had lifted their slaves into the
fullstature of Freemen? efE
That this amendment is in accordance
with tho wishes of the loyal millions who
won the brilliant political victory Of 1864.
ispruyen by the unanimity with which it
was supported in the House of Represen-
tatiVes.- Every man elected as a Union
member, whether from the North OF the
Soush, from the East or the West, gave
it his voice; not barely the two-thirds re-
qufted By the Constitution, but nearly
four.fshs. On this amendment, as a Sc
curity for the future, the Union party Of
Nation have planted themselves, and /
ihall stand with them most cordially,yin-