The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-09-26
ADDRESS
or the National Union Committee,
- TO the American People,.

having arisen between your lmmednte lteP-
,sssnt.tivss in consress spd tho, President,
Who owes his position to your votes We arc
impclled to ask your attention thereto, and
to suggest the duties to your country which
they render imperative.
We shall avoid the use Of hard words. OF
these, thorc have already been too many. And,
that the matters in issue may be brought
within tho narrowcst compass, let US first
eliminate from the controversy all that has
already been settled or has mover been in dis
putc. .....
Tho Republic has been desperately assailcd
from within, and its very existence sori-
ously impcriled. Thirteen Statcs wcro
claimed az having withdrawn from tho Un'on'
and wcrc represented for years i'll hostile
Congress meeting at Richmond. Ten OF these
States were, for time, wholly in tho power
Of hostile confedcrncy the other three par
TALLY So The undoubtedly loyal States
wore repeatedly and formidably invaded BY
rebel armies which were only expelled alter
obstinate and bloody battles. Through four
wears Of arluous, desperate civil strife, the
hosts of the rebel Confederacy withstood those
Of the Union. Agents Of that confc'lcracy
,ruycrscd the civilized world, seeking allies in
their war against the Republic, and melting
the raI,acious and unprincipcd to lit out armed
corsairs to prey upon her commerce. By
State authority. and in the perverted names
Of patriotism aud loyalty, hundreds Of thou
sands of our countrylnen were conScrIptcd
into rcbol armies and made TO fight desperate
~ for our national disruption and ruin. And
though, by the blessing Of Col and the valor
aud consistency Of "nr loyal people, the rebel
lion was finally aud utterly crushed, it did
not s,,ccumb until it hal caused the dcStrtic-
ton Of more than half million Of precious
human lives not to speak Of property to tn"
value Of at least five billions Of dollars.
4: length the rebel armies surrendered, and
the rebel power utterly collapsed and vanish
cd What then?
The claim Of the insurgents that they cIth-
cr now rcacquircd or hal never forfeited their
constitutional rights in the Union, including
tina, Of representation in Congress, stands III
pointed antagonism alike to the requirements
Of Congress and to those OF the acting l'rcsI-
dent. Il was the Executive alone who, "ltor
the rebellion was 10 more, appointed irori-
s;onal Governors for the now submissive, I'm.
armed Southern States, on tho assumption
that the rebellion had been revolutionary
and had deprived tho people under its sway
Of all civil government. and who required the
assembling OF "a convention composed Of del
cgntcs to be chosen by that p"r,ion OF the
people Of said State who are loyal to the
United States, and no others, for the purpose
Of altering and amending the Constitution Of
said State" II WAS President Johnson who,
Sd late nS October last--whcn all shadow OF
over, resistance to the Union had long since
disaprrarrd-inSStcd that it was not enough
that State which had rcroltcd must rccoS-
uizc her orrlAanc, OF secession as null and
void from the beginning and ratify the con-
stitutional amendment prohibiting slavery
evcrmorc, but she must also rcpudiate every
dollar of Indebtedness created to MD in cur
ryinc on the rebellion" It was he who or
dcrcl the dispersion by military force OF any
Legislature chosen under the rebellion which
slluul d assume power to make laws after tina
rebellion had fallen. 1t was he who referred
to Congress all inquiries as to the probability
Of Representatives from the States lately in
revolt being admitted 10 seats in either House,
and suggested that they should present thor
credentials, not at the organization OF Con-
grcss, but afterward. And finally, it was he,
and not Con:rss who suggested to his Gov
crnor Sharkey Of Mississippi, that
"If you could extend the elective franchise
10 AL IbeTSOUS O CotpI W NV SSu Icou t'S S"h'
s,itution of the United States, in English,
and write their names, and to all persons of
color who own real estate valued at not less
than $3.50, and pay Mxcs thereon, you would
completely disarm tho adversary and set an
example that other States will follow"
II, then, there be any controversy as to the
right Of the loyal States to exact conditions
and require guarantees O! those which plunged
madly into secession and rebellion, the
supporters respectively Of Andrew johnson
and of Congress can not be antagonist;c parties
to that contest, since their record places them
on the same side.
1t being thus agreed TINT conditions Of rS-
toration and guarantees against future rebel
lion may be cxacted Of the States lately in
revolt, the right Of Congress to voice in pre-
scribing those conditions and in shaping thoss
guarantees il plainly incontestible. Whether
it takes the shape Of n law or Of constitu-
tional amendment, the action Of Congress is
vital. Even if they wcc to DO settled by
treaty, the ratification Of the Senate, by
tvo-thirds vote, would DO Indispensable.
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