Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-09-27

ADDRESS OF THE
National Union Committee,
Gt 70 THE
People of the United States.

TO THE
People of the United States.
FkLLow. CITIZENS. Very grave aiFeten-
ces having arisen between your immediate |
Representatives In Congress and the Presi.
dent who owes his position to your votesj
we are impelled to ask your attention there
to, and to suggest the duties to your country |
which they render imperative.
We shall avoid the use of hard words. - |
| OF these there have already been to many. |
Aud, that the matters in issue may be
brought within the narrowest compass, let
us first eliminate from the controversy all
that has already been settled or has never
been in dispute.
The Republic has been desperately assail-
cd from within, and its very existence seri-
ously imperiled Thirteen States were
claimed as having withdrawn from the Union,
and were represented for years in hostile
Congress meeting at Richmond. Ten of
these States were, for time, wholly in the
power Of hostile confederacy; the ether
three partially so. The undoubtedly loyal
States were repeatedly and formidahly inys-
ded by Rebel armies, which were only ex.
PEELED after obstinate and bloody battles -
Through four years of arduous, desperate
civil strife, the hosts of the Rebel Conled
erscy witbstood those Of the Union. Agents
Of that Confederacy traversed the civilized
world. seeking allies in their war against
the Republic, and inciiiug the rapaeious
and uBpiipoipled to fiji out Armed corstiis
to prey upon her com meice. By State au.
thority, and 10 the perverted ranes OF pat
riotism and loyalty, bundieds Of thousands
Of our c0untrymen were. consciilted into
Rebel aImies aud made to fight desperately
TOR our national u 'sluption and ,uin. And
though, by the blessing of God and the val
or and constancy of our loyal people, the
Rebellion was finally and utterly crushed, it
truction of more than Half Million of pre-.
cious lives, not to speak Of property to the
value of at least Five Billions OF Dollars
n AT length, the Rebel armies surreUdered
and The Rebel power utterly collapsed and
e vanished. What then? H.
i, The claim of the insurgents that they
either now reacquired or had Dever forfeited
their constitutional rights in the Union in
n Guiding that of representation in Congress,
o stands in pointed antagonism alike to the
require ments Of Congress and to those Of
the acting President. 1t was the Executive
4 alone who, after the Rebellion was no more,
:. appointed Provisional Governors for the
: now submissive, uuaimed Southern States,
II been revolutionary" and had deprived the
people under its sway of all civil govern
IL ment, and who required the assembling Of
: "a Convention, composed Of delegates TO bt
chosen by that portion OF the people Of said
- State who are loyal to the United States
o and no Others for the purpose of altering
e and amending the Constitution of sale
State" 1t was President johnson who, Sc
= late as October last-when all shadow O
Q overt resistance to the Union had long since
n disappeared insisted that il was not eDougl
: that State which had revolted must recoe
e nizs her Ordinance Of Secession as null ant
void from the beginning, and ratify th'
: Constitutional Amendment probibitin,
F' slavery evermore, but she must also repp
d diate every dollar of indebtedness create(
Il to aid in carrying on the Rebehi Itwas h
who ordered the dispersionby military fore
of any legislature chosen under tie Rebel
lion which should assume power to max
laws after that Rebellion had fallen.
was he who referred TO Congress ell inguir
r ers as to the probability Of Representative
from the States lately in revolt being admit
ted to seats Ti either House, and supaeste,
that they should present their credentials
IA not at the organization Of Congress, but al
,f terward. And finally, il was he, aud nc
10 Congress, who suggested TO Lis Gov. Shai
II key Of Mississippi, that .,r...
af III you could extend the elective frar
If chse to all persons of color who can rea
L the Constitution Of the United States j
Ia English and write their names. and to
~ persons of color who own real estate value
" at not less than $3.50 and pay taxes thereon
4 you would completely disarm the adversary
nt aud set an example that othe*States wi
n. follow" WIZ
is If, then, there be any controversy as I
p tho right Of the loyal States to exact cond
D, q, tons and require guarantees of those whic
60 plunged madly into Secession and Rebellion
the supporters respectively ofAndrew OBI
nc son and of Congress cannot lie eniagoni,
10 parties to that contest, since their recor
10 places them on the same side. 81 70 .
W. 1t being thus agreed that conditions
"a restoration and guarantees against future r,
40 bellion may be exaeied of the States latel
~ in revolt, the right of Congress 10 voice j
"a prescribing those conditions and in shapin
n those guarantees is plainly incontestible. =
- Whether it take the shape of law or of
a a Constitutional Amendment, tho action {
: Congress is vital Even if they were to b
m settled by treaty, the ratification OF the Sci
no ate, by a two thirds vote, would be indi
N. pensible. There is nothing inthe FEEDER,
IN tOnhtltulOD, nor I'LL the nature DI tne cast
~ that cOuntenances an Executive monopol
on of this power. s.
=" What, then, is the ground of complain
n against CopRress2 9t t'g9
rs Is it charged that the action of the tw
,w Houses was tardy and hesitatDgY Consi,
an or how monentous were the questions il
80 volyed, the issues depending Consider ho
sss novel and extraordinary was the situation
'n' Consider how utterly Silent aud bank-is Ii
,ps ,p Federal Constitution touching the treaimel
o,' of insurgent States, whether during the
oh 'fagront hostility to the Union or after the
Mo discontinue. Consider with how many en-
IL. barrassments and difficulties the problem
ne beset, and ,ou will not wonder that montl
.ses were required to devise, perfect, and pas
by . two.thhds vote in either House, q ju
ra and safe plan OF reconstruction.
ma. Yet that plan has been matured. 1t h,
sa passed the Senate by 33 to IL, and tt
a,s House by l3S to SO, 1t is now fairly bofol
the country, having already been ratified l
,.s Legislatures Of several States and rejecte
;Is ed by none. Under it, the State Of Tenness,
hau tor oil xal 40. all Al ~.