The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-06-07
A Noble Letter From Ex-U. q.
senator Gen. shields.
UAkRobToN, Mo-, May II
Mesvs. clarh III Green, w &, b. on.
sq'ie, ~ X Ta'h, Maconf No

VENfLEHEN--l have never been
more thoroughly convinced of tile ne
cessiiy for excFtion than ut the present
moment. The peril ofthe present hour
can hardly be oycrrated. In this /
agree with the President aud think it
would be treason TO the Consultation
and the Union for men to think is
do aud continue silent aud indifferent
at such crisis. a few years Of civil.
war do the work Of Centuries h altering
aud deterioratiug the character Of 4
people. and none but strong isnd priyi-
>teScd races ever fully recoysf from such
detorior ton.
Most nations have to pass through q
second conservative revolution to re-
cover their lost position and ii we cs-
cape from thls calamity il will be by a
violent political struggle, amounting In
substance 10 q revolution. The bad
passions Of human nature once stiinula-
ted by war, survive the occasion and
make the period that succeeds one Of
bitter revenge and cruel persecution. -
1t was at first hoped and believed BY
the friends Of hnman freedom every.
where, that our new people, educated
under the benign and cicyating inHa.
cncc,of Liberty, would show to tho
world that defeated party 10 civil
war could accept their defeat with dig.
nifty, aud return 10 their natural aliegi.
ancc without any feeling of dishonor or
degradation, and that the victorious
party, disdaiuing the bass and eowardly
qualification Of revenge, and, confident
In their own strength, justice aud mag.
naniuity, could welcome back their er.
ring bFethren, ~ithout seeking or dcsir.
ing 70 insult, humiliasc or degrade them
o. rcuder them unworthy Of that high
destiny which should be tine pride aud
boast Of al the free born citizens Of the
only grces republic ia the world.
This would have exalted our national
character IN the estimation Of Christea.
dom, aud, like 81 public conduct which
Is truly grcat aud noble, would rebound
( 30 The interest aud advantage of our
own coun,ry. The leaders Of the pre-.
seui Congress are giving tbs most con.
/ giueing proof that single dcspot. how.
ever cruel can he more magnanimnns
aud moroifnl than the iniiaBed fanai
eL representative Of free pcople .-.
They arc not content with trying to
humiliaie, degrade and dishouor the
whole Southern people ~ ,aass,. loyal
sud rebel, but they are determined 70
I porpoiuato that degradation aud fasscn
4 upon their innocent pqsterity, by
I dtvosiing them Of VI political power.
Bud investing their slaves VI yesterday
With iell political power % dominate
oyqF them. They Imagine. aud perhaps
rightly that no human punishment could
degrade the Southern white Ike that Of
investing their recent slaves With pow.
cr % decide upon shcir dcstiny. There
il a coldly cslcol1tcd. refined vindie.
tiycncss Ia this that would 10 credit 10
the dcnizens 81 darker rcgion than
their Ethiopian policy can ever make
I tho South
AL hrsidos the qualification of i'm.
T p'sh revenge. this policy promises then,
/ peculiar advantages, for il IS one Of the
characteristics Of this cold bioodcI fac.
tiou, hat in oven gratifying their re-
ycnFo they never lgsc sight oftlcir own
name liase interest The whole politi.
cal power Of The South, Whef once
( Airicaossed, can be made available by
suitable .agcnu', under their Ciyil Rights
bal, and such oihor Kindred measures.
al they may BE- able TO pass over tho
( Presidents veto The agcuts with
/ which they intend 30 inundate the South
uudct thia biIl would be an intolerablc
affection under any circumstances
bot when It ia remembered that this
brood 81 mean petty, hungry officials.
are u BE- sent there 10 take CHARGE Of
/ the negroes aud sustain them against
ihc whiIcs. sHd 10 enforce negro e,luali-
! y sc Mas form some slight idea OF tie
I pretty little radical pandomonium they
moan TO establish in that devoted roy.
ION. To even discuss the nheonstitu.
iipoali,y o. this bin would b. treating
10 With too much respect. No man who
f understands our sysIam Of government
will dare 70 urg1 that Congress has the
/ power 70 enter the States, select ont n
/ portion Of their citizens, change their
civil status, place them under special
I protection, send special arouis 10 sus.
tain them against the rest of the citi.
zcns, aud remove them when necessary
from under State laws aud State tribu.
nails. aud place them uador the solo
guardianship and protection of the
General Goyernncut Il would wrong
their intelligence 20 suppose that any OF
the mcn who voted for that bin. beiicy.
ed Il constitutional. President John
sou conid not act witt such men. No
American who has q white conscience
has 10 be blackencd in America. or
crimsoned IN Europe, to make repub.
ioan sufficiently red 10 do the work Of a
thoroughly raaicaIzed fnnatic
lfthis country is to be saved from
going the way Of the other republics on
this Continent, We will owe il under God
TO Andrew Johnson Ifswe are ever
again to have anything worthy of being
called Union, we will owe il TO his
loyalty and intrepidity. But Union
kept together by bayOucts, or what IS
worse by swarm Of official vermin. ap-
pointed under Civil Rights bills, to il.
tcrfere with the laws, tribunals and
rights Of the States, aud the hereditary
constitutional liberty of the people, Is
not worth an hours preservation. No,
let us have real Union--a Union Of
hearts, laws, rights aud privileges, orno
Union. The people will have no radical