The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-08-01
Southern Union Convention.
ADDRESS TO TIE PEOPLE OF TIE SOUTH

ADDRESS TO TIE PEOPLE OF TIE SOUTH
The following is call for q conven.
tion Of Southern Unionists, to DO held
at Independence Hall. in the city oI
Philadelphia, on the FIRST Monday oI
September, 1866:
To the loyal UnionistS cfMe South:
The great issue is upon US. The ma.
lljority in Congress, aud its supporters
firmly dcclarc that tho rights Of tho citi.
IONS enumerated in the constitution and
established by tho supreme law, must be
maintained inviolatc. Rebels and rebel
sympathizcrs assert that the rights Of the
citizens must belong to tho States alone,
and under such regulations as tho re.
spectivc States choose voluntarily to pro.
scribe. We have seen this doctrine Of
State Sovereignty carried out in its prac.
teal results, U until all authority in Con.
gress was denied, the Union temporarily
destroyed, the constitutional rights Of
the citizens Of tho South nearly ami.
hilatcd, and the land desolatcd by civil
war. The time has come when the struc.
turc ofthe State governments must be
laid on Constitutional principles, or the
despotism grown up under an atrocious
leadership be permitted to remain. We
know Of no other plan than TINT Con.
grcss, under its Constitutional power,
shall now exercise its authority to cstab.
lish the principle whereby protection is
madec c.extcnsive with citizenship. We
maintain that no State, either, by its organ.
ic law or legislation, can make trunsgres-
sion on tho rights Of the citizcn legiti'
mate. We demand and ask you to con.
cur in demanding protection to every
citizen Of the Groat Republic on the ba.
sis of equality before tho law, aud fur
thcr that no State Government should
be recognized as legitimnto under the
Constitution in so fur as i. does not By
its organic law make impartial protcc.
tion full and complete; under the doc.
trinc Of State sovereignty, with rebels
in the foreground controlling Southern
legislatures, md cmbittcrcd by disap.
pointmcnt in their schemes to destroy the
Union, there will be no safety for the
loyal element Of the South. Our reli-
ance for protection is now on Congress,
and the great Union party that has stood
and is standing by tho nationality, BY
aud mud by tho 1SStiS2p Ff1f Sf E SFSss
government. For the purpose Of bring
10. the loyal Unionis,s Of tho South
into conjunctivc action with the true
friends Of republican government OF the
North, We invite you to send delegates
iu goodly numbers from all tho Southern
States, including the States Of Missouri.
Kentucky, West Virginin, Maryland
and Delaware, to meet at Independence
Hall, in the city Of Philadelphia, on the
FIRST Monday Of September next. 1t is
proposed that We should meet at that
time to recommend measures for the es'
tablishment Of such q Government ln
the South as nccords with aud protects
the rights Of all citizens. We trust the
call will be responded to by numerous
delegations Of such US represent the true
LOYALTY Of the South, and that kind OF
Government which gives full protection
to all the rights Of the citizens aud such
us our fathers intended md VIC claim Of
our bir,hright. Either tho lovers OF
constitutional liberty must rule the ma
,ion mr. rebels and their sympathizcrs
be permitted to misrulc it. Shall loyal
ty or dsloynlty have the keeping Of the
dcs,inics of the nation? let the re-
sponscs to this call which is now in CIT
culution for signatures, and is being
numerously signed, answer.
Notice is given that gentlemen at a
distance Gun have their names attached
to it by sending q request, by letter, d.
rec,ed to DR.. W. Diugham, Washington
DC.
Signed by W. B. Stokes, Tennessee
Joseph S. Fowler, Tennessee; james
Ge,,y,, Tennessee; Andrew j. llnm'l'
ton, Texas George ". Pnschul. Texas
Lorenzo Sherwood, Tcxns; G. ". Ash
burn, Gcorgiu Henry e. Cole, Georgia;
j. W. McClure, MinOuri John r. kel'
20, Missouri; J. +. Bcnjnmin, Missouri
George W. Anderson, Missouri Johr
b. Ero,b, Fuirfax county, Virginia }
NJ. Stewart, Alexandria; Virginia; Allen
T.. Harmon. Alexandria, Virginia; Lewis
Mckenzie, Virginia ;.J. W. llunnicutt
Virginia John c. Underwood. Virginia
Burnham Wardwell, Virginia; Alex
NJ. Davis, Virginia ; Byron Latin, Nortt
Carolina; Daniel II. Goodloe, NORTH
Carolina George Reese, Alabama D
II. Bingham, Alabama; NJ. j. SPatord
Alabama J. II. Larcomb, Alabama.