North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-08-15
iii. STEPHENS AND
THE PHILADELPHIA CONVEN-
TION.


The following private letter from Alex
ander Fl. Stephens appears in the Wash
ington Intelligencer:
CRAwFohDsvILLE, Ca, July %, 1866.
Hon. Montgomery Blair, Washington d.
G.:
DEAR SIR y Your letter of the 18th in
slant is before me. thank you heartily
for it. No man in the United States did,
or could, more cordially approve or in
dorse the objects Of the proposed Union
Convention at PHILADELPHIA, as. | ander-
stood them, than | did; and yet, from
considerations of expediency, I doubted
the propriety of my taking an active part
in it. / was also in doubt. to some exteLt,
whether, with other views on the part of
those who made the call, the words were
not phrased in the call so as to exclude all
who occupied similar positi"n to my
own, and from other considerations than
those which bad occurred to me. Your
letter relieves me from the last class of
doubts, but those of the other class still
exist, Notwithstanding your strong views
to the contrary. Individually, my whole
soul in enlisted in the cause of speedy,
full and perfect restoration of the Govern
ment under he Constitution, and its per-
manence under that Constitution, as it
now stards, There is nothing within nv
power that am not willing cheerfully to
do TO fleet and accomplish that end. In
deed, YOU will excuse me in saving it, but
it is the tnrE. ] would be willing to offer
up my life itself, if by doing so this great
result could be obtained, and peace, union.
harmony, prosperity, happiness, and con
stitutional liberty be thereby secured to
the millions now living and the untold
millions hereafter to live on this Continent.
There are many personal embarrassments
or difficulties in the wav Of my going to
the Convention; these | alluded to before
but am resolved 10 be there, if can, In
no event shall it ever be truthfully said of
me that | failed to do everything in my
power to save the country and It's institu-
tons. / did, in 1860, exert my efforts 10
their utmost extent TO avoid the late most
constitutional principles wit ont conflict
of arms. This did, too, while many of
those now so clamerous for what they call
"thc Union cause" were giving encour-
agement, at least, to the extreme men at
the South, by clearly and decidedly intinIa-
ting. If not fully expressing, perfect will
ingness. on their part, that 1.-THE Union
might slide, if the people of the South so
wilied II. | was even tainted with endeav-
orihg TO hold our people on to Union
that was 40 longer cared for by the leading
men of the dominant party of the North.
L wlthstood these taunts, even when l
knew. or was informed truly, as | believed,
il . there was an organized body of men,
Ill Savannah to seize the Custom House,
Fort Pulaski, &c, in case the State did
not secede. All this stated to you, and
to which you allude in your letter before
me. Nor should have any hesitancy in
stating it to the public if any public good
could thereby be effected. The public
good is my only object. How best to sub
serve that consistently with truth, honor
and uprightness, is the only question with
me. Personal interests have no influence
with Ire whatever; at least, l think so
and may be excused for saying so. Had
been governed by personal feelings
should have had nothing to do with the
late troubles further than entering my ear
nest protest against them, and had been
governed by personal feelingI should hot
now be in the situation am. If the I'm
ion shall be restored under the Constitution
as | earnestly desire to see it done, and |
am willing to do all can toward that END,
it is my fixed purpose to retire from all
connection with public affairs, so that
while it would seem that my present eff
forts are tending to result in which |
have more or les. personal interest, that is,
my admission into Congress. yet ! assure
you never expect or iRtend to hold that
position long, even if the seat should be
awarded to me,
Yours, truly,
A. II. STEPHENS.