The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-07-25
Important Letter from Secre-
IaTy EVeIIs-kEe STssains the
President. and EaVOrs The
PEklade elpbIa Convention.

Philadelphia Convention.
WASHINGTON. D. c., July l6. 1866.
SIR-Your note of the 10th instant was
received yesterday | cordially approve
the movement which has been instituted TO
Sustain the Administration in maintaining,
unbroken, the Union of the States" and |
recognize in the call which you have sent
me the principles and views by which the
Administration has been governed.
The attempt made to destroy the Ma
tional integrity by secession, or the volun-
tary with hdrawal of State from the Union,
has heen Defeated. War has forever extin-
gnished the heresy of secession. On the
suppression of the rebellion, measures were
promptly commenceA to re.establish those
flaternal relations which for four years had
been interrupted The policy intimatcd by
President Lincoln to restore National unity
was adopted and carried forward by Presi-
dent johnson: the States which have been
in rebellion were, under this benign policy,
resuming their legitimate functions; the
the people had laid down their arms, and
those who had been in insurrection were
returning to their allegiance; the Constitu-
ton had been vindicated and the Union was
supposed to be restored, when check was
put upon the progress to National pros
! pelity thus downing upon the country. On
the assembling of Congress all efforts to-
ward union and nationality became sudden
| ly parayzed; the measures of reconciliation
which the President had, from the time he
entered upon his duties, pursued with emf
nent success. were assailed, and their bene.
ficient urpose, to great extent, defeated;
attempts were made to oppose conditions
predeccnd upon States before permitting
them to exercise their Constitutional rights;
loyal Senators and Representatives from
the States which had been in rebellion were
refused admittance ipto Congress- the pco
pie were denied rightful Constitutional
representation, and eleven States were and
are excluded from all participation in the
| Government
These proceedings, whifh conflict with the
fundamental principles on which our whole
Governmental system is founded, are gener
atinq and consolidating sectional anmosity,
aud, if long persisted in. must eventuate in
permanent alienation. | rejoice, therefore,
in movement which has foriits object the
Union in one bond of love of the people cf
our common country, and which invites to
council and to political action the citizens Of
every State and Territory, from the Allan
tic to the Pacific, and from the Lakes TO the
Gulf. The centraIizing theory that the loyal
and qualified Senators and Representatives
from eleven States shall be excluded from
Congress, and that those States and the peo-
pie Of those States shall not participate in
the Government, is scarcely less repugnant
than that Of secession ITSELF
Propositions to change the Constitution
and unsettle some Of the foundation princi-
pies of our organic law; to change our judi
cia system in such manner as to destroy
the independence Of the States by yinsidious-
ly transferring to the Federal tribunals all
questions relating to the ''lifc, liberty and
property of the citizens" to change the ba,
sis of representation, which was one of the
difficult and delicate compromises Of the
Convention of 1887, when no States were
excluded from representation; to change
the existing and wisely adjusted distribution
of pawers between the different departments
Of the Government, by transferring the par
doning power in certain cases from the Exc
cutive, where it properly belongs, to Con
crest or the legislative branch of the Gov
ernment, to which it does not legitimately
: pertain; to incorporate into our Constitu.
ton, which is to stand through all time, q
prescription of citizens who have erred, and
who are liable to penalties under existing
enattments, by disqualifications, partakine
of the nature of &c post tacto laws and bills
Of attaindrr; these propositions or changes
aggregated as one and called an amendment
to the Constitution, designed to operate or
the people and States which are denied al
representation or voice in the Congress
which originates them, are of Radical, j
not revolutionary, character. These anc
other proceedings, and the political crisis
which they have tended to produce, justif
and demand convocation of the people by
delegates from all the States and from th,
whole country.
The President has labored with devoted
assiduity and fidelity to promote Union, har
mony, prosperity and happiness among tn,
States and people but has met with resist
ance, misrepresentation and calumny wher
it had right to expect cooperation ant
: friendly support. That the great body 0
our couDtrymen are earnestly and cordial
! with him in his efforts to promote the Ma
4 tional welfare | have never doubted, not
withstanding the hostility Of malevolen
partisans, stimulated by perverted part
g organizations; and rejoice that convention
which shall represent all true Union men @
! our whole country has been called to sus
1 tain him. Very respectfully,
GIDEON WELLES.
:, Hon. j. R. Doolittle, Washington, D. c