The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-03-10
THE DAILY CLARION.


The following letter was written for |
and read to the great Mass Meeting at |
Washington on the 22d February:
PHILADELPHIA, February %.
To tie Editors Of the btezHgenccr
Detained from the great Union meeting
by circumstances beyond my control, |
must address it geographically, and not
as | did after the fall of Sumter.
President Johnson's veto opens the
new campaign in favor of the Union
1t arrests the overthrow of the States
and the concentration of all power IN
one consolidated military despotism. 1t
prevents the expulsion of eleven States
from the Union and the erection of eleV-
en- Irelands within its limits, to be con-
trolled and oppressed by military power
1t prevents the quartering OF large
standing army and hosts OF othclais IN
the Sontb, with an enormous increase Of
our debt. TO be followed surely by OPP
rras.ive taxation or dishonoring and dis
graceful population. 1t prevents the
defeat of the plans of the Secretary of
the Treasury for the funding and reduc-
ton Of the public debt, and a safe and
gradual return to specie payments. Re
pudiation is disgrace and ruin, and the
probable extinction Of republican insti-
buttons throughout the world. This re-
suit of large standing armies and oppres-
sive taxation, caused by the policy of
the Presidents opponents, would produce
an earthquake CONFUSION. 1t would
quadruple the excise and income tax,
blight every field, becalm every vessel,
break every bank and railroad, and ruin
every factory in the country. 1t dis
solves the Union, destroys the Constiua
ton, and erects a military despotism on
its ruins. 1t would postpone, perhaps
indefinitely, the transfer of the command
of the commerce and exchanges Of the
world from Europe to America. Euro
pean despots would exult, while the
friends Of freedom in the Old World,
and especially in Ireland and Germany,
would weep tears of blood.
Johnson is walking in the footsteps of
jackson and Lincoln, and re-echoing
their sentiments, 1.-The Union, it shall be
preserved" The prolonged government
of eleven States as conquered provinces,
enforcing taxation without presentation,
would permanently ALLEVIATE the South
from the North. 1t might drive them to
madness and despair, and renew the civil
war when our credit and resources were
exhausted. We have emancipated,
through great Constitutional amend
ment, carried only by Johnson's policy,
4 100000 of negroes. Let us not at
tempt to enslave 100000 Of our erring
white brethren Of the South; they will
all welcome death before such a fate as
this. l have fought all my life against
secession and disunion in the South, and
/ renew the contest against it in the
North. Congress has no Constitutional
power to dissolve the Union and to
condemn eleven States to territorial pu-
pilage is a dissolution of the Union. |
cannot act with Northern or Southern
disunionists. Johnson's policy alone
can practically restore the Union.
1t has already crushed the heresy of
secession at the South, and it alone has
secured a constitutional majority for the
abolition of slavery. If the heresy of
secession is crushed at the South, and
emancipation secured, the browning glory
rests upon the head of Andrew johnson.
Slavery and secession, our only discord-
ant elements, being thus extirpated, the
Johnson policy will go on conquering
and to conquer-not by the sword, but
by wisdom and magnanimity 1t will
subdue at the South their passions and
prejudices. 1t will touch their hearts
and conquer their affections. We shall
hear no more of exceptional and indvidu-
nj acts of INSTRUMENTATION, for we shall
have a Union of interest and affection a
Union of States with States, and not
with conquered provinces. We shall
have a cordial, fraternal, an ever-expand-
ing and perpetual Union. Men of the
South, from Virginia to Texas, close up
the ranks, and fight harder to get into
the Union than you ever did to get out
OF it. You fought us under the seces-
sion flag with unsurpassed courage and
endurance to get out of the Union
Come now, our erring, but still much
loved brethren of the South, and re-
assemble with us again at the political
family altar at Washington. Come with
loyal hearts, under the flag of our sires,
and to the music of the Union, and we
viii give you cordial welcome. Come,
and the recording angel will blot out in
reconciling tears the memory of human
tolIies and frailties. The people, on
whom Johnson has always relied, are
with him, and will welcome back all 10y
al Unionists to seats in both Houses in
Congress. ROBERT j. WALKER.