Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-09-28
Address to the American
people.
b. he National Republican Uaion Com
mittee

people, just issued by the National Union
Committee. 1t is "A compendious. but most
clear comprehensi Q, and affective staten
OF the difference which now exists hetWced
tire President and the democratic party ans
its allies on the one side, and CongreSr.
AID the Il publican party on thn sothce
We'll does the address conclude with the
declaration that this counrtyean have rs
tuduriny peace except our public policy DO
based upon the everlasting foundations @
Humanity. Justice aud Freedoms:
Fellow citzcns:--Nery grave difference
having arisen between yaur Immediate rep
reseutatives in Congress and the President
who owes his position toyoar votes, We are
impelled to ask your attention thereto. and
to suggest the duties toyour country which
they render imperative.
We shall avoid the use of hard words
OF these there, there have already been tot
many
And, that matters in issue may he brought
within the narroWeSt compass, let us hrst
eliminate from the controversy all that has
already been settled ot has never been III
dispute.
The republic has been desperately as
sailed from within. aud its very existence
seriously imperiled. Thirteen States were
claimed as having withdrawn fran the Tn
ion. and were represented for Years in
hostile congress meeting at Richmond.
Ten Ofthese States were, for tame, Who'll
" in the power Of u hostile eonirdefaey;
the other three partially so. The uu
doubtedly loyal States were repeatedly and
formidably invaded by rchc! armies which
were only expelled after obstinate and
hlaedy battles. Through four years of ar
duous. desperate civil strife, the hosts of
the rebel oonfedcracy with stood those OF
the Union. Agents of that eontcdcracr
fraver,ed the civilized world, seeking allies
IN their war against The republic. and Incl
ting the rapacious aud anprlucipled to fit
out armed corsairs to prey upon her conf
merce. BY State authority and Ill the
perverted names of patriotism aad loyalty
hundreds of thousands Of eur ceuntryutcn
were seonseriptea into rebel armies and
made to fight desperately for our national
disruption and ruin.
Aud though, by The blessing of God and
the va'or aud constancy Of our loyal people
she rcb lion was iinally utterly crushed.
it did no. sucounb until it had caused the
destruction of more than halt a million
precious human lives, not to speak ,ot prop
erty To tine value of at least five billions OF
dollar.
At length the rebel ARMIES surrendered,
AMI the rebel power utterly collapsed
and vanished what then!
The claim Of the insurgents that they eli
ther now reacquired or had never forfeited
their constitutional ri Hts in the uu,en. in
ending that of representation in Congress,
stands in pointed antagansm alike to the
At 1 IN, ,,f
the acting President, 1t was the Execu
tive alone who, after the rel elton was no
more, appointed provisional governors for
the now submissive, nnarmcd southern
States. on the assumption that the rebel
lion had been revolutionary and had d.
prived the people under its sway OF all civ
il government. and who required the as
sembling of a conventieH. composed OF del
egatas To he chosen by that portion of the
people of said State who are loyal to the
United States. and no others. for the pur-
pose of altering and amending the ConSti-
tuition OF said State. 1t was President
Johuson vino. 50 late rs October laSt-when
all shadow OF overt resistance to the Union
had long since sappeared-iusisted that
ii was not enough that a State which had
revolted must recognize her ordinance OF
secession as null and void fIom the begia-
ming. and ratiiy the constitutional amend
nent prohibiting slavery eyerm re. but she
must also repudiute every dollar otiudebt-
+edness created to carry oa the rebellion.
Ii was he who ordered the dispersion By
military force of any legislature chosen IN
der the rebellion which should assume pow
err to make laws after that rebellion had
flllen. 1t was he who ROW referred to Con
gress all iuquircrs "a to the probability o.
representatives from the States lately in
revolt being admitted to seats in either
house. and suggested that they should pre-
vent their credentials not al the or ganiza
ton of Congress, but afterwards. And Ii
iiallv. il was he, aud not Congress. who
suggested to his GOV. sharhey OF Mississ
ippi. that
chise to all persons Of color who can read
the Constitution of the United States in
nylish and write their names. and to al
persons efeOlor who own real estate val
ned at not less than $500 aud pay take,
thereon. you would completely disarm the
adversary. and set an example that other
States will follow
If, there be any controversy as to thC
right of the loyal States to exact conditions
and require guarantees of those VIII,
plunge madly into secession anu rebellion
the supporters respectively Of Andrew John
son and of Congress cannot be Antagonist
parties to that contest, since their record
places them on the same side.
1t being thus agreed that conditions Of
restoration and guarantees against future
rebellion may be eSacted OF the States late
ly in revolt, The right ofCongress to voice
in prescribing those conditions and in shap-
ing those guarantees is plainly incOnteSiibie
Whether it takes the shape of law or OF a
constitutional amendment. the action OF
Congress its vital. Even ifthcy We're to be
settled by treaty, the ratification ofthc Sell
ate. by a tw0-thirls vote, would be indiS-
pensable. There is nothing in the Federal
Constitution. nor in the nature of the ease.
that countenances an Executive monopoly
Of this power.
" hat then is the ground of complaint
against Congress:
II is charged that the action of the two
houses was tardy and hesitatin@, Consider
how momentous were the questions inyolr-
we'd, the issues depending. Consider how
novel and extraordinary was the situation.
Consider how blank is the Federal COnsti-
tuition touching the treatment Of iGsurgcnt
States, whether during their fragrant Ia =
Utility TO the [ Mon or after their disconiiit-
ure. Consider with how many embarass
mcnts and difficulties the problem is beSet.
and You viii not wonder that months were
required to devise perfect, and pass. by a
two-thirds vote i'll either house. Il just and
safe plan Demonstration.
Yet that plan has been matured II has
passed the Senate BY 33 to IL. and the
House by lbs to 36. Its now fairly before
the country, having already been ratified
D., ,b. of several States and re-