Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-17
MIR. wIxTITROP ON THE SITUATION
m POLITICAL AFFAIRS.


readers the admirable letter of Hon
ROBERT C. WIYTHRoP, Of Massachusetts
addressed to tie Chairman Of the delega-
ton from that State to the Philadelphia
Convention.
Mr. WISTHEoP is one Of the most able
cultivated and conservative public men O
the day. The ultrai5m which has prevailed
for the last decade in his section has de
prived the nation Of his services but Ina.
been unable to shake his allegiance to the
true principles Of government, or move the
foundations Of his political integrity, In
this the supreme crisis Of constitutional
liberty, he comes nobly mp to the duty Of a
patriot.
His letter is lofty in Tone and luminou.
upon the main question before the Phliadel-
phia Convention-the necessity Of compre-
hending every State as in, and equal tc
every other in the Federal Union, and a
rigidadherence to the Constitution as equally
binding, in every sense, on all.
We commend it to an attentive and
thoughtful reading:
LETTER FROM ROBERT C. WINTHROP.
BROOKLYN, August 9.-Hon. LerereH Sal
t0nstaH My DEAR SIR: l am sincerely
sensible to the honor conferred upon me
yesterday by the meeting at Faneuil Hall,
over which you presided. In placing my
name at the head Of the Delegates at Large
to the National Union Convention. But, as
l had previously intimated to more than one
Of our friends, il will not be in my power 10
90 to Philadelphia next week.
l am quite unwilling however, to decline
the appointment without distinct express
sion Of my hearty concurrence in the general
views Of those by whom that Convention has
been called, and OF my earnest hope that its
deliberations may cOnduce to the earliest
practicable restoration of all the States of
the Union to the exercise of their Constitu-
tional powers, and to the enjoyment of their
Constitutional privileges in the national
government
| can add nothing, | am aware, to the ar
guments which others have already present
ed on this subject, and gladly avail myself
Of the language Of Judge CURTIS in his late
admirable letter: "To suppose that the
government of the United States can in a
state of peace, rightfully hold and exercise
absolute and unlimited power over part OF
its territory and people just So long as it
may choose to do so, appears to me unwar-
ranted by any rules Of public law, abhorrent
to right reason, aud inconsistent with the
nature Of our government" With Judge
CURTIS, too, / hold to the opinion" that
the Southern States arenow as rightfuIly, and
should be as eaectually, in the Union, as
they were before the madness Of their people
attempted TO carry them out"
Most happily, Congress did not adjourn
without admitting to their seats the Senators
and Representative of Tennessee; but the
very act has rendered it all the more diff
cultto discover anything Of constitutional
principle, or anything of true national poll
cy in its persistent denial Of all representa-
ton to the other Southern States. Congress
has ample means of protecting itself, and of
protecting the country from the precence of
disloyal men in the halls of legislation, by
the simple exercise of the power, which
each branch possesses, of deciding without
appeal on the qualifications of its own mem
bers. Hadthe case of each individual Sena-
tor or Representatives elected from ten States,
lately in rebellion, been taken up by itself
and fairly considered on its own merits,
agreeably to the wise suppositions of Presi-
dent JOHNSON, no one could have complain
ed whatever might have been the result
But / know not how either branch could
have consented as it has done, to compro-
mise its constitutional independence by sub
hitting any question as to its members
either to legislative or executive discre-
ton.
This great question Of representation is
not 4 question which concerns only the
Southern States, who, ] know, are regarded
by not few unrelenting men as having for
feited all rights which the Northern States
are bound to respect. 1t is question which
concerns the Constitution and the whole
country. The people of the whole Union
have a right to demand Of their public SER
wants an exact and faithful observance of the
Constitution and OF all its provisions. 1t
was 20 enforce and vindicate that Constitu-
ton that their blood and treasure have been
poured ont so Iavishly during the last four
years Of civil war. Who could have be.
lieved in advance, that a year and a half
after that war had ended and after the
Union had been rescued and restored so far
rs our gallant armies and nayies could ac-
complish it, nearly one-third Of the States
should still be seen knocking in vain at the
doors of the Capitol, andshould be denied even
a hearing in the councils of the country?
Such a course may, indeed, be calculated to
prolong the predominance of party but il
seems to me utterly inconsistent with the
supremacy of the Constitution
/ have no disposition, however, to indulge
in any imputations either upon parties or
upon individuals ! hope that a spirit of
forbearancc and moderation will prevail at
Philadelphia, notwithstanding the insulting
and proscriptive tone in which the Conyen-
ton has been assailed by so many of the
opponents of the President of the United
States. But l shall be greatly disappointed,
| confess, if through the influence of that
Convention, or through some other influ-
ence, the people Of the whole country are
not soon aroused to the danger Of allowing
the Constitution of the United States &c be
longer the subject of partial and discretion
airy observance ON the part of those who are
sworn TO support it. 1t is vain to offer test
oaths to others, if we fail to fulfill our own
oaths. The necessities Of a state of war
may be an excuse for many irregularities,
both legislative and executives But, now
that, by the blessing Of GOD, a state Of peace
has been restored TO us, we are entitled to
the Constitution and the Union in all their
legitimate authority and extent. Nothing
less than the whole Constitution and the
whole Union ought to satisfy us.
For one, ! should despair of the restora-
ton Of law and order in ten Southern States
and even of the maintenance of our own
national credit, if there should fail to be ex-
hibited at Washington something Of that
sCrupulous adherence to the Constitution and
the laws which characterized the earlier
DAYS OF the Republic Nor could anything,
in my judgment, be Of more balelul inhu-
encc upon the future career Of our country
than that Congress should even seem to be
holding in allowance any provision of the
until they shall have been
changed, under durcSs in order TO suit the
opinions or secure the interests of a p-edomi-
nant party. Against such a course Of pro-
ceeding, | trust, the Convention at Philadel-
phia will put forth n soasonable and effective
protest.
Once more regrettiug my inability 10 be
present 90 the Convention, and thanking all
to whom / am indebted for the honor of be-
ing named as a delegate.
remain dear sir, with great regard, very
yours, r. c.. WINTHROP.
Severe Thunder Storm--Csreat Damages
Done Niue Fatal Casualties.
WHEELING, Va. August l3.-The sever
est thunder storm ever known TO have visited