The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-08-17
IMPORTANT PUBLIC DOCUMENT.
Counsel Of an OId-E.ine WhIg
aDd Republican.
THE LEGALITY OF CONGRESS DOUBTED
Letter. from Hon. Thos.
Living.

Tbs following is Il corrected copy of
the letter read at the Conservative Re
publican State Convention held in Col
umbus on the 18th inst.
LANCASTER, o., Aug. ., 1862.
Hon. O. II. Browning:
DEAR SR-Your letter inclosing a
copy Off call for National Convcn-
ton to be held at Philadelphia on the
18th inst, has long been before me.
mt once expressed TO you my hearty
concurrence in its objects, but causes,
not within my control, have thus far
delayed me in giving, as / then prom
ised, more definitely and at large, my
views on the subject
We all feel and know that the condi-
tion of the country is unscttled-it is
some respects anomalous The diff
tercnt departments Of the Government
do not move tremendously in their
proper spheres, but in some respects re-
tard and disturb the action of each
other. The requires remedy, which
can only be applied ON careful investi-
gation Of its causes.
1t is most important that we have n
distinct understanding of the present
condition Of our couuuy-thc state of
its organic law as settled by recent
events and n consideration of the er-
rors and Irregularities by which its ac-
tion is disturbed, and fair prcscnta-
tion Of these matters to the public with
out mixture of the passion or prciu-
dice of party, that may apply the cor
rection. This is, as | understand it.
the object Of the proposed Convention
To this object ] am dcsirousto lend my
feeble aid as one among the thousands
whose aggregate Judgment make up
public opinion.
"A large proportion Of helcading mon
of the South have, for moro than thirty
years past, been taught in the school
of disunion reared up and educated in
the political faith that allegiance othc
Stute is paramount to allegiance to the
Union, and that citizen of the State
may, at the command of his State, law
fully bear arms and wago war against
the United States, and, us corollary,
against any one or moro Of the sister
States.
This is not new doctrine it is the
same which under forms of government
distracted Europe for more than six
hundred years, made every barony and
castle generally Il robbers stronghold,
and the whole country military en-
campmcnt.
Those holding the physical force in
eleven States in 1861, declared in con
vention their secession from the Union,
expelled its officers and repudiatod its
laws. and stood prepared TO maintain
as far as they might, by force of arms,
distinct and Independent nationalities,
confederated for the purpose Of attack
or defense against the Union as com
mon enemy. On the other hand, we
asserted absolute integrity of the
Union that no State could sccede from
or cease to be an integral part Of the
Union; that its laws, constitutionally
enacted, were of binding force in all the
States and Territories, and that to levy
war or oppose armed resistance to the
execution of the laws of the Union, was
treason, even though such resistance
were in obedience to Il law Of State
and to the mandate of its authority.
And it is this on which the issue was
taken between the Union and those
holding the physical power in the eleven
seeding States. A civil war was the
consequence, great in its magnitude,
great in It's results. The supremacy Of
the Union has been maintained, the H.
legal and revolutionary declarations of
secession have been annulled, together
with the ordinances in their support
and maintenance, and the several
States, so far as thcr official acts can
'-eileet that object have resumed each
its place as members of the Union,
and acknowledged the supremacy of
its laws
We have contended throughout the
contest that tho seeded States were
States Of the Union and that the citi-
zons of those States who in any way
aided in the revolt were guilty of
treason. This point is now Yielded
il is settled and not open to discussion.
Your call invites only those who hold
"tho Union in every case indissoIublo
and perpetual" and it declares that no
delegate will take a seat in the Conven-
tion "who does not Loyalty accept the
National situation and cordially in
dorse' the great principle above an
nounced
This most heartily approve. ]
would not willingly meet in council or
join inpolitical action with those, if such
there be, who would again open that
question, the agitation Of which has