Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-10-03
PITTSBURGH NATIONAL CON-
VENTION.
Platform of the Soldiers and SaiIOr
of the UTnfon

PITTSBURGH NATIONAL CON.
VENTION.
Platform of the Soldiers and SaIIOrI
1 OF the Union.
Gen. Butler, Chairman of the Commit
tee on Resolutions, submitted the follow
ing platform for the action of the Con
4 Yention:
RESOLVED, That the action of the pres
ent Congress in proposing the pending
constitutional amendments is,wise, patri.
otic and just. 1t clearly defines Ameri
can citizens, and guarantees all the rights
of every citizen.
1t places in just and equal basis the
right of representation, making the vote
of man in one State equally potent with
the vote of another man in any State.
1t righteously excludes from places oi
homer and trust the chief conspiratorE
and guiltiest rebels whose perjured crimes
have drenched the land in fraternsl blood.
Itputs into the very frame of our Gov
ernment the inviolsb;iity of the national
debt, and the nullity forever of all OBJ
legations contracted IN support of the re-
bellion.
Resolved, That it is unfortunate for the
country that those propositions have not
been received in the spirit of concilia-
ton, clemency and fraternal feeling in
which they were offered, as they are the
mildest terms ever granted to subdued
rebels.
ResOlved, That the President, as an
Executive officer, has no right to a policy
as against the Legislative Department Of
the Government. That his attempt to
E.. L sc
the country is usurpation as dangerous
as it is unwise. His acts in sustaining it
have retarded the restoration of peace
and unity. They have converted con
quered rebels into impUdent claimants
for rights which they have forfeited, and
places which they have desecrated. If
contaminated it would render the sacri-
fees of the nation useless; the loss of the
lives of our buried comrades vain and
the war in which we have so gloriously
triumphed what his present friends at
Chicago in 1864 declared it to be-a fail
ure.
Resolved, That the rights of the con-
querers to legislate for the conquered has
been recognized by the public law of all
civilized nations. By the operations of
that law for the conservation of the high
est good of the whole country, Congress
has the undoubted right to establish
for the conduct of the reVolted
States, and to do all acts of legislation
that are necessary for the complete res
toration of the Union.
Resolved, That when the President
claims that by the aid of the army and
navy he might have made himself dista-
tor, he insulted every soldier and sailor
of the Republic He ought distinctly to
that the tried patriots of this
nation can never be used to overthrow
civil liberty in popular governments.
ResOLved, That the neutrality laws
should be so amended as to give the full
est liberty to the citizens consistent with
5he National faith. That the great Union
party is pledged to maintain
liberty and equality of rights everywhere,
and therefore we tender to all people
struggling for freedom, our sympathy and
cordial cooperation.
ResoLed, That the Union men of the
south, without distinction of race or COL
II, are entitled to the gratitude of every
oyal soldier and sailor who served his
country in suppressing the rebellion; and
hat in their present dark hour of trial,
Vhen they are being prosecuted and
murdered by thousands, solely because |
hey are now and have been true to the 1
Government, we will not prove recreant {
o our obligations, but will stand by and
rotect, with our lives, if necessary, those !
rave men who Iemainad true to US when 1
il around were false and faithless.
ReSoLved, That the public domain, as
he common property of the nation ought
o be sacredly held devoted to the bene-
It of the nations defenders that Con-
,ress ought to legislate in regard to boun-
les and pensions, with the most exact and
Justice to all soldiers and sal I
ors.
RssotUed, That in the organization of the J
rmy and navy, the volunteer officers and
oldiers demand that faithful and efficient 1
ervices in the field ought to be held {
Resolved, That any officer, soldier or sal t
'r who left his flag to serve with our enc {
lies, ought never to haYe place in the 8
rmy or Navy of the Union.
The resolutions were adopted amidst
ne widest enthusiasm.
General Butler stated that as the rOso- f
ltions had been adopted he had been in !
lructed to submit the following
ReSOlVed, That a National Committee, f
, form Soldiers and Sailors Union, of a
i who agree with the principlesset forth t
/ the resolutions of this Convention, v
lall be selected by the several delega- e
ons here represented, to consist ofthree b
Iembers from each State and Territory, "
le names to be reported to this Conven- d
on in order to perfect an organization, -
I'd take such steps as may seem to them L
ecessary for the furtherance of the n
.inciples of the great Union party, to d
hich we belong.
The resolution was adopted without a So
vote. lgl
General Butler was then called upon, m
Id he delivered an able speech. d.
81