American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-08-08
Letter frOn, Hon. Sam'I A. Pur-
yiance TO Hon. Edgar COwan.

10 Hon EdJdr Copdn
AS a member of the National Union
Executive Committee, deriving my au-
thority from the Union National Conven-
tion of Baltimore of the 7th of June,
1864, | take the liberty of addressing
you in reference to the forthcoming Phil
adelphia Convention of the l4th Of Au-
gust next.
The Committee ofwhich | am mem
ber, us is generally conceded, alone pos
sssses the power between Presidential
nominations, Of calling conventions to
meet the emergencies of the Union par
ty, unless the people, the acknowledged
source of all power, should in their pri-
mary meetiu g, assume the control them
selves
No such cvi lenee of any popular de-
monstration within the Union party hav-
ing comc 10 my notice, speaking with the
authority of member OF the National
Union Executive Committee. and espec-
tally SO far as Pennsylvania is concerned
and as her especial delegate and repre-
sentative, | repudiate the Convention of
the l4Ih Of August as being called with
out authority from the Union party or
any of its delegated agencies.
[ address you because the Convention
of the l4th of August is evidently as
sembling under the auspices of President
johnson, yourself, Senator Doolittle,
Sec'v Seward aud others, and because
you are most prominent in connection
with its call. The call as originally made,
purports to be fer Union Convention
but as the delegates are being selected
and announced, tho fact is most glaring~
ly disclosed that Pendleton, Vallandig-
ham and that class of men are to be the
file leaders, and as their course in the
Chicago Convention led directly to dis
union by proposing to withdraw our ar
mics and give JEFF. Davis his own way,
cannot but regard the forthcoming Con.
vention as a re assembling of the Chica-
go body, with large addition of rebels,
who, in 1864, were engaged in fighting
Sherman, and on that account could not
make it convenient to attend at Chicago.
Pendletou having declared that whilst
in Congress he had not vote siugIo
dollar to put doSa the rebellion, and
Vallandigham, when in jeff Davis do
minicns having counselled the confeder.
ates to hold out another year and the
North would yield--how can yon and the
President cooperate with such mon re.
ceive them and confer with them, and
monstrous to think of how can you and
the President take counsel from Vallan-
digham whom the mar'yred Lincoln ban.
ished, not only from his own, but from
the presence of all loyal men2
Upon what principle consistent with
loyal views do you invite to this Union
Convention the rebels of eleven States,
who fought for four long years against
the Union, and have not as yet given any
evidence of loyolty to, or affection for,
the national flag
As delegate to the Baltimore Conven.
tion in 1864, voted for President Johu-
son for the Vice Presidency against the
rcmonstrances of such ineu as Thad
Stevens, Gen Cameron aud others.
feel deeply mortified that their predic-
tions of his inidelity, which then be-
lievea gronndless, have been fulfilled.
The sufferings which he had endured
at the hands of rebels. and his resistance
and stern denunciation of treason, gave
me the most positive assurance that if
the government should deyolve upon him
1t would be so administered that UBion-
ism and loyalty would have no cause for
humiliation and shame.
Having, as an original friend, watch.
ed his course with an earnest desire to
have it approved, | felt that [ occupied
a relation to him which enabled me to
take an impartial view OF his administra.