The Evansville journal., 1866-07-18
WHY HE DOES NOT INDORSE
THE CONVENTION.
CONSERVATIVE SOPHIsTRIES EX-
POSED.
Noble VindieatiOn of the Union Party.

Special Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette.
WASHINGTON, July 15
The reply of Attorney General
Speed to the circular of the Doolittle-
Randall Club demanding his indorse-
ment of the Philadelphia Convention,
is a document which the gentlemen of
that organization will make no partic-
ular effort to circulate; the more es-
pecially as it contains sound Union
doctrine, eloquently and vigorously
expressed. 1t is as follows:
WASHINGTON, D. c., July a.
To Hon. j. Il. DoOliHle,
rs Chairman. DC.
SIR: I have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt of your note of. the
10th inst, with a printed copy of a
National Convention, to be held in
Philadelphia on the 18th day of Au-
gust. You request, in case the call
and the principles enunciated in it
meet my approval, that | reply at my
earliest convenience. This language
would seem to imply that no answer is
desired if ] do not approve the call
and the principles avowed in it. In
other words, that a failure to reply
may be interpreted as a disapproval
not only of the call, but of each and
all of the principles announced in it.
This is position in which am un-
willing to be placed, when | approve
of many of the principles set forth in
the call, and yet do not approve of the
call itself. / will briefly state my
reasons, first promising that I do not
recognize the very respectable gentle
men who have made this call, as the
acknowledged organ Of the great
Union party of the country. Since
the outbreak of the terrific struggle,
from which the country has now
emerged, we have had a National
Union party that has exhibited more
devotion, made greater sacrifices, and
manifested more unselfsh patriotism,
than any party ever did previously in
the history of the world. That party
is still in being, with its organization
intact and its organs known; and as
that party, by it's faith, its doctrines
and its exertions, has, in the face of
the prophecies of half the New and
all the Old World, saved the Govern
ment and the republican institutions
of our common country from demor-
alization, and indeed from utter ruin
by vindicating at all hazards the pri-
mordal theory of the eternal dissolu-
bic union of the States, through which
only can a particle of the theory of
| State rights ever be maintained and
carried out, it would appear to me to
be still the only, or at any rate the
most eftectual means, as far as party
can do il, of finally adjusting ali the
remaining minor and unsettled mat
ters of reconstruction, consistently
with the requirements of the theory
mentioned This party is the same
to-day as it was in the days Of its
trial; the same party now as when,
but few short months ago, it elected
Lincoln and johnson and the major
| ity OF the present Congress; and as
acted with it then for paramount rea-
sons. my sense of duty demands that
[ remain and act with it now.
The pith and marrow of the present
Call, | should say, tends towards a
convention to form a party for sus-
tanning, not the Government in its en-
tirety, as has been the mission of the
| Union party, but department Of the
Government; and here I must take
the liberty of adding that can hardly
conceive Of any sadder spectacle, un-
der the crisis of present circumstances
than that of the tried Union party of
this country becoming dislocated or
broken up by diversions, or that of
one branch of the Government of the
| country taking an isolated position
upon questions of deep and common
| interest, and placing itself in hostile
conflict with coordinate departments.
For these and other reasons which
might be mentioned, [ cannot join in