Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-07-27

The letter ol the late Attorney General
Speed to Messrs. Doolittle and Randall is
well worth a perusal:
WAsHNGroy, D. C., July If, 1866.
To Hon. J. r. DoJlitHc, Chairman, &c:
SIR II have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt Of your note Of the 18th inst, with a
/ printed copy Of call fer a National Union Con-
vention, to be held at Philadelphia on the
I 18th day Of August next You request, in case
the call and the principles enuDciatei IL it meet
my approval, that | reply at my earliest conye-
niencc. This language would seem TO imply
that no answer is desired if DO not approve the
call and principles avowed it;-in other words
that failure TO reply may be interpreted as a
d!sapproyal, not only Of the call but of each
and all Of the principles announced in it. This
is a position in which | am unwilling to be
placed, when approve Of many Of the princl-
pies set forth IN the call aud yet DO not approve
Of the call itself
will briefly state my reasons, first promising
that do not recognize the very respectable
gentlemen who have made this call as the ac-
knowledged organs 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 National Union party
that has exhibited more devotion, made greater
sacrifices and manifested more unselfish patriot
ism 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 its faith, its doc
trlnes, and lts exertions, has IN the face Of the
prophecies Of half the new and all the old world
saved the government and the republican insti-
tutions Of our common country from demoral-
ization. and indeed from utter ruin, by vindi-
af all hQyarrt tho of. .ka
eternal indissoluble Union Of the States, through
which only can particle Of the theory Of State
rights ever be maintained and carried out IL
would appear 10 me to be still the only, or at
any rate the most efectual means, as far as a
party can do it, for finally adjusting all the re-
naming minor and unsettled matters Of recon-
structlcn 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, il elected Lincoln
and johnson, and the majority of the present
Congress, and as | acted with il then for para
mount reasons, my Sc; Sc Of duty demands that
| remain and act with il now.
The pith and marrow Of the present call, l
should say. tends toward convention to form a
party for sustaining not the government entire
- as has been the mission of the Union party
but department Of the government; and
here must take the liberty Of adding that
can hardly conceive of any sadder spectacle IN
der the crisis of present circumstances than that
Of the tried Union party Of the country becom-
ing disloyal and broken up by divisions. or that
Of one branch Of government Of the country
taking an isolated position upon questions OF
deep and common interest and placing itself in
hostile conflict with a coordinate department.
For th,se and other reasons which might be