The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-11

other acts of human baseness are not to the
bar of justice, and vet mankind has discovered a
method of making the trangressors suffer in "A way
That s far more Oppressive than the mere action of
sharp legal sentence, Public contempt and do
mestic neglect, suepfcion following the ordinary
relations of ltfe ana the withdrawal of all conf-
dence from the culprit these are social sentences
that are harder to endure than fines or imprison-
ment. This virdict should be visited upon politi-
cal treacherY. A man who, through honest change
OPlion mus h,mseId opposed 70 ms i9rmeI I
because of his profession of those principles, has
an easy method of escaping from his self-imposed
thraldom by the resignation of his Office
In the lower walks of life designations for this
cause are of daily occurrence. 1t does not lessen
the moral turpitude of clinging to an Office after
the official has ceased to represent his constituents
beoause the office is high one; it rather makes the
offence more marked and open to condemnation.
We know that much casuistry has been and may
be expended on this subject but the conclusions of
an instinctively honest mind would be the same
for ali the arguments. Political honesty, before
the judgment of good morals, in no way differs
from common honesty, The practice in the two
the same in both. Therefore, the members of the
League, who have on more than one occasion en-
deavored to purify our political system, should set
their faces against political treachery as they
would against any other breach of trust, and re-
fuse, under any circumstances, to confide repre-
sentative office to one who has formerly been false
to an official position,
The part taken by the League in aiding the
semblng of the Convention of Southern Unonists
in this city is SUBJECT on which we congratulate
our members Not only was the political effect of
the Con vention powerful as it was UNIVERSAL
but following closely on the hybrid assemblage
of our opponents, IL did much towards correcting
the evil tenden cies of the latter, and in exposing
the hollow fraud which has sought to be foisted
upon the people by the ostentatous but hollow
truce which had apparently been negotiated be-
tween the new patriots of the northern Democratic
party and the conquered rebels OF the south We
are grateful TO the loyal southern mem whom we
welcomed to their Convention for the wise and
temperate resolutions which expressed the sense
OF their meeting, and proved how little gall was
suffered through years of persecution, and were
well aware that on returning to their homes, they
would be subjected, both in their persons and
in their families, to worse renewal OF their
trials. The effects of their visit to our insti-
tuition have also been productive of good to their
in the SOUTH Taking copy by our asso-
citation, and recognizing the strength and capabili
ties of organization, since their return they have
instituted Union Leagues amongst themselves
The Secretary is in receipt of many letters, asking
for aid and advice in the constitution of Southern
Leagues. These documents are necessarily kept
private at present, because the Southern Leagues
are as yet secret bodes and hold their meetings at
great risk to their members but their letters declare
that the mask of secrecy will shortly be removed
and they will enter with us into open correspond
ence and cooper alton.
In the midst of the late political campaign, an
unsuccessful attempt to fire the League House was
made by some cowardly incendiary who, until the
present time, has escaped detection. 1t is crafty
ing 10 the Board of Directors to be able to report
that Notwithstanding the loss and the iucon ven-
ience occasIoned by the fire. no work in which the
League was then engaged was in any way preven-
ted, or even postponed for a single day. Under
our roofiess and dripping house, the various COM
mittees of our body went steadily on with their du-
rounding desolation. Although before the fire we
considered our building and furniture to be fully
covered by Insurance, we afterwards discovered
that certain things, which were matters of orna-
ment, were not protected by our policies, and by
their destruction the League sustained pecu-
mary loss. The committee to which was con-
fided the repairing of damages to our proper
w, after intelligent consideration, resolved on
many alterations and improvements in the
original plan of our house, which involved the
expenditure of a sum much greater than that
which had been received from the insurance. The
c.
commodations in the dormitory of the rvants, of
amore perfect system OF heating the house, of ad-
ment, and of frmer supports to certain parts of our
house, had long been known TO the Board of Di-
rectors; and it thought wise to make all these
needed alterations in our building at a time when
the fire had anticipated us in the work of demoli-
ton.
The late disaster had also taught that
should guard against its recurrence, and make the
building near ire-proof as possible. To accom-
psh this end, the brick partition walls were run
up above the roof and formed into battlements,
thus dividing the roof into separated sectons, ana
the whole was covered with metal One portion
of the building may now burn out without danger
to the other parts, and 1t will be almost impossible
to communicate general fire to the root, which is
necessarily the most Vulnerable spot, and the one
least under observation in our whole structure.
The changes could not be accomplished without
large outlay of money, and the Board of Directors
has therefore increased the annual tax for the year
1867 by the sum of ten dollars, which will furnish
ample funds for our purposes, and will, by so
uch, add to the value of our building. 1t Is not
considered that this increase in the annual tax will
that our members Will bear it cheerfuly, in view
of the many advantages secured by it,
At a special meeting of the League, held on the
twenty second of August in this year, q commit
tee of seventy-six members of the League was ap
pointed for the purpose of employing the energies
and resources of our Association in the approach
ing political campaign. How that committee ac-
quilted itself in the performance of its patriotic
duties, the result of the election may bear witness
The thanks of the Governor-elect and of the State
Central Committee, have been publicly rendered to
the League, on more than one occasion, for our
ton which each of feels at the issue of the
arduous contest is sufficient reward for our vol
untary Iabors.
The most powerful adjunct to the committee of
seventy six as it has always been, the intelli-
gent action OF the Board of Publication. Previous
to the election of October that board had distributed
eight hundred and sixty-seven thousand and fifty
eight documents, consisting of eighteen millions
and sixty -four thousand eight hundred and seven
teen pages of sound Union doctrine. All this great
literary work has been quietly accomplished; but
of its value, in the grand result no man can form
an adequate estimate. Let us once more advise
our members not TO permit the Board of Publica-
ton to languish for want OF funds wherewIth to
prosecute its noble career. The spread of true
knowledge contains within 1t nothing that is cor
rupting to the popular mind; and while we ad-
vance our cause with such means furnished
by the Board OF Publication, we may smile at the
harmless ISLANDERS which our opponents have heap.
ed upon our institution. Our thanks due TO
the firm OF Messrs. Ticknor &c Fields, of Boston,
for the generous manner in which they put early
sheets of two of their brilliant political articles Of
the uAtlantic Monthly" at our disposal, and per-
mited us TO print them for our purposes even in
advance Of their own publication. The cheerful
unselfsh cooperation of the Union men OF one
part of the country with those in another formed
bright feature In the darkest days of the late war;
and we are happy to recognize the continuance of
this spirit of fraternity until the present hour
The report Of the Library Committee is little
more than a list of losses occasioned by fire and
water to the pershable property which they have
in charge. Great damage was done to the volu-
minous files of newspapers and magazines which
had been accum Mating since the organization of
the League, and which were stored in the upper