The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1866-07-20
CONVENTION oPsourHERN UNION
HTs.

x q MTS.
u a. people D he Ss.th:
fThe great issue b upon us. The major.
ity in Congress and It's supporters firmly
declare that the rights of the citizen emu.
merated in the Constitution and established
by the Supreme law must be maintained
inyiolate. Rebels and rebel sympathisen
assert that the rights ofthe citizen must be-
long to the States alone, and under such
regulations "a the respective States chsosc
voluntarily to prescribe. We have seen
this doctrine Of State sovereignty carried
out in It's practical results unit! all authority
in Congress was denied, the Union tempo,
rarily destroyed, the constitutional rights OF
the citizens of the South nearly nnnilhIlat-
ed, and the land desolated by civil war.
The time has come when the structure OF
the Southern States governments must Dc
laid on constitutional principles or despol'
ism grown up under an airoclous Leader, :.
shin be permitted 10 remain. we KNOW Oh
no other plan than that Congress now exer'
else its authority to establish the principle
whereby protection Is made co.eNieIS'ac
with citizenship. We maintain that no
State, either by its law or legislation. can
make transgression on the rights OF the
citizen legitimate. We demand anu ask
YOU now to concur in demanding protcc.
ton to every citizen Of the great Republic
ON the basis of equality before the law,
aud, further, that 10 Stnte government
should DO recognized as Legitimate under
the Constitution in so lar rs It does not ny
its organic law make impartial protection
full and complete.
Under the doctrine of State sovereignty,
with rebels in the foreground controlling
Southern Legislatures, and elnbittered ny
disappointment in their schemes to destroy
the Union, there will be no safety for the
loyal element Of the South. Our reliance
for protection is now on Congress ana the
great Union party that has stood and Is
standing by the Nationality, by the Consti'
tutional rights of the citizens and by the
benefccnt principles of free government.
For the purpose of bringing tho loynl
lJnionists of the South into conjunctiye &c.
ton with tho true friends of Republican
Government of the North, we invite you TO
send delegates in goodly numbers from oil
the Southern States, including Missouri,
Kentucky, West Virginia. Maryland aud
Delaware. to meet at Independence Hall,
in tho city of Philadelphia. on the first
Monday Of September next. tits proposed
that we should meet ut that time TO recon.
mend measures for the establishment OF
sch government in the South Us accords
with and protects the rights Of all citizens.
We trust this call will be responded to by
numerous delegations Of such rs represent
the true loyalty of the South and that kind
of government which gives full protection
to all the rights of the citizens, such as or
fathers intended and we claim ms our birth.
right. Either the lovers of Constitutional
liberty must rule the nation, or rebels AMI
their sympathizers be permitted to miSr'ile
it. shall loyalty or disloyalry have the
keeping of tho dcsiinies of the nation
Let the responses to this call, which Is now
in circulation for signatures and Is being
numcro,lsIy signed, answer. Notice is given
that gentlemen ut distance can have their
names attached to it by sending request
by letter directed to ID. w. Bingham, Esp,
Washington, ID. &.
(siyned) ". Is. STOKES, Tennessee.
Jos. ). FOWLER, Tennessee
JAMES GErrYs, Tennessee,
| A. u. HAMILTON, Tcxas.
GEO. w. PASCAL, Texas.
und 81 others.