The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-03-08
The old Wings In Council-Speech oil WASH
ingfon Hunt.

A meeting of the Constitutional union tom-
mittee was recently held in New York. Cover
nor Hunt, at the special invitation OF the
association, was present, and delivered an elo-
ouent address of considerable length upon the
present aspect of political affairs hiter
thanking the committee for the invitation they
had extended TO him, he said
At the close of the war, we. naturally sup,
posed that men Of all sentiments ana an
parties would hail the return OF peace Win
feelings of 10y with relOicings, with 1eelings
of graduation such as would not be excited
by any other earthly gift or boon from heaven
But alas there are those VINO insist lhaI Ihclo
is no peace, and that there shall be no peace
The violent men, the more radical ana deter
mined men of that sectional organization
which originally involved the country III
ALI its troubles, which produced the war,
which stirred up the strife OF sections ana
arrayed the people of one part against the
other-these men still insist that there Is not,
and shall not be- peace In TINS lahd. Inc ele'l'
question for the country now is; WnetheI VT
are 10 have peace and Union on the basis OF
the Constitution of the United States. con-
slider it a matter for special congratulallon lot
this country that we have, under PROVIDENCE,
n man AT the helm, a Chief Magistrate elected
in the din and turmoil of arms, before the con-
Gict was terminated who sees the true posi-
ton of the country, and IS determined
to discharge his whole duty III spirit OF 10y
atty and devotion 10 that Constitution when
he has sworn 10 protect. re1olce 10 KNOW
that the President has taken his stand, ana
is determined 10 maintain ii, and reJolce also
in the fact that large majority OF the people
of this country, almost the entire people, wiz
sustain him in the discharge oil thaI high uuty'
| What do the men who have arrayed them
selves against the President desire? Are they
| willing 10 hold out the fraternal hand 10 their
! brethren in the South, who, under the lhliu-
! ence of strong popular deluslon, were carried
| away and induced 10 engage in great popu-
I lar
Government ? Do they show Il disposition 10
! extend the protection OF the constitution
over that section OF the country ana
! to restore the States again to their right
/ full position in the Union =? NO they insist
that the country is still at war, thlt the mill
tary power is to be exercised indefinitely over
/ the whole southern portion OF the Cnlon-
that those States shall not be permitted to
return until they comply with conditions so
multiplied, so diversified, and some OF them SO
incomprehensible that no people on the lace OF
the earth could decide what II Is that is
required before they will be- restored TO the
en- ioy.nent of their old political rights IL Is
unfortunate, think that the interests Oh thlS
country should be controlled TO such degree,
and its history guided by men who seem 10 be
, incapable of taking q practical view OF those
great questions which concern the welfare OF
the States and the Union. They are urealners,
Missionaries, biologists, who are utterly UNIQUE
TO comprehend that in the constitution OF hu'
man society, and in the formation OF govern
ments there must be 4 compromise OF conillct-
ing interests, that prcludices must be harmo'
niZcd, and that we must allowNery vide DIVER
sity of opinion and feeling upon variety OF
subjects But the men ruling Congress seem 10
have an idea that all the States and all the
Deople are 10 be brought down TO one UNIFORM
: level, and al feeling aud sentiment upon all
the questions which now engage the popular
mind and having, rs they think, me power,
they consider it good time to establish sys'
ten which shall compel the people III future 10
subscribe to their ideas, adopt their abstrac-
tons and consent that they and those VINO
agree with them shall have and are entitled
to have, the supremacy III this GoVernment.
The position taken by the President III this
crisis is the only one which wise patriot could
take, aud the only one which patrlouc
people will sustain. The duty that remains
for us is clear; let us go forward and discharge
IL fearlcsSly Let us sustain the President IN
this great conflict with earnesmesS ana zeal,
and the day is not far distant when the true
principles OF American liberty and govern
ment will be restored 10 their original ascend
ancv and the blessings of this Constitution
and the Union based upon that Constitution
will bp unTuptual.