Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-07-26
LETTER FROM HON. JAMES
SPEED.
Why He Does Not Endorse the
Bread and Butter Conventions
ICONS SOpsststris.s En-
pOSed.--N Obie VindiCati0n of
the Union Party.
WASHINGTON, July 10.

"
WASHINGTON, July 10.
The reply Of Attorney General Speed to the cir
culaf Of the Doolttle Randall Club, demanding his
Endorsement of the Philadelphia Convention, is a
document which the gentlemen Of that organizl-
tion will make particular effort circulate the
more especially as il contains sound Union doc
trne, eloqueItly and vigorously expressed. 1t is
as follows
WASHINGTON, ID. C.. July If, 1866.
To Hon. J. x. DoolittLe. Chairman, &C.:
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your note of tho 10Th inst, with proted
copy Of call for a National Convention 10 be held
at Phladelph on the l4th day of August next
You request, in case the call aud 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 il do not
approve the call and the principles arOwcd in it
In other words. that L failure TO reply may be in
terpreted as Gsapproval not only of the CALL but
OF each and all the principles announced in il.
This is position in which am unwilling TO be
placed, VIXEN approve OF many OF the principles
set forth in the call, and vet do not approve of
the call itself. | will briefly state my reasons,
first promising that l do not recognize the very
respectable gentlemen who have made this call as
the acknowledged organs of the great Union party
Of the country Since the outbreak of the terrific
struggle, from which the country has now emery
cd, We have had a National Union party that has
exhibited more devotion, made greater sacrifices
and manifested more unselish patriotism, than
any party ever did previously in the history of the
world. That party is still in being, with its organi-
zatlon intact and its organs known; and as that
party, by its faith, its doctrines and IFS exerlons
has, In the face of the prophecies OF half the new
and all the old world. saved the government and
republican institutions of our common country
from generalization, and indeed from utter ruin,
by vindicating at all hazards the prmorlal theory
OF the eternal indissOlublc union of the States
through which only can practice Of he theory of
State. rights be maintained and carried out il
would appear TO me TO be still the only, or at any
rate the most eifectual means, as far party can
do it, OF finally adjusting all the remaining minor
and unsettled matters of reconstruction, consist
emily with the requirements of the theory mention
ed. This party is the same 10 day as il was in the
days OF It's trial; the sime party now as when but
few short months ago, il elected Lincoln and
Johnson and the ma jOrity of the present Congress-
and rs | acted with it then for paramount reasons
my sense OF duty demands that | remain and act
with il now.
The pith and marrow Of the present call, |
should say, tends toward convention to form A
party for sustaining, not the Government in lis en-
urCty, as has been the mission of the Union party
but IA department of the Government; and here
must take the liberty OF adding that can harjly
conceive OF any stdder spectacle under the crisis
of present circumstances than that of the tried
Union party of this country becoming dislocated
and broken uD by diversions or that of one branch
OF the Government OF the country taking an isola-
ted 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, | can not Join
the call for the Convention in Philadelphia.
have said that many of the principles stated in
the call, are, in my view, unoblectiOnable. ! will
OF stop to c,itcise those which Objectionable
Out content myself with stating that tie call fails
to take any notice of one of the grea, issues now
before the American people. | alude 10 the
question whether the several States shall ratfy or
reject the last amendment proposed by Congress to
the Constitution OF the United States. This is a
grave and all important question; the issue upon il
cannot be avoided. 1t should be placed fairly and
squarely before the people. The failure to take
ground upon important and all absorbing a
question must be attributed either to desire 10
avoid the issue or rs 4 declaration of belief and
policy against the adoption OF the amC ndment -
/ Being myself earnestly and decidedly in favor OF
the adoption Of the amendment by the States, |
can not 60 into ain organization thu. would either
openly oppose that measure. would smother il
| by avoiding its discussion | must also add, that
no man il more desirous than am, to attain the
entire restoration of the American Union, with IL.
practical workings in more perfect harnOny and
concord than ever, and the surety, as far mortal
Affairs can DC made sure of endless perpetuity in
the future.
The blessings TO flow from such Union arc
countless and ineStimable. But such Union
consistent within itself, maintained by the univer
sal consent of all classes and sections, and laugh
ing to both the assaults Of foes internal or
external, and the ravages OF time and change, will
only be obtained by s,ernly retracng every depar-
ture from compromise with the supreme and
general idea of the American fundamental law
Ir..to -fc in
brief of the political liberty and equality of man
kind Under the law.
Such and such only, can bo the Union, the ma.
tionality that will put in for the magnificent and
| lofty dreams of the American continental mind.
and fulfill in the future the highest efforts of the
present and the past. II is not the vague deluson
that the rights of the States need doctoring. The
American theory eliminates properly in the sa-
cFedness of the rights of indvduals-of each sin
gle individual. That after all is what Washing
ton carved out with his sword, and Jefferson, filter
ing il through his subtle and free mind, drew up
and put on record with the pen.
Ii is well known that in the political and legal
history of the United States, the only departure on
compromises of the kind alluded to, have been
those in the interests of slavery and its manifold
incidents. do not, Of course, propose to so over
the thousand times told tale of the past sixty years
to-day. Slavery as a confessed legality, is, As we
all know. no more, but some OF the most import
ant OF its incidents or compromises still remain
bots anl incongruities upon the law. What equi-
table reason can be given why these incidents also
should not be erased? Time was that when the
brains were out the would die, but now VIC
see the limbs demanding to live and move as il
the nerves still existed The persistent attempt
to keep in the Constitution the rule of a unequal
and unfair basis OF representation is perilous to the
future peace Of the country. and will surely cause
chatting sense of injuries as long as it is continued
Furthermore, the high mission OF the Union par
ty. as avowed in the Baltimore conveniOn-to ex
tirpate slavery--includcs the removal os all ths
hate, and anti-pOpuar excrescences. engrlfteC
by that institution for its own selfish aggrndiZe
ment upon our free national laws and policy. Tha
high mission and obligation cannot be accomplish
ed until all which slavery has so eng .afted is GU
out: for until then slavery is not extirpated.
Earnestly sympathzing with the men who lool
upon law of equal representation as the Onll
; guarantee for popular rights, should feel mysel
out OF place in a party that showed basis of rep
rcsentatiOu giving peculiar ami unjust advantages Il
a portion of the body polite. 10 the detriment AM
dissatisfaction Of the whole.
United with you and all good men in the soul
fel. desire that peace, prosperity and amicabl,
brotherhood, which is more than any worldly pros
perity, may soon prevail, and continue unbroker
through our common country; that the former en-
nifty .hall die out a nj be for ever lost, and tina
all over the broad domain of America equal laws
, shall protect equal rights TO all men.
have the honor to subscribe myself your ODE
dent servant, JAMES SPEED