The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1866-08-22
TOthe Soldiers and Sailors
WHO SERVED IN THE
Army and Navy u ~ Usissl STATES
During the Late Rebellion. =

In pursuance Of resolution Of meeting
Of soldiers now or lately in the Union army,
held in this city last evening, we invite those
Of you who approve the restoration policy Of
the President and the principles announced
by the National Union Convention ct Phila-
delphia, to assemble ct Cleveland on the 18th
day Of September next, for consultation on
the momentous issues now convulsing our
country. ..... .r
We need not argue to you at length the
importance Of these issues, nor your duty to
take part in their settlement After FIVE Year,
Of fierce and destructive war, in which our
arms were gloriously triumphant, the Union
for which we fought is still practically unre-
stored. Why is this? We struggled TO main
tam the rightful supremacy Of the General
Government-to conquer all who, in arms,
disputed its authority, and 10 make every re.
bellious citizen yield to is laws. We held
throughout the war that the Union Ia indis-
soluble, and its powers, as expounded by its
courts, supreme; that no State can, Of its own
motion, withdraw, or, at the will Of its sister
States, be excluded; and that the duty Of
Zach State to maintain the Union, and its
alike absolute. Every object OF the war ever
navy has been thoroughly achieved. The
Southern people, decimated, impoverished,
and subdued, have for more than Q year past
abandoned the rebellion, and now only ask
that the Union for which ,oe fought may be
recognized as existing, and that they may be
dealt with as the Constitution and laws pre-.
scribe.
In their anxiety to restore the Union and
bring harmony to its councils, they have gone
beyond mere silent submission TO its laws.
Through their delegates at the National
Union Convention they solemnly renounced
the doctrines Of notification and secession,
from which the war arose-repudiated the
rebel debt, and declared Of sacred obligation
the national debt-proclaimed the faith of
the nation pledged to the continuance Of
bounties and pensions to loyal soldiers and
sailors and their families-declared slavery
forever abolished, and the freedmen entitled
to equal protection Of law, in person and
property, with their former masters. Their
platform is not only one Of emphatic loyalty,
but ii is moreover most liberal in spirit on
all the great issues growing out Of the war.
The character Of the men who represented
the Southern States in that convention pre-
cludes us from believing this enunciation Of
principles to be insincere. They sent to 1t
tlltlT tUTtluOSt stuttSIutu-Iuth WIN, ukt
Rives, Graham, Orr, Parsons, Sharkey, Hous-
Stephens, were known throughout the land
before the war as men of the highest charac-
ter and influence. Among the five hundred
delegates from the South, there was not
voice or vote dissenting from the resolutions
adopted by the convention. II the best Of
the Southern people are ever to be believed,
we must accept these solemn declarations rs
sincere. We do accept them as conclusive
evidence that great majority Of the South
ern people-sick Of war and anarchy, and
longing for restoration Of free government
are ready to bear true allegiance to the
Constitution and laws Of the Union.
We are, therefore, unwilling to see the
southern people held longer in yassalage.
They are onr countrymen--citizens of the
United States-who have incurred penalties,
but who have rights. Those who wilfully
participated in the rebellion and are unpar-
doned, are subject to the penalties pre-
scribed for treason. But, though individu-
ais may be tried, convicted and punished,
communities cannot-nor can the States and
their people, without plain violation Of the
Constitution, be denied the right Of repre-
sentation, through men personally qualified,
in the councils Of the nation. 70.
The intention Of Congress seems TO be to
deprive them of representation just so long
as it suits the purposes Of the radical party.
Many assert that II will concede the right
whenever the constitutional amendment
shall have been adopted and each prescribed
State shall have ratified it. But Il is quite
certain that the amendment will not be
ratified by three-fourths Of the States; and,
therefore, that it will not be adopted
Some-perhaps many-of the northern
States will reject IT. and we cannot expect
its legal ratification by any Of the lately
insurrectionary States. If there were no
other reason why the southern States will
reject it, it is enough that it proposes to dis
franchise nearly all the men in the South
who have influence over the masses Of the
people. If none were to be disfranchised
except officers of the rebel army, we still
could not expect the South to adopt it-for
a large majority of men in the lately insur-
rectionary States, through compulsion Of
choice, served in the rebel armies; and their
votes alone would overwhelmingly defeat it.
Would Union soldiers, to recover political
privileges, diranchise their leaders whom
they love and revere for their heroic virtuesS
How, then, can we expect southern soldiers
to disfranchise and degrade their own. COM
,nanders?