American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-07-25
Attorney General Speed ON the
Political Situation.
WAsHINoroN, D. q, July IA, 1866.

SIR have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your note ofthe 10th inst,
with a printed copy Of call for Ma
tional Convention, to be held at Phila.
delphia on the l4th day of August next.
You request, in case the call, and the
principles enunciated in it, meet my ap-
proval, that l reply at my earliest conven-
fence. This language would seem to i'm
ply that no answer is desired il | do not
approve the call and the principles avow-
ed in it; in other words, that failure to
reply may be interpreted as a disapprov-
al, not only of the call, but of each and
all the principles announced in it.
This is position in which | am un-
willing to be placed, when | approve Of
many Of the principles set forth in the
call, and yet do not approve of the call
itself, | will briefly state my reasons I;
first promising that do not recognize the
very respectable gentlemen who have
made this call as the acknowledged or
gans of the great Union party of the
country.
Since the outbreak of the terrific strug-
gle from which the country has now
emerged, we have had a National Union
party that has exhibited more devotion,
made greater sacrifices, and manifested
more unselfsh patriotism than any party
every did previously in the history OF the
world. That parry is still in being, with
its organization intact. and its organs
known; AID as that party, by its faith, It's
doctrines, and its exertlons, has, III the
face of the prophecies of half the New
and all the Old World, saved the Gov
ernment and the republican institutions
of our common country from demorallza-
ton, anu indeed from utter ruin, by vim
dicating at all hazards the primordial
theory of the eternal, indissoluble union
of the States, through which only can a
particle OF the theory of State rights ever
be maintained aud carried out, 1t would
appear to me t6 be still the onl y, or at
any rate the most efectual means, as far
as party can do it, or finally adjusting all
the remaining minor and unsettled mat
ters of reconstruction consistently with
the requirements of the theory men,
toned.
| have said that many Of the prinei
pies stated in the call are, In my view,
Objectionable, but content mytelf with
stating that the call fails to take any no
tice OF one OF. the great issues now before
the American people. allude to the
question whether the several States shall
ratify or reject the last amendment pro
posed by Congress to the Constitution of
the United States. This is grave anu
all important question. The issue upon
it cannot be avoided 1t should be placed
fairly and squarely before the people
The failure to take ground upon SO i'm
portant and al absorbing Il question mus:
be attributed either to desire to avoid
the issue, or as declaration of belief and
policy against the adoption of the amend
ment by the States, cannot go into an
organization that would either openly op-
pose that measure or that would smother
it by avoiding its discussion.
This party is the same to-day as it was
in the days of its trial; the same party
now as then, but few months ago, 1t
elected Lincoln and johnson, and the ma
jority of the present Congress; and as |
acted with it then, for paramount reas-
ons, my sense of duty demands that |
remain and act with it now.
The pith and marrow of the present
call, should say, tends toward a conven-
ton to form party for sustaining, not
the Government in its entirety, (as has
been the mission of the Union party.
but department of the Governmet.--
And here must take the liberty OF add
ing that | can hardly conceive of any sad
der spectacle, under the crisis OF present
circumstances, than that of the tired
Union party of this country becoming
dislocated aud broken up by divisions,
or that of one branch of the Govern
mcnt of the country taking an isolated
position upon questions of deep and COM
mon interest, and placing Itself IN hostile
conflict with coordinate departments.
For these and other reasons, which
might be mentioned, cannot JON in the
Cdll ici lHC SuUNGnLlbu III hllduSll lhld
must also add, that no man is more
desirous than | am to attain the entire
restoration of the American Union, with
its practical workings IN more perfect
harmony aud concord than ever, aud the
uiety, as ia: as mortal afflirs can be
made sure of enGle,s perpetuity IN the
future The blessings to flow from such
Union are countless aud mes muble.-
But such Union, consistent within it.
self. maintained by the universal consent
OF all classes and sections, and laughing
to scorn both the assaults OF foes internal
OF external, and the ravages ot time aud
change, will only be obtained by sternly
retracting every departure from, or com.
promise with, the supreme and general
idea of the American and fundamental
law, the Constitution. That general
idea consists, in brief, of the political
liberty and equality Of mankind under
the law. Such, and such only, can be
the Union, the nationality, that will put
in form the maguifcen: aud luity dreams
of the American continental mind, and
fulfill in the future the highest efforts ui
the present and past. 1t is not the vague
delusiou that the rights of the States
need doctoring. The American theory
eliminates properly in the saereduess OF