Litchfield enquirer., 1867-08-01
WHOLE NO. 2252.
UNION REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL EXEC UTIvE COMMITTEE, WASHINGTON, D. C., J1lv 00 1S67

July 20, 1867.
 To HoN -. Sir:-The Union Re publican Senators and members of the For tieth Congress assembled on the evening of July 15, Ill the Hall of Representatives to hear the report of the Union Congression- al Executive Committee with reference to the Southern Reconstruction campaign. The following resolution was adopted
 " "ReSoLved, That we, the Republican Senators and Representative of the XLth Congress, having listened with great inter- est to the statements of the Chairman of the Executive Committee and others of sad Committee, therefore pledge our best personal efforts in our respective districts to the work of rdising money for the use of the stld Committee immediately upon our return to our constituents"
 The Committee, therefore, in urging the importance of immediate and vigorous la DOT, desires to briefly recapitulate what has oeen done, the agenc1es and opportunities now at It's command, and the necessities When require assistance. During the few months that have elapsed since the Recon s1ructlon acts were passed, this Committee nas been earnestly at work. For the first Cime opportunity offered for discussion in the South, of the principles, purposes and history ot the Republican organization tue party of National progress, political Justice, and territorial integrity. It was deiermlned to lnaugurate a vigorous and comprehensive agitation of questions con- nected with these sub biects. This purpose nas been as fully carned out as the means ,IJ the disposal of the Committee would permit. The Committee have received but SlS, ,2oO, malnly y derIvedIrom the two Hous- es of Congress. There IS now expected rom VarlouS sources, sums amounting ln all to S4, oOO which will about cancel oDli- gatlons already incurred. With this small amount the Committee has sent several uunureu thousand documents through the South. 1t has employed over seventy ac- tive a-ld Intelligent speakers and Organi- Gers, who have been at work ln the unre- constructed States, and to a limited extent in Tennessee. Both white and colored men have been and are now employed. In addition to those directly controlled by the CoMAnittee, State Committees and Union League Councils, with other auxillaries, have been aided. Under this stimulus, in lnany localities, funds have been raised to defray the expenses of local agents, and mach work accomplished. The Committee has the names ot 2O,OOO loyal persons at the South to whom documents are regu- larly sent. About one-fOurth of that num- Der of large packages are forwarded, so that 1t Is Ill the way of immediate distribu- ton of 100000 or more copies of any doc ument 1t desires to circulate. This list is being daily augmented The Committees correspondence is very extensive; hund- reds Of letters being received weekly from all parts of the South. From their con- tents a minute knowledge of the necessi- ties of almost every Congressional district, IS readily attained or agents now in the field, some are at work in every State. A Republican organization exists in each State, the representatives of which are in constant correspondence with this Com mittee. Union League Committees are being rapidly formed Our agents are all empowered and directed to aid the organi- zAtion, and as the Grand Presidents of- ice IS located in this city, we are enabled to bring about harmony of purpose and effort. Were ample means at the Com mittee's disposal, there would be no diff culty in widely extending its operations. The demands made far exceed its means, present and prospective A large number of intelligent men, white and colored, are ready to enter the field, most of whom could be advantageously employed. Our funds have been altogether devoted to cir culating suitable reading matter and en- ploXng speakers and organizers. They will continue to be so used This Com mittee cannot undertake the establishment or support of Republican newspapers, al- though that important agency demands at tention When the Military bills became law, there were in the South but fifteen Republican journals, two only of which were dalhes. There are now 90; 20 of which are dailies. The speediest method Of establishing 8 vigorous Republican press, " be obtained, is to give the Republican par ty the control ot Sta5e organizations. This object can be permanently secured, pro- vlded its importance is appreciated and corresponding efforts are made. The pres ent campaign IS but @ cOntln uatiOn Ot the war. 1t has, however, assumed another shape 1t Is no longer the shock of ar- mics. but the conflict of ideas. The thun- tier of gans no longer rends the sky or makes the earth trenble; but tue results for which our best lives were given are still trembling ill the balance. We contend for tne principles for which we fought. We seek power, because we believe i'll our prin- clples. They cannot control Unless by money, tile olnew of any struggle, when used to aId those who work for that suc- Cess. Sn;tll We lose an empire from want of this material aid? Shall we, victorious
 
 IL is not possible. The needs of the hour with those who desire to see the entlre South, lately cursed with Slavery and blast ed by revolution, marching ''to the music ot the Union, in the solid column of Re- publican States, are active work, ample m cans, and unfaltering faith. Your Com mittee have faith, and can work efficiently. Means only are lacking to curry elch one 9f tue unrec05zst'1cted States at the elections pro- vlded for by Congress. If adequate funds are furnished, the party can be so organ lzed as to ensure the electoral vote of each regenerated State for the Presidential standard bearer of our great party. The loyal people of the South. are very poor; they are with us in every desire for suc- cess, but they need assistance both of mo- ney and political organization, and of knowledge, for the e.t means of etfecti1g 1t. Slavery crushed the white friends If the nation, as we'll as opposed it's colored allies The Rebellion impoverished them as we'll as those who rebelled Shall we let them again be sacrificed for want of means to send men to enable them to help themselves? In the spirit of the foregoing resolution, we ask earnest and immediate work in obtaining funds. Pressing calls