Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1867-09-18
ADDRESS OF THE UNION REPUBLICAN
aaE STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE.

Pennsylvania Feiiov Citizens In a
receDt address from this Committee your
attention was invited to sundry issues and
principles involved in the pending cans
yass and also to the political opinions
and Judicial decisions of George Shars-
wood. \ short review of the principal
occurrences, since the last State Campaign.
is now considered proper. The contest of
1866 was fought, in the main, upon the
amendments proposed by Congress to the
Constitution of the United States These
were national issues and on the one side
were arrayed the Union Republican party
and the Boys in Bue;' aud on the 9th
er President johnson, the Democratic par
ty, and all the rebels and their sympathi-
sers from one end Of the Union to the
other. On these momcntous issues Penn
sylvania rallied in her strength and poll
ed over one hundred and forty thousand
more votes than at her preceding annual
election. Among the results, were the
triumphant election of Major General
John ". Geary Tor Governor, aud the en-
dorsemeu; or Congress, by the return of
Z legation more uuauiuUus for the right
than ever known before ia the history of
the Commonwealth. Other loyal States
united with US, and the insane and wick
ed Policy" of President johnson, and
vf his new friends aud allies, was over
whelmei by the unprecedented aud mag
nit!c ,ut popular majority of J0ur hundTed
Htousapd roteSi Every State which had
been faithful to the national government
and the cause of the Union during the
war, approved the proposed amendments.
Every rebel State, except Tennessee, re-
jccted them and under the rcGel provi-
sional governments created by President
! j ohnsOn, rebel power resumed It's author
ity, and became dominant in their execu-
tive, legislative and judicial departments
Vagrant and labor laws virtually rc-en-
shaved the freedmen. Loyal men were
outlawed and trampled under foot and
the revived spirit OF the rebellion was ev-
erywherc triumphant. Riots, murders,
outragcs and assassinations were the order
of the day, and security for either the
lives or the property Of loyal men was
now nero found. Traitors had front seats,
loyalty had been made odious, apd trea-
sonabe conspira.ors against the life Of the
nation were viudIctive and rampant
Such was the condition of public af-
fairs in the South wheu Congress couven-
ei in December, 1866. Ihis nation bad
solemnly resolved, and voted, that the
| Union should be restored on the basis Of
Of loyalty and justice ; and to this END
was the Fortieth CoEgres elected Hence
were passed the Reconstruction laws, in
execution Of the recent popular verdict.
/ The President vetoed them, refusing to
accept or abide by the decision of the peo-
pie, TO whom he had SO often and so vaunt-
ingiy appealed. Congress re enacted them
over the vetocs, by more than the requir-
ed two thirds =; and they are now the laws
of the land. Under them, including the
amendments Of last session, reconstruc-
ton is rapidly progressing; and would
doubtless ere long be successfully accom-
p!ished, but for the persistent distractions
by the President, IN defiance OF Congress
and popular will. Justice is being done
loyal men, white ani black, have been
protected from the malice of defeated
rebels !; treason, in measure at least, has
''been made odious" and traitors have been
compelled TO take back sea.s as An
! drew Johuson in u lucid interval, declared
they should. EIen the better portion OF
the rebels admit the justice Of these re-
construction laws, and cheerfully acqui-
esce in their provisions. General james
Longstrect, distinguished rebel officer,
in recent published letter from New
Orleans, expresses himself as follows
Il shall set out by assuming proposition
that hold TO be scf-cyidcnt, viz The high
est of human laws is the law that is es;a5-
lished by appeal to arms. The great princ-
I pies that divided political parties prior to the
late war were thoroughly discussed by cur
wisest statesmen. When argument was ex-
haused resort was had to mpromise. When
compromise was unavailing, discussion was
renewed and expcdi ,nts were sought, but none
could be found to suit the emergency. Ap-
peal was finally made 10 the sword. to deter
mine which of the claims was the true con-
struction Of constitutional law. The sword
has decided in favor of the North and what
they caimed as yyiacjpiee, cease to be princi-
pies, and are become tar. The views that ws
hold cease to be principles because they are
| opposed to law. 1t is, thel efcre, our duty to
abandon ideas that are obsolete, and conform
to the requirements of law. The military
bill and amendments are peace offerings. We
should accept them as such, and place our-
selves upon them the starting point from
which 10 meet future political issues as ;hey
arise"
jeff. Thompson, another rebel General in u