Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-09-04
p Q L I II I 9 a l.
ADDRESS OF TEEF UNION RE
E'sfHEAEEAN STATE CENTR
Ts3ERE'EEE.


AUGUST 9th, 1867. To the People of
Pennsylvania Feiiou-citizens In
recent address from this Committee
your attention was invited to sundry
issues and principles involved in the
pending canvass; and also to the poit-
ical opinions and judicial decisions of
George Sharswood. A short review
of the principal occurrences, since the
last State compaign, is now considered
proper. The contest of 1866 was
fought, in the main, upon the amend
ments proposed by Congress to the
Constitution of the United States
These were national issues; and on the
one side were arrayed the Union Re
publican party and the Boys in Blue;"
and on the other President Johnson,
the Democratic party, and all the rebels
and their sympathizers from one end
of the Union to the other. On these
momentous issues Pennsylvania rallied
in her strength; and poIlod over one
hun,ired and forty thousand moro votes
than at her preceding annual election
Among the results, were the trium-
phant election of Major General John
w Geary for Governor, and the en-
dorsement of Congress, by the return
of delegation more unanimous tor
the right than ever known before in
the history of the Commonwealth.
Other loyal States united with us, and
the insane and wicked "Pulicy" of
President Johnson, and of his new
friends and allies, was overwhelmed
by the unprecedented and magnificent
popular majority of .four Aundred Aous-
md ootes! Every State which had
been faithful to the national govern
ment and the cause Of the Union dur.
ing the war, approved the proposed
amendments. Every rebel State, ex-
cept Tennessee, rejected them, and un-
der the rebel provisional governments
created by President Johnson, rebel
power assumed its authority, and be-
came dominant in their executive, leg
islative, and judicial departments Va
grant and labor laws virtually re
enslaved the freedmen. Loyal men
were outlawed and trampled under
foot; and the revived spirit of rebellion
was everywhere triumphant. Riots,
murders, outragcs, and assassinalions,
were the order of the day, and security
for either the lives or the property of
loyal men was nowhere found Treason
had front seats, loyalty had been made
odious, and traitorous conspirators
against the life of the nation were vim
dictive and rampant.
Such was the condition of public
affairs in the South when Congress
convened in December, 1866. This
nation had solemnly resolved, and vo
ted, that the Union should be restored
on the basis of loyalty and justice; and
to this end was the Forticth Congress
elected. Hence were passed the Re.
construction laws, in execution of the
recent popular verdict. The President
vetoed them, refusing to accept OF
abide by the decision of the people
to whom he had SO often and so vaunt
ingIy appealed, Congress re enacted
them over the vetoes, by more than
the required two-thirds; and they arc
now the laws of the land. Under
them, including the amendments o.
last session, reconstruction is rapidly
progressing; and would doubtless ere
long bo successfully accomplished, but
for the persistent distinctions by The
President, in defiance of Congress anc
the popular will. Justice is being done
loyal men, white and black, have beer
protected from the malice of de
feated rebels; treason, in a measure al
least, had ''been made odious," anc
traitors have been compelled "to take
back seats"-as Andrew Johnson, in
a lucid interval, declared they should
Even the better portion of the rebels
n