American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-02-09
Meeting of the Southern Republican
Ass0cia alton

ASSOCidL1OA.
At a meeting of the Southern Re
publican Association, held at their
rooms on f street last evening, Gov.
Hamilton, of Texas, presiding, the
subject of benefitting the loyalists OF
the Southern States in the speedlest
manner was under discussion during
the meeting. The various represen-
tatives of the States, to the number
of twenty, took part in the discussion
the mdin point being upon the call
ing of a national convention to meet
in Washington, on or about the 4th
of March next, to represent the loyal
spirit of the impeachment party, and
thereby instract the Fortieth Con
gress that it is the will of the nation
that Andrew johnson should be i'm
peached, as the only hope of the
Southern States for speedy recon
structiDn.
Pending the adoption of the reso-
luton to further this measure, it was
elected from the various speakers
that Hon. Thadeus Stevens, Hon.
Mr. Boutwell, and Hon. B. f. Butler,
who had been consulted, were friends
of this movement, especially the for
mer. The members of the associa-
ton were fully satisfied that the
South had nothing to hope from the
present Congress, and that it was
useless to petition or beg of body
that had been so derelict in duty to
their friends. They were weakened
and unless something was done to
frighten the next Congress into def.
mite action, nothing could possibly be
hoped for.
The only question was whether the
force should be concentrated on re-
construction or impeachment, and t
was the unanimous expression of the
meeting that impeachment was the
strong point Of the loyalists. While
the various representatives OF the
Northern States were undoubtedly
their professed friends, they had
taken every step to discover the spirit
of the present Congress upon the
subject, and were satisfied, beyond
doubt, that nothing more could be
done with the matter. They were
tired of waiting and begging. The
time had come for manifest action.
New York bankers had lobbyists at
the Capitol every day, pleading with
numbers of Congress to drop the
subject of impeachment for the finan-
cial welfare OF the country. The
members of the association had done
all in their power to cOunteract this
influence, but wealth was more potent
than right.
One of the gentlemen announced
that he had yesterday obtained very
important information desired by Mr..
Ashley, and he hoped every member
of the association would be as active
as the committee had been in streng-
thening the hands of the chairman of
the impeachment committee.
Another measure in connection
with the subject Of impeachment was
to urge Congress to demand why the
contiscation of property in the South
had not been carried on according to
the tenor Of the resolution passed in
1862.
The final triumph ofthe loyal South
was at1 hand if President Johnson
could be impeached. One thing was
certain, the Thirty-ninth Congress
had the honor of inaugurating this
moveme It. 1t remained for he Fol-.
tieth Congress to carry it out and if
this was not done they would brand
themselves before the world as set
of poltroons and fools forever.
The last and surest hope would be
in the assemblage of national con-
vention, composed of delegates from
the East and the West, the North
and the South, and let them declare,
under the shadow of the Capitol and
within hearing of Congress, that it
is the will of the people that the Pres
ident be impeached at once; and,
unless the convention met, there was
but little hope of ever gaining that
recognition which had been so long
denied; and that recognition could
come only through Impeachment
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