Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-03

spected that Will and always shall. Peace
and universal prosperity, its sequence, with
economy of administration, will Tighten
the burden Of taxation, while it constantly
reduces the national debt. Let us have
peace.
With great respect, your obt sery't,
U. S. GRANT.
MR.. coLFAX's LETTER.
WASHINGTON, d. c., May 30.-Hon. j.
b. Hawley, President of the National
Union Republican OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES SIR:
The platform adopted by the patriotic con-
vention over which you presided, and the
resolutions which so happily supplement
it, so entirely agree with my views az to
Just national policy, that my thanks are due
to the delegates as much for this clear and
auspicious declaration of principles, as for
the nomination with which / have been
hOnored, and which gratefully accept.
When great rebellion which imperilled
the national existence was at last over
thrown, the duty Of all others devolving
on those intrusted with the responsibilities
of legislation evidently was to require that
the revolted States should be readmitted in
participation of the government against
which they had erred only On such basis as
to increase and fOrtify, not 10 weaken or en-
danger the strength and power of the ma
ton. Certainly no one ought to have
claimed that they should be readmitted
under such rules that their organization az
States could ever again be used as an open
ing to war, TO defy the national authority
or to destroy the national unity This
principle has been the pole star of those
who have infexibly insisted on the Con-
gressiOnal policy your convention 80 cor
daily Endorsed. BafIled by Executive OPP
position and by present refusals to accept
any plan of reconstruction proposed by
Congress- Justice and public safety at last
combined TO teach us that only by an en-
largement of suffrage in those States could
the desired end be attained, and thai it was
even more safe to give the ballot to those
who loved the Union than to those who
had sought Intellectually to destroy it. The
assured success of this legislation is being
written on the adamant of history and will
be our triumphant vindicalion. More
clearly too than ever before does the nation
now recognize that the greatest glory of
republic is that it throws the shield of its
protection over the humblest and weakest
of its people, and yindicates the rights Of
the poor and the powerless as faithfully as
those Of the rich and the powerful.
/ rejoice, too, in this connection, to find
in your platform the frank and fearless
avOwal that naturalized citizens must be
protected abroad at every hazard, as though
they were native born. Our whole people
are foreigners, or descendants of foreigners.
Our fathers established by arms their right
to be called nation. 1t remains for us TO
establish the right, and welcome to our
shores all who are willing by oaths of al
legiance TO become American citizens
| Perpetual allegiance as claimed abroad is
| only another name for perpetual bondage,
and would make all slaves to the soil where
| first they saw the light. Our national
cemeteries prove how faithfully these oaths
of fidelity to their adopted land have been
sealed in the life blood of thousands upon
thousands. Should we not then be faith
less to the dead il we did not protect their
living brethren in the full enjoyment of
that nationality for which, side by side
with the native born, our soldiers of for
eign birth laid down their lives. Ii was
fitting, too, that the representatives of
party which had proved so true to national
duty in time of war cOuld speak so clearly
in time of peace for the maintenance, I'M
furnished, of the national honor, national
credit and good faith, and regards its debt
The cost of our national existence
do not need TO extend this reply by
further comment. A platform which has
ELECTED such hearty approval throughout
the lard, the debt of gratitude il acknowl-
edged to the men who saved the Union
from destruction, the frank approval of
the amnesty, based on repentance and
loyalty the demand for the most rigid
economy and honesty in the government,
the sympathy oftheparty with all through
sat the world who long for the liberty we
here enjoy and receive, aud sublime prin-
ciples of the declaration Of independence
are worthy the organization on whose ban
ners they are to be in the coming contest.
lis past record cannot be bloited out and
forgotten. If there bad been no Republi-
can party, slavery wonld to-day cast It's
baneful shadow over the republic There
had been no Republican party free press
and free speech would be unknown from
the Potomac to the Rio Grande If the
Republican party could have been stricken
from existence when the response fno CO..
have had no nation to-day. But for the
Republican party daring TO risk the Odiam
of the tax aud draft laws our flag could
not have been kept flying in the field untlthe
long hoped victory came. Without Re.
publican party the civil rights bill, the
guarantee Of equality under the law to the
humble and the defenseless, as we'll as 20
the strong, would not be to-day upon our
national statute book With such inspiTa-
ton from the past, and following the ex-
ample of the founders of the republic, We
called the victorious General of the revolu-
ton 20 preside over the land his triumphs
had saved from its enemies. | cannot
doubt that our labors will be crowned with
success, and ii will be success that shall
bring restored hope, confidence, prosperity,
the confidence Of the South, as well as OF
the North and as we'll as OF the East, and,
above all, the blessings under Providence
of national concord and peace.
Very truly, yours,