The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-03
colfax's letter OF Acceptance.

Colfax'S EeSter Oh Acceptance
"'' WASHINGTON, May 30, 1868.
-. + r. Hd'oley, President National
t'',1 Union Republican Convention:
,,or s;r,-The platform adopted by the
pt :'.;r convention over which you pre-
T .Iai and the resolutions which SO happily
''H, sisment it, so entirely agree with my
' :lI,s as to just national policy that my
WE'VE s,,.s are due to the delegates as much
mann. me clear and suspicious declaration OF
10. WI ";n,cs as for the nomination with which
TT larr been honored, and which CRATE
'" vb On great rebellion, which imperilled
.o.;nnal existence, was at last over
'.r ~ =" the duty Of MI others devolying on,
'' ~. entrusted with the responsibilities Of
,oE s',o.;on evidently was to require that
es'.r..rolted States should be readmitted to
~. r.;c;ration in the Government against
PIN PIN thew had warred only on such a
VIZ s,* as to increase and fortify, not to
pei, .Z.,en or endanger, the strength OF the
,s.,n-ta;nlv no one ought to have claimed
~, ,hry should be readmitted under such
',, i,s ,ba, their organization as States could
.~,, scain be used, Us at the opening of the
~ "a defy the national authority, or to
', s+, the national unity. This principle
We. hcen the pole-star of those who have in
s1 insisted on the Congressional policy
-,n- Convention so cordially endorsed.
F.acd by Executive opposition, and by
,,rsistent refusals to accept any plan of re-
s,ns,rnction proffered by Congress, justice
.,J rublc safety at last combined tosteach
:: ,ha, only by an enlargement of suffrage
!, ,hosc States could the desired end be at.
.,;nad and that it was even more safe to
.;,e the ballot to those who loved the Union
.ssr 10 those who had sought Intellectually
- DESTROY it. The assured success Of this
.sg.la,ion is being written on the adamant
history, and will be our triumphant vim
i;co,jon. More clearly, too, than ever be-
.,rs does the nation now recognize that the
.reo,cst glory of republic is that it throws
be shield of its protection over the humblest
and the weakest of it's people, and vindi-
Gates the rights of the poor and the power
less rs faithfully as those of the rich and
the powerful. !,
rejoice. too, in this Convention, to find
in yonr platform the frank and fearless
orowal that the naturalized citizens must
10 protected abroad sat every hazard,
.: though they were native-born." Our
while people are foreigners or descendants
NJ foreigners. Our fathers established by
,r,os their right to be called nation. 1t
remains for us to establish the right to well
come to our shores all who are willing by
oaths Of allegiance to become American citi-
7cns. Perpetual allegiance, as claimed
abroad, is only another name for perpetual
bondage, and would make all slaves to the
.oi where first they saw the light. Our M
iional 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
.ti,hlcss to the dead if we did not protect
their living brethren in the enjoyment OF
that nationality for which, side by side with
the na,iye-born, our soldiers of foreign birth
hid down their lives? ..-a..
1t was fitting, too, that the representa-
tiyes Of party which had proved 30 true
to national duty in time of war should
speak so clearly in time of peace for the
maintenance untarnished of national
honor, national credit, and good faith Of
,cgards it's debt-the cost Of our national
existence.
do not need to extend this reply by
;nrther comment on platform which has
elected such hearty approval throughout
the land. The debt of gratitude it acknoW-
lclpes to the brave men who saved the
Union from destruction-the frank appro-
val Of amnesty based on repentance and
loyolty-the demand for the most thorough
pconomy and honesty in the Government
the sympathy of the party of liberty with
all throughout the world who long for the
liberty we here enioy-and the recognition
# the sublime principles of the Declare
lion of Independence, are worthy OF the
organization on whose banners they are 70
he written in the coming contest. *. *.
LIS past record cannot be blotted out or
forgotten. If there had been no Republl-
can pnrty, slavery would to-day cast its
halcful shadow over the Republic. Ii there
had been no Republican party, free press
and free speech would be as unknown from
the Potomac to the Rio Grande as ten years
ago. If the Republican party could have
been stricken from existence when the
banner of rebellion was unfurled, and when
the response of "no coercion" was heard
at the North, we would have had no nation
to-day. But for the Republican party
daring to risk the odium Of tax and draft
laws, our flag could not have been kept
flying on the field till the longtlooke for
victory came. Wit out Republican party,
the civil rights bill-the guarantee, OF
equality under the law to the humble and
the defenccless as well as to the strong
would no; be to-day upon our national sta
lute book
With such inspirations from the past,
and following the example of the founders
Of the republic, who called the victorious
General of the Revolution to preside over
the land his triumphs had saved from its
enemies, | cannot doubt that our labors
will he crowned with success. And 1t Will
hca success that will bring restored hope:
confidence, prosperity, and progress, South
as well as North, West as we'll as East, and
above all, the blessings, under Providence,
OF national concord and peace. ~. + s.. 4. i
Very truly, yours,
SCHUYLER !CoLFAX.1