The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-09-12

oertaisly no one ought to have clsimsd that
they should te re-admittea under such rule
that their organisation a. States eould ever
again DO used, a. At tho opening Of the war,
: to defy the national authority, or 70 destroy
! the national upity. Ttis principle has bssn
the pole star OF these who have iniexibly 10.
sisted on the Congregational policy your con-.
, yention so cordially endorsed. Bafisd by Ell
ecutive opposition, and BY persistsut rsfussls
] to accept any plan Of reoonstructiou pro6srsd
By Congress, justice and public. safety at last
combined TO teach us that only By an enlarge
ment Of suffrage in those States could the dc.
sired epd DO attained, and that ii vas even
more safe to give the ballot to those who loved
the Union than to those who bad sought in.
! efYsctuaIly To destroy 1t. The assured success
| of this Legislation Is being written on the ada.
msut Of history, and will be our triumphant
vindication. More clearly, too, than ever DO.
fore does theI,ii on now recognise that the
greatest gloryo 4 republic 10, that II throws
the shield Of it's protection over the humblest
aud the weakest Of its people, and vindieates
the rights Of the poor and the powerless as
faithfully as those Of the rich and the power.
ful.
rejoice, too, 10 this connection, to fud In
your platform the frank and fearie. avowal
that the naturalized citizens must be protected
abroad ''at every hazard, as though they wero
native born" Our whole people are foreign.
ers or defendants Of foreigners. Our fathers
established by arms their right to be called q
| nation. 1t remains for rs TO establish the right
| to welcome to our shores all who are willing
| by oaths Of allegiance 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 hrst they saw the light. Our national
cemeteries prove how faithfully these oaths Of
/ 6d.Iitr 80 ~, IA - .nl havs IA. Al
in the life blood Of thousands upon Thousands.
Should We not then be faithless to the dead II
We did not protect their living brethren 10 the
enjoyment Of that nationality, for which side
by side With tho native born our soldiers Of
foreign birth laid down their lives.
II was fitting, too, that the representatives,
Of a party which had proved so true to nation.
al duty in time Of war, should speak so clearly
in time of peace for the maintenance untar.
nished Of national honor, national credit, snd
good faith as regards its debt, the cost of our
national existence.
do not need to extend this reply by further
comment on q platform which has ELECTED
such hearty approval throughout the land.
The debt of gratitude 1t Acknowledges to tho
brave man who saved the Union from destrue-
tion-the frank approval Of amnesty based on
repentance and loyalty-the demand for the
most thorough economy and honesty In the
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. VI
liberty with all throughout the world who long
for the liberty We here enjoy-and the recog.
milton Of the sublime principles Of The Decls
ration Of Independence. are worthy Of the
organization on whose banners they are to be
written in the coming contest.
It's past record cannot be blotted out or for
gotten. If there had been no republican
party slavery would to-day cast its balefu
shadow over the Republic. If there had beer
no Republican party, free press and free
speech would be as unknown from the Poto
mac to the Rio Grande as ten years ago. Il
the Republican party could have been stricken
from existence when tho banner of rebellion
was unfurled, and whom the response of INC
coercion wal heard at the North We would
have had no nation to-day. But for the Re.
publican party daring to risk the odium Of taz
and draft laws, our flag could not have been
kept flying on the field till the long looked for
victory came. Without Republican party,
the civil rights bill, the guarantee Of equality
under the law to the humble snd the defence
less as well as to the strong, would not be to-
day upon our national statute book.
r With such Inspirations from the past, and
following the example Of the founders Of thu
. Republic, who called the victorious General 0
/. tho Revolution to preside over the land hi
triumphs had saved from Its enemies, l canno
8 doubt that our labors will be crowned will
o success And 1t will be n success that viii
3 bring restored hope, confidence, prosperity
4 and progress, South as we'll as North, West a
r we'll as East, and above ali, the blessings IN
/. der Providence Of national concord and peace
% Very truly, yours.
a SCHUYLER CoLFAx