The Van Buren press., 1870-07-05
Address Of Democratic Congressman.
WASHINGTON. June 81

y uhC
The Democratic Senator'S and Mem
oers OF Congress, at caucus held last
night, agreed on an address which was
to day signed and iss, ed, as fellows:
10 our fellow-citizens of the United
States, friends of constitutional, eco.
nomical and honest government, the un
dersigned beg leave to call your atten.
ton to the peculiar Importance of the
elections which take place this year, and
respectfully submit the suggestion for
your consideration that by the State Leg
lslatures to be elected nearly one-third
of the u S. Senate will be chosen. Near
ly all the members Of the next House of
Representatives are to be elected next
fall. On the coming elections, then, de-
pends the question whether the Demo
cratic and Conservative element in the
Senate shall be increased, and whether
that element shall have majority of Rep
resentatives in the House of Representa-
tiveS, and, as consequence, whether we
shall have constitutional, economical
aud honest government, or continuance
of revolutionary extravaganza and waste
full partisan rule whethec we shall have
general, uniform, just and constitutional
legislation, with reasonable taxation and
frugal expenditure, or unconstitutional,
partial, unjust class legislation, with OPP
pressive and unequal taxation and waste
full expenditure. That we have strong
reasons 10 hope for a favorable result is
plainly apparent The elections already
held clearly show that the tide of reform
has set in with power that can't be re-
sisted No blunder can be committed
by the friends of reform if they do their
duty and act wisely II they throw off
all apathy and act with vigor and stead
fastness there is every reason to hope
that their efforts will be rewarded by sue
cess Let there be no dssensions about
minor matters, no time lost in the dis
cussion Of dead points, no manifestation
of narrow or proscriptive feeling, no sac
rifce Of the cause to crafty personal am
bition or resentment And let the best
men be chosen for candidates, and we
may hope to see our country redeemed
from misrule.
And in this connection we beg leave to
say a word to our fellow citizens of the
Southern States Do not lisk the loss
of Senators or Representatives by elect
ing men who cannot take the test oath or
VINO are under the disability impo sed by
the fifteenth amendment Wha ever NAV
be said as to the validity Of that amend
ment. or of the test oath act you may
rest assured that Senators elected by the
votes of members of Legislatures who
are held by the Radicals to be thus dis
qualified, will not be permitted ro take
their seats, and that members of the
House of Representatives thus disquali-
fed will also he excluded. 1t is the plain
est dictate Of practical Wisdom not 70 in.
cur any such risks We hope to see the
day when all disabilities will be removed,
but in the meantime do not, we entreat
You, loose the opportunity to strengthen
the Democratic and Conservative forces
in Congress and the possihility-nay
of obtaining majority in the
next House Of Representatives by put
ting it in the power of our adversaries to
overthrow any Of your elections.
Signed by all the Democratic Senators
and Representatives.
At an adjourned caucus of the Demo
cratic and Conservative Senators and
Representatives, the following Demo
cratic and Conservative Congressional
committee was selected to con-
sist of Senators at large, and l Repre-
from each State represented
in the Senate and House by Democratic
and Conservative members This com
mittee had the power given them to ap-
point a Democratic and Conservative
resident committee to consist in part Of
their own members, together with citi-
zens Of the city to the number that may
be hereafter agreed on. The following is
THE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT
TEE
Frpene Cassorly Cal, John p. Stockton, n j.