Year: 1865

+. -fH4.I.. "a. 20 COLUMBUS, July Z9tn, 1000


GENTLEMEN: Your letter of yesterday, inqui-
ring what are my opinions upon some of the
phases of the question of the reconstruction OF
the Union, was received this morning. You
sign yourselves as a 'Committee," but have
omitted to inform me what body or Organiza-
tion you represent, or to give me the instruc-
tions or resolutions committing the subject to
YOU. This accidental omission would be of no
consequence, since know you both to be menu
bers of the Union party of this State. and.
though we have scarce seen each other for some
years, i have believed you TO be personal
friends of mine; but my relations 10 the Union
men of Ohio are such that it may become Ol
some importance to know who are those with
whom you are acting and for whom you declare
that hearty and honest concurrence in the
principles which you and the other 10y people
of Ohio adopted in convention on the 2lst ulti-
mo, expressly as the basis of united political
action In the coming State election, shall not be
sufficient TO secure your votes. r.I
Political organizations, like every other, aIe
founded upon mutual waving of some articles
of personal belief for the sake of securing united
and effective action upon. others which are
avowed as the common creed; and the bond o.
union can hardly he said to be kept in good
faith when individuals of party PROFOUND as
tests to candidate questions which were moi
acted upon by the convention, especially when
such questions were notOriOusly excluded from
the list of those upon which community of be-
lief was demanded, because the opinions of 10y
al and patriotic men had not yet fully ripened,
or taken definite form IN regard to them, and
the time had not yet come when, IN the 'lOgIC
of events it was necessary to act upon them.
In the political phase of the great conflict We
have upon us, as in the military strife which
/ 4 IL NJ, hot IL
of the first importance, and though guerrilla
warfare has its attractions, 1 am convinced that
results will be determined by the surer, ifslow'
er march of the heavy columns.


have always believed that adherence to q
party platform does not exclude freedom o
opinion or discussion of matters not included
in it. though 1T does imply that such discussion
should be free and friendly interchange o.
views with the object Of throwing all possible
lights upon subjects which may sooner OF Later
become topics of Importance, and upon which
we may have to form definite policy. When
the time comes for action all thoroughly loya


men should agree to support that policy which
the wisdom of the majority may agree upon,
unless it shall conflict with some principle con
seientiously held; in which case those who 81
dissent have the undoubted right to withdraw
their connection, not from a candidate SIMPLY


but from the party. This view of political OF.
| panization is the only one | have been able t
| find which will secure proper unity and power


os action, and at the same time afford full scope
for true progress of opinion and that liberty o
| individual thought which beg youto Iemem
her. is as much the right of candidates as thOss
who nominated them. sa /. .7r


Our Convention adopted platform, of which


the doctrinaI part is substantially embodied il
two propositions: lst. 'That slavery and it
institutions are irreceHcilably opposed to free


dom and free institutions, and must bel6nally


and completely eradicated; ID, That PTesiden


JohmsOu's policy of reconstruction rs ''IndOrs
ed, - with the provisO that the completed re


storation of the rebel States f'shall be at sucf
time and upon such terms as will give unques


toned assurance of the peace and security, no


only to the people of the rebel States, but ais,


of the peace and prosperity of the Fedora


Union" -uf- tft .


The spirit and disposition which should con
| troll us in determining the slime and terms o


reconstruction, and all other questions of policy


accumulating upon us, were likewise stated il


two resolutions, one urging the example of ou


martyTed President Gin waiting for the sOlu


ton of difficulties to be furnished by the pro


gress of time and logic OF events, the Othe


declaring the necessity ''of keeping steadily IL


view the great principles of our Government a
set forth in the Declaration of Independence.
To condense still more, the essence OF the Po


sition of the party may he said to be the de
Termination of the political results of the wa


by the united and harmonious action of truly
lloyal men, actuated by spirit at once eautiou


and controlled by earnest belief IN tn


broadcast doctrines of human rights To thos


principles have given my public and sneer


adhesion. You are the only members of tn


Union party Of The State whom | have foun'


impatient to commit your brethren, in advanc


of the meeting of Congress, to definite policy


upon subject upon which the Convention had


by strongest implication, declared it prematur


to decide what course ought to be taken. TIL
] State election decides no such issue; the pro