Year: 1867

Meeting of the Southern Republican As
sOciatiOn-A National Convention to
Urge the Impeac cnment of the PresI-
dent Proposed.


At meeting of the Southern Republican AS
sociation, held at their rooms on F street. on
Wednesday evening, Governor Hamilton of
Texas presiding, the subject of benedting the
lOyallsts of the Southern States in the speediest
manner was under discussion. The various
representatives of the States, to the number of
twenty, took part in the discussion, the main
point being upon the calling OF a National Con-
ventoin, to meet in Washington on or about the
4th of March next, to represent the loyal spirit
OF the impeachment party, and thereby instruct
the Fortieth Congress that it is the will of the
nation that Andrew johnson should be i'm.
peaChed, as the only hope of the Southern
States for speedy reconstruction.


Pending the adoption of the resolution to
further this measure, it was elected from the
various speakers that the Hon. Thaddeus
Stevens, the Hon. Mr. Boutwell, and Hon. Ben
iamin F. Butler, who had been consulted, were
friends Of this movement, especially the former.
The members of the association were fully salts
fed that the South had nothing to hope from
the present Congress, and that 1t was useless to
petition or beg of body that had been so dere-
lict in duty to their friends: They were weak
kneed, and unless something was done TO
frighten the next Congress into definite action,
nothing could possibly be hoped for.


The only question was whether the force
should be concentrated on reconstruction or
impeachment, and it was the unanimous ex-





the strong point Of the loyalists. While the
various Representatives of the Northern States
were undoubtedly their protessed friends, they
had taken every step to discover the spirit Of
the present Congress upon the subject, and were
satisfied beyond doubt, that nothing more
could be done with the matter. They were
tired OF waiting and begging. The time had
come for manifest action. New York bankers
had lobbyists at the Capitol every day, plead
ing with members of Congress TO drop the sub.
ject of impeachment for the financial welfare of
the country. The members of the Association
had done all in their power to counteract this
influence, but wealth was moIe potent than
right.


One of the gentlemen announced that he had
yesterday obtained very important Information
desired by MIR. Ashley, and he hoped every
member OF the Association would be as active
as the Committee had been in strengthening
the hands of the Chairman of the Impeachment
Committee. Another measure in connection
with the subject of impeachment was to urge
Congress TO demand why the confscatiou OF
property in the South had not been carried on
according to the tenor of the resolution passed
in 1862. The final triumph of the loyal South
was at hand If President Johnson could be inn
peached. One thing was certain, the Thirty
ninth Congress had the honor of inaugurating
/ this, movement.


1t remained for the Fortieth Congress to carry
1t out; and If this was not done, they would
! brand themselves before the world as a set oil
! polroons and fools forever. The last and the
sgrest hope would be in the assembling OF .
| National Convention, composed of delegates
from the East and West, the North and the
| South, and let them declare, under the shadow
OF the Capitol, and within hearing of Congress
that 1t is the will of the people that the Presl
Gent should be impeached at oncei and, unless
the convention met, there was but little hope @
ever gaining that recognition which had beer
so long denied, and that recognition could CONF
alone through impeachment,-M 7. 1r0WNe'