Year: 1866

by those now in power there. is impossi-
ble While loyal State Governments
can afford US protection, we solemnly
warn the people that the ratification OF
these bogus Governments is a sentence
of death, or exile 10 every Union man
in the South, whose position or ability
renders him at all obnoxious to the late
rebels. To those who are willing to
tolerate for a moment the idea of aban
doning their friends to destruction-of
handing them over, bound hand and foot.
| into the power of their and the nation 8
enemies, we have not one word to say;
but to such as call themselves Union
men, and have some spark of manhood
or womanhood in their natures, we ap.
peal for protection-for that protection
which can alone be afforded by State
Governments imbued with the principles
of impartial justice for all men. Shall
we appeal in vain? The action Of Con-
gress the coming winter must answer
this question.


The late rebels are of course desirous
of retaining as much power in Congress
as possible, but they would surrender all
representation in that body rather than
| lose control of the State Governments,
| for by the help of these State Govern
ments alone can they keep their people
united against the General Government.
Representation in Congress is side and
comparatively unimportant matter, but
| the control of the State Governments,
| whether or not they shall remain in the
hands of those who have once used them
| to wage war upon the Union, is the vital
question. We do not wish to have it un-
derstood that we are finding fault with
the present Congressional noble body
of men, whose firmness has afforded us
our only protection thus far since the
war closed. It has been, and is, our
expectation, that most, if not all, of the
Union members intend to adopt the
measures necessary to give US protection.
The Reconstruction Committee, in ad-
dition to the constitutional amendment,





zation of loyal governments in the Sc
ceded States, and this bill has yet to be
acted upon. If Congress, imme mediately
upon reassembling, takes it up, perfects,
and passes it, all will be we'll. We have
been impelled to issue this address by
the fact that this bill, which is immeasur-
ably the most important half of the
Congressional plan Of reconstruction. as
we have understood it, is being appa-
rently lost sight of, and the further fact
that some prominent politicians have
been using language which seems to
commit them to an abandonment of it
We have aided thus far in the present
canvass, and expectt to continue with the
distinct understanding that Congress will
not, after being indorsed by the people,
abandon this the most important feature
of its plan. We Go not believe that it
is either necessary or right to carry on
the canvass upon a misrepresentation or
mystifcation of the issue, and feel con-
scious embarrassment. and might lead
us to disaster, for although the great
majority OF the Union members of Con
gress will undoubtedly remain true. some
are always anxious to obtain notoriety
for being more conservative" than their
associates, and such would claim, if we
keep silent, that the canvass was fought
with the implied pledge that the enacting
I of fho
that Congress proposed doing.


We have expressed ourselves strongly
in this paper because we feel deeply.
The bones of our dead are in Southern
! graves. Our homes are there. All the
clustering recollections of our childhood
are connected with the soil from which
we are called upon to exile ourselves
/ Men of America. we cannot reconcile
| ourselves to the fate in store for us,
should we be deserted by you, and we
will not believe that you are capable of
betraying us. The ideas which we wish
to have erystalized in your minds are:
| 1st. That the usurpations of the Presi-
dent cannot be repudiated by legalizing
them


I'd. That rebels cannot be kept out of
power by giving them absolute control
| of the late rebellious States And,
Sd That loyal men cannot be secured
in any of their rights while all officers
in the States where they live, from Gov
ernor down to constable are rampant
rebels.


/ We know that the views herein ex-
pressed are indorsed by almost all of the
Union men of the South of all races;
and in order that there may be no mis-
understanding as to what we wish to have
done, We repeat that we ask Congress to
pass law providing for the establish
ment Of legal civil governments in the
non reconstructed States, and that the
said law shall EN- body the following ideas
l. That no man who took part in the