Year: 1866

Now, sir, as to restoring the Union, We
are on the way to it. We ought to have
done it sooner, 1 admit. The gentle


men on the opposite side viii admit, as
I gentlemen on my side will allege against
/ me, that have done all in my power TO
| complete this work. II is not my fault
! loval men who have been sent from the
/ Southern States lately in rebellion are


not in their seats here to-day. l have
/ been ready at any time 10 act upon the
question Of their admission from the day
/ l entered Congress till the present time
l deny the assertion of the gentleman
+ from Pennsylvania, that l have thrown
obstacles ia the way Of their admission.
/ or of the complete restoration Of the
+ Union. have striven for both-steadi-
I ". consistently, and upon principles
which | arowed at the outset, and to
/ which l have sought in every possible


way to give effect Aud intend to do
30 still.


The gentleman asks me when the
Union will be restoradI : II it depended
upon me, sir, it would be restored this


day, so far IS the admission Of loyal


members from loyal States 70 Congress


could restore it. l hope it will be re


stored soon-the sooner the better-by


the action Of the Union party, which


holds all tie departments Of the Gov


ernment, and is especially responsible


for the action Of Congress. As | said.


when this interruption occurred, that
party has established strong hold on


the confidence Of the country hy carry


ing the country through the war, and


queIing the rebellion which threatened


it, existence. 1t owes it to the nation


to complete the work 50 well begun; 10


build on the foundation so molly and so
successfully laid and not TO forfeit by
unwise political action the confidence it
has earned by its conduct of the war.


1t is lust as much the duty Of the Union
party to-day to complete the restoration
of the~J Mon, to restore every State to
its Just rights and relations under the
Constitution, as it was five years ago,
and every day thereafter, TO wage yigor-
Gus and successful war upon the rebel
lion which thre atened the nations life.
And the first great duty it has to per-
form in the accomplishment of this end
is to extend its organization and so lib
eralize its spirit, As to become national
instead of a sectional party, as events
have compelled it to be hitherto In
1892 the last national Convention of the
party opposed to the aggression of sla-
very, was held. From that time to this
we have been compelled to wage a see
tjonal warfare. But now that necessity
does not exist. There IS no further need
no longer an excuse for sectional or
ganization, and the duty of the Union
party to-day is to extend itself into eve
ry Southern State, and become nation
al party in organization as it Is in inter
est, and as it should he in its principles,
is purposes, and its sympathies.


The great obstacle to national politi-
cal action, slavery, has disappeared. We
encounter no longer in the Southern
States that great power which bound
them to each other and divided them
from all the world beside Their inter
ests are no longer hostile to ours. They
are no longer closed against friendly
counsels, friendly sympathies, and friend
~ efforts on the part Of the North, They
have the same interest in the ConstitU-
ton that We have, and there is nothing
that can make the South again com
pact unit in its political action hereafter
but hostility on our part toward it.


Sir. I long to see the day when the
Union party shall take ground that will
command the SYM ataies OF the Union
loving men all over this broad republic,
and give it that basis Of liberalitv, gen
erosity and constitutional freedom to
which by its organization. bv its princi-
Piles. and by its history, it Is entitled
When it shall have done that, it will
hold position from which nothing can
drive it. repeat, sir, that tie great po-
liticaI necessity Of tie day IS % aationa7j-e
the party tIat SIrs3 TIE nation. And all
that Is needed to accomplish this result Is
for the Union party to stand upon its
own ground. to avoid all the needless
issues, to await the Developments of time
and public discussion before rushing in
to contests upon new questions, and to
resist resolutely every endeavor to force
upon It principles and measures which
it has never espoused. Let it plant it
self upon national ground, discard all
sectional feeling, extend its organization
into every State. make the interests,
rights, honor. welfare Of all sections its
own, and il will stand forever! In such
position and with such principles it
has every department of the Govern


ment at its command All the patron
age and power of the Executive would
give weight to its policy Thousands
Of patriotic and disinterested Democrats