Year: 1866

we are on the way to it. We ought 70
have done it sooner, / admit. The
gentlemen on the opposite side will
admit, as gentlemen on my side will
allege against me, that ! have done all
in my power 10 complete that work.
II is not my fault that loyal men who
have been sent from the Southern
States lately in rebellion are not in
their seats here to-day. have been
ready ut any time to act upon the ques-
ton Of their admission from the day /
entered Congress till the present time
deny the assertion Of the gentleman
from Pennsylvania, that have thrown
Obstacles in the way Of their admis.
sion, or OF the complete restoration Of
the Union. | have striven for both
steadily, consistently, and upon prin-
ciples which / avowed at the outset,
and TO which have sought in every
possible way to give effect. And / in :
tend to do so still. erf .a l~issa


The gentleman asks me when the
Union will be restored? If it depen-
ded upon me, sir, it would be restored
this day, so far as the admission of
loyal members from loyal States to
Congress could restore it, / hope it
will be restored soon-the sooner the
better-by the action Of the Union
party, which holds all the departments
of the Government, and is especially
responsible for the action Of Congress.
As | said, when this interruption oc-
CURED, that party has established q
strong hold on the confidence of the
country by carrying the country thro'
the war, and quelling the rebellion
which threatened its existence. 1t
owes it to the nation TO complete the
work so well begun; to build on the
foundation so nobly and so successful
| ly laid; ard not TO forfeit hy unwise
| political action the confidence it has
earned by its conduct OF the war. 1t
is just as much the duty Of the Union
/ party to-day to complete the restora.
tion of the Union, 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 vigorous and successful wal
upon the rebellion which threatened
the nations life. And the first great
duty it has to perform in the accom-
plishment of this end is to extend its
organization and so liberalize its spir-
it as to become national instead of q
sectional party, as events have CON-
PEELED it TO be hitherto. In 1852 the
last national convention of party op-
posed to the aggression Of slavery, was
held. From that time to this we have
been compelled to wage sectional
warfare. But now that necessity does
not exist. There is no further need,
no longer an excuse for Il sectional or
ganization, and tho duty of the Union
party to-day is TO extend itself into
every Southern State. and become a
national party in organization as it is
in interest, and as it should be in its
principles, its purpose, and its sympa-
thies. -.


The great obstacle to national po-
litical action, slavery, has disappear
ed. We encounter no longer in the
Southern States that great power which
bound them to each other and divide 1
them from all the world beside =
Their interests are no longer hostile
to ours. They are no longer closed
against friendly counscls, fGendIy
sympathics, and friendly efforts on the
part of the North. They have the
same interest in the Constitution that
we have, and there is nothing that can
make the South again compact unit
in its political action hereafter but hos
tility on our part toward it. t.a


Sir, long to see the day when the
Union party shall take ground that
will command the sympathes of the
Union-loving men all over this broad
republic, and give it that basis of lib
erality, generosity and constitutional
freedom to which by its organization,
by its principles, and by its history. it
is entitled. Whenit shall have done
that, it will hold position from which
nothing can drive it. l repeat, sir,
that the great political necessity OF the
day is to ndtionali.e the party that has
Sdued the nation. And all that's need
ed to accomplish this results for the
Union party to stand upon its own
ground, to avoid all needless issues, to
await the developments of time and
public discussion before rushing into
contests upon now questions, and to
resist resolutely every endeayor to
force upon it principles and measures
which it has never cspoused. Let ii
plant itself upon national ground dis
card all sectional feeling, extend it's
organization into every State, make
| the interests, rights, honor, welfare ol
all sections its own, and it will stand
foreverl In such position and with
such principles it has every depart
ment of the Government at its COM
mand. All the patronage and power
of the Executive would give weight
and effect to its policy. Thousands OF
patriotic and dsinterested Democrats
will swell its ranks and give weight
to its councils, and we shall see an end
of the long, weary strife of sections,
which once had a reason, q necessity,


and an object, but which, now that
slavery is dead, has them no longer,---
4 1t is the hope of such result that has


prompted my action on this floor du-
ring tho present session. 1t is that
/ which has led mo TO seek so stronglyi
and so steadily maintain harmony OF
! activn between the President and the


majority of Congress, for knew them
as know now, that in all the essen