Year: 1867

the Members of Congress from TINS state,
took occasion to cast reflections upon the
Unionism and political integrity OF MIR.
Highly. in consequence of some words re-
ported to have been uttered by him, against
the impeachment of Mr.. johnson, in caucus.
While the reputation of Mr.. Highly, as bold,
fearless, uncompromising radical. is so thor
oughly established as to be unassailable,
still, assertions to the contrary, given pub
licity through the columns of a paper so
widely circulated as the Union, might have
tendency to weaken the confidence which
the people repose in him. The following
letter, written by gentleman in Washington
who is cognizant of the facts in the matter,
and for whose relia bility the Union vouches,
entirely exonerates Mr.. Highly from the
charge made against him. The Union exhib-
tied very laudable spirit of fairness by cor
recting its error:


| The COURSE OF CONGRESSMAN HIGBY.-
We give place to the following correspon-
dence from Washington in regard to the
course of Congressman Highly. and especially
on point to which reference was made some
time since in the Union. The writer is well
known to us:


WASHINGTON, March lst 1867.
EDITORS UNION In your issue of Febru-
ary lst appeared an editorial touching the
political character of the different represen-
tatives in Congress from California and spec
ulative of their success or defeat in the next
election. With the views thus expressed as
to the necessity of change in the present
representation, have nothing to do nor is
it my purpose to combat, even were I COM
petent to do so, any of the able opinions set
for tn in the article referred to, as regards the
character or ability of the respective gentle
men who at present occupy seats upon the
/ floor of Congress. 1t is due to truth, how
ever, for me to say that so much of the article
mentioned above as applied to VIM. Highly,
member from the Second District, is without
| color of foundation in point fact, and de-
mands a complete disavowal at the hands of
one who has watched his course from the
beginning of the Thirty ninth Congress down
to the present time. l do not believe the
Union would knowingly place any person,
much less representative of the State of
California, in false or equivocal light and,
believing this, have deemed it my duty to
set at rest what may be considered at least an
asperson on the political character of one
who stands on the friendliest footing with
the radicals in Congress. l shall proceed to
give you brief history of Higby's conduct
as respects the vital questions of the day,
from the whole of which, preferring the evi-
dence of truth to that error. am persuaded
that you will agree with me that there is no
satisfactory proof of his having been behind
| the necessities of the times, either as regards
reconstruction or impeachment. The facts
from which draw this conclusion are of the
following nature:


|. That whenever the debates in Congress
have covered the political questions of the
day, he has always strenuously opposed q
lukewarm or conservative policy and ardent
ly advocated the strongest and most vigorous
measures.


2. That he has treated every measure which
looked toward restoration of the South on
a radical basis in all respects consistent with
the action of the leader of the radicals in the
House of Representatives.


3. That his sympathy with the loyal men
and antipathy toward traitors and Copper
heads has been manifested on all occasions,
when the merits of either were in any way
connected with the questions under discus
sion.


4. That he even disapproved the constitu-
tional amendment, because its provisions
were too limited in their requirements of the
Southern States as sine qua non of admis-
sion into the Union.


5. That he made a powerful speech against
it, and voted consistently with the Stevens
party in its opposition to it.


6. That from the beginning of the present
Congress he has expressed himself on all oc-
cio in fox- Of ohipu fbo proc i6apf
and has never failed to lend his influence in
whatever direction was calculated to bring
about the result.


desire to add an extract from the Wash
ington Chronicle, which perhaps will give
more strength to the truth of his position
than the few words which have uttered in
defense of him:


ave notice in late number of the Sac
ramento U7,io, an editorial article contain
ing an attack upon William Highly, ore of
the Representatives in Congress from Cali
fornia, for certain words reported to have
been uttered by him against the impeachment
of Andrew johnson in Republican caucus.
As it is highly probable that the report in
which Highly was made to figure was taken
from the Chronicle, it gives us great pleasure
to say that he was made to father the ideas
and language of another. No such declara-
ton, to our knowledge, fell from his lips on
that evening. There is not in either house
of Congress a firmer, more fearless and more
thorough radical than Williem Highly;
and although it is not our province to ask
that he should be renominated by the cons
tituents he has served so WE'LL it is due to
the cause of justice to say that it would be
grievous wrong if he were to fall into disfavor
on account of charge which is proved to be
unfounded. We call upon our good friends
of the Sacramento Union to make this cor
rection, so that Highly may appear in pro-
per light before his people,


true, 1 am mistaken if you do not think the
evidence of what you call his professions of
radicalism is greatly everbornc by the testi-
mony of his Jealous action in the cause of
liberty and truth. M.