Year: 1866




The following is a copy OF letter from
Secretary Welles to Senator Doolittle, ap-
proving the call for a Convention:


wAsnINGrox, D c. July Il, 1866,


SIR Your note of the 10th instant was
received Yesterday [ cordially approve the
movement which has been instituted to sus-
tain the 4 Administration in maintaining IN
broken the union of the States, and recOg-
nize in the call which you have sent me the
principles and views by which the Admins
tration has been governed. The attempt was
made to destroy the national integrity by
secession or the voluntary withdrawal of a
State from the Union, which was defeated,
and the war has forever extinguished the
heresy Of secession. On the suppression of
the rebellion, measures were promptly COM
menced to re-establish those fraternal rela-
tions which had for four years been inter-
rupted. The policy initiated by President
Lincoln to restore national unity was adop-
ted and carried forward by President John
son The States which had been in rebel
lion were under this benign policy resuming
their legitimate functions. The people had
Lid down their arms; and those who had
been in insurrection were returning to their
allegiance The Constitution had been vim
dicated and the Union was supposed to be
restored, when a check was put upon the
progress to national harmony and prosperity
thus dawning upon the country. On the as
sembling Of Congress all efforts toward IN
ion and nationality became suddenly par
alyzed the measures of reconciliation which
the President had, from the time he entered
upon bis duties, pursued with eminent sue
cess, were assailed, and their benefeent pur-
pose to a great extent defeated. Attempts
were made to impose conditions precedent
upon States before permitting them to exer-
else their constitutional rights. Loyal Sen
ators and Representatives from the States
which had been in rebellion were refused
admittance into Congress, the people were
Genied rightfui constitutional representatio
and eleven States were and are excluded
from all participation in the Government
These proceedings which conflict with the
fundamental principles on which our whole
government system is founded are genera
ting and consolidating sectional animosity,
and If long persisted IN must eventuabe in
permanent alienation. l rejoice, therefore,
IN a movement which has for its object the
Union ia one bond of love of the people of
our common country, and which invites to
council and to political action the citizens of
every State and Territory from the Atlantic
to the Pacific and from the lakes to the Gulf
The eentralizing theory that the loyal and
qualified Senators and Representatives from
eleven States shall be excluded from Con-
gress and that those States and the people
Of those States shall not participate in the
Government IS scarcely less repugnant than
that Of secession itself Propositions to
change the Constitution and unsettle the
foundation principles Of our organic Law, to
change our judicial system In such mat
ner as to destroy the independence Of the
States by insidionsiy transferring to the
Federal tribunal all questions relating t.
the life, liberty and prosperity Of the citi-
zeus. 20 change the basis of representa-
ton, which was one Of the di6iTult and deli
cate COMPROMISES of the Convention Of 1887,
when no States were excluded from repne-