Year: 1866

''NiN soy lhGo duu NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
, that you have made against rebel,
, ond their rebellion, was led to be
! lieve that you would be the last
man that would recommend or ac
cept ofany terms for reconstruction
J that would not offer a full security
for the future, even if you might be
persuaded by myself and others tc
waive all indemnity for the past.
| | was grievcd and disappointed
while showing my respect 10 you
~ tho President of the United
States to fiud myself listening to
what appeared an unjust and un.
merited ccnsure of the measures
which large maioity of the peo.
lple's Representatives believed to be
right, and the mildcst measures for
reconstruction that could be adopt
cd with any chance OF establish.
ing justice. or of promoting the
general welfare"


|, with thousands Of others, who
laborc1 to aid the Government in
putting down the rebellion, would
have rejoiced if Congress could
have found all the reports of the
continued persecution of Union men
throughout the South to be ground.
less and false.


Tho whole Republican party
would have reioiced il Congress
could have found it safe t. admit
the members offered from Southern
States at once to a full share in the
Government.


This being my wish, does not au.
thorize me to jenounce the maiori-
ty in Congress, and accuse them of
being radicals and traitors, chang
ing on the skirts OF Government
which they are trying to destroy"


IL was said of old the sin OF in.
gratitude is worse than the sin of
witchcraft.


To my mind, our nation must
live in everlasting iniamy if we
fail to secure full measure of JUS
tice to an unfortunate race of men
who were originally hunted down
in their own country, and carried
off and sold like beasts into an ab
ject slavery, with all their poster
ity.


This cnslaved race has the strong.
est possible claims for kindness, as
well as justice, at the hands Of the
people and Government of the
country, and more especially from
the people OF the South. These
unfortunate slaves have done q
great portion of the labor that has
fed and clothed the whites and
blacks of the Southern country.


AS true as the laborer is worthy
of his hire, so true is it that we,
as a nation, cannot withhold justice
and eqnal rights from a race of
men that has fought and bled and
labored, to defend and protec: the
Union of the States in the hour of
our nations greatest extremity.


The enemies Of our country and
& 'vcrnment are now trying to per-
suade the community 20 believe
that war of races would result
from giving the black man the same
measures of justice and rights
which these men claim for them.
selves. This will be found to be a
groundless fear.


Our national danger will always
result from unequal and partial
laws. We cannot make laws that
will oppress and keep in Ignorance
the poor, without bringing on our.
selves and our country the just
judgment Of q righteous God, who
will reward US as O nation accor-
to our works. a.


indulge the hope that You will
see, before it is entirely too late,
the terrible danger of taking coun-
sci with Northern men in sympathy
with rebels who fought the Gov
ernmcnt with all the energy of dcs-
peration to accomplish the destruc
ton of our Government; instead OF
taking counsel with those friends
who elected you. Friends who have
been and are as desirous as you can
possibly be to secure the adoption
of every measure calculated to pro.
mote the substantial welfare Of all
parts of our common country.


With my best wishes Tor yourself
and the prosperity and happiness Of
the nation, remain,


Truly yours, r


PETER CoorER.