Year: 1866

i. WASHINGTON, July 3, 1866.


The Democratic Senators and RepreSen.
tatives in Congress, at caucus held this
morning, agreed to throw the entire weight
of their influence in favor of the National
Union Convention, called by the friends of
the President to meet in Philadelphia in
August next. They have signed and is.
sued the following stirring address:


To the People of the United States:


Dangers threaten the Constitution. The
citadel of our liberties is directly assai!ed.
The future is dark unless the people will
come to the rescue In this hour of peril
National Union should be the watchword of
every true man. As essential to National
Union we must maintain, unimpaired, the
rights, the dignity and the equality Of the
States, including the right of representation
in Congress, and the exclusive right of each
State to control its own domestic concerns,
subject only to the Constitution of the Uni.
ted States After uniform construction of
the Constitution for more than half centu.
ry, the assumption of new and arbitrary
powers in the Federal Government is sub.
versive of our system and destructive of
liberty.


A free interchange of opinion and kind
feeling between the citizens of all the States
is necessary to the perpetuity of the Union.
At present eleven States are excluded from
the National Council. For seven long
months the present Congress has persistent.
ly denied any right Of representation to the
people of these States. Laws affecting their
highest and dearest interests have been pas!
sed without their consent and in disregard
of the fundamental principle of free gov
ernment. This denial of representation
has been made to all the members from
State, although the State, in the language of
the President, "preseuts itself not only in
the attitude. of loyalty and harmony but in
the persons of representatives whose loyalty
cannot be questioned under any existing
constitutional or legal test. The represen-
tatives of nearly one,third Of the States
have not been consulted with reference to
the great questions of the day. There has
been no nationality surrounding the present
Congress. There has been no intercourse
between the representatives of the two Sec
tious, producing mutual confidence and re-
speot. In thelauguage Of the distinguished
Lieutenan General, "it is to be regretted
that at this time there cannot be greater
oommingling between the citizens of the
two sections, and particularly, of those in.
terested in the law-making power" This
state of things should be removed at once
and forever. Therefore, to preserve the
National Union to vindicate the suficien-
cy of an admirable Constitution to guard
the States from the covert attempt to de-
prive them of their true position in the
Union, and to bring together those who are
unavoidably separate; and for these great
national purposes only, We cordially approve
the cali for National Union Convention,
to be held in the city Of Philadelphia, on
the second Tuesday (14th) of August next,
and endorse the principles therein set forth.
We, therefore, respectfully but earnestly
urge upon our fellow citizens in each State
and Congressional District of the United
States, and in the interests of the Union,
and in spirit of harmony, and with d.
rect reference to the principles contained in
said call, to act promptly in the selection of
wise, moderate and conservative men to rep.
resent them in said Convention, to the end
that all the States shall at once be restored
to their practical relations to the Union, and
the Constitution be maintained, and peace
bless the whole country.