Year: 1866

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Letter from Henry J. Raymond, Expo


sing their PLaIns and Purposes


The following remarkable letter appears in
the New York Daily Times, of the 18th inst


WASHINGTON, Sunday, June Is, 1866


Political panics are quite as mischievOus
in their way as panics in an army. Parties
are demoralized, and sometimes routed, by
the apprehension of danger that prove to
have been wholly imaginary Sometimes
too these fears create the dangers they dread
and thus fulfill their own predictions The
Union Party in Congress Just now expert
encing panic of more than usual severity
and its action under the circumstances does
more credit to its zeal than to its discretion.


You may have noticed the passage in the
Honse, few days since of a resolution Of
fered by Gen. Paine, of Wisconsin, calling
on the States to organize, discipline and
equip their militia, and directing that two
thirds of the arms, ordinance and ammuni-
ton now under custody of the General Gov
ernment be distributed among the States
the distribution among the loyal States to
take place immediately, and that among the
States lately in rebellion to be postponed un-
til further orders. The resolution came up
from the Committee on Military Affairs and
was pushed to a vote, without debate or de-
lay, under the previous question. 1t attrac-
ted as little attention in Congress as it has
in the country; and the public will doubt
less receive NIth incredulity the assurance
that it was intended, by those who secured
its passage, as the first step tO1oGrd prepare
ton for another ciUiL g0ar. Although no de-
bate was had upon it, members were urged


vote for it by direct conversational appeals
ION the floor on the part of the few who we're
privy to its introduction. Some were told
that it was necessary to enable the southern
lOyalists TO protect themselves Others that
it was simply matter of detail in the War
Department. Others that the arms must be
taken out of the hands of the President
and others that it was proposed at the in
stance of the Secretary Of War. An appeal
was made by Mr.. KassOn, of Iowa, to allow
debate upon it. as it seemed TO be matter of
Importance this was refused


Most of the leading rejecting Radicals in
Congress take this view of the political fu-
ture IF the Fall elections result in the choice
of Northern Democrats enough to cOnsti-
tute, when added to the members from the
Southern States, majority of the House,
they assume that this majority, thus copsti-
tuted, will claim to be the Congress, and win
act accordingly, and that they will be recog-
niZed by the President as the body to which
he will send his message, and whose sessions
ne will, If the necessity should arise protect





hand, that the Union members from the loyal
sSJ6tes-if they constitute majority from
those States-who claim to be the only legal
Congress, and will if necessary, invoke an
instruction Of the people to maintain them
IN that position. They do not in the least
conceal their purpose, in the event of such
a collision, to appeal to force, and to drive
the rival Congress, with the President and
his Cabinent and supporters, into the Poto-
mac, to use the language of one Of the
ablest aRd most sincere of their number. If
you viii recall the remarks of Mr.. Boutwell,,
of Massachusetts,, IN last week first caucus,
You will see this movement clearly fore
shadowed-indeed avowed. he declared his
belief that an issue of force was rapidly ap-
preaching, and that We must be prepared to
meet It. He acts, and all who cooperate
with him in these measures profess to act,
under the apprehension that the President
intends to resort to force-that be means to
jisperse the present Congress on its reas-
sembling in December, if it refuses to ad
NIT the Southern members; and MFR. Farms
worth aseribed to MIR. Seward the deciara-
ton, that this Congress should never reas-
semble unless the Southern members were
admitted-in support of this belief / need
scarcely say that Mr. Seward never made any
remark of the kind, nor that the project as
cribed to the President is purely an inven-
ton, or at best the crazy dream of political
nightmare But in either case it serves the
same purpose. It covers, and is held to jus
tify, the determination to arouse the North,
and prepare for resort to force upon the
assemble of the Fortieth Congress in extra
or In regular session; and tbjs deterD1inqttO71
as dU0soed And the resolution to which
have referred, for an organization Of the
militia and a distribution Of arms in the
Northern States, is the initial to its execu-
ton.


do not propose to comment upon the re-
suit Of such a movement. 1t is obvious that
If any such contingency should arise. the
war would not be sectional, as was the last
it would be a war Of political parties and Of
neighborhoods Not only have the great
body of the Union party IN Congress no
sympathy with these views and purposes,
but they are In the main ignorant and in
creduleus Of their existence That the ex-
treme Radicals entertain them however,
there is not the slightest doubt and we know
from the appearance Of secession IL 1861,
how few men It sometimes requires 70 plunge
a great party or great nation into war


The Philadelphia Convention is another
source Of panic to the Union party. BY the
Radicals Of whom / have spoken Il IS re-
garded as intended to pave the way FOR bring
ing northern Democrats and southern reb-
els into close concert of action under the
protection Of the President. at The opening