UNITED STATES. 



it we should disorganize before first proceeding to 

 organize something better. 



To this end I suggest that a direct effort be made 

 to obtain an immediate understanding between the 

 supporters of the Baltimore and Cleveland nomina- 

 tions, in order that the friends of both may coalesce 

 and unite upon an early day for holding such a Con- 

 vention as you propose. I am satisfied that I do not 

 assume too much in saying that my friends will unite 

 heartily in such a movement. 



A realty popular Convention, upon a broad and 

 liberal basis, so that it could be regarded as a convo- 

 cation in mass of the people, and not the work of 

 politicians, would command public confidence. Such 

 a Convention, acting in the large and liberal spirit in 

 which it was called, without considerations of per- 

 sons or political cliques, and without reference to by- 

 gone situations, rising to the level of the occasion 

 and taking the conditions of the country as they pre- 

 sent themselves to-day, could safely be trusted to 

 propose such a policy and name such a man as 

 should, and undoubtedly would, receive the cordial 

 and united support of the patriotic masses of the 

 people. To the great body of these, so far as my in- 

 formation allows me to form any opinion, I think 

 that the following propositions would be acceptable : 



1. Respect for the personal liberty and the consti- 

 tutional rights and dignity of the citizen. 



2. The maintenance of the dignity of the United 

 States in their relations to foreign powers. 



3. The reestablishment of the Union ; by peace, if 

 it is possible ; by war, if the employment of peaceful 

 measures cannot be made to succeed. 



Much has been said of late about peace, and you 

 will therefore excuse me if I say here what I under- 

 stand by it. For me, peace signifies the integral re- 

 establishment of the Union without slavery ; because 

 slavery is the source of all our political dissensions, 

 and because the institution itself is condemned by 

 the enlightened and liberal spirit of the age. These 

 are to me the essential conditions of peace. If it is 

 practicable to attain this result, it would not be pay- 

 ing too dearly for it taking also into consideration 

 the material strength which the South has been per- 

 mitted to acquire by the conduct of the war to make 

 concessions upon some points of secondary import- 

 ance, such as that of paying an indemnity for their 

 slaves to those who have remained in a sort of neu- 

 tral condition during the unhappy war which has 

 convulsed the country. To terminate this we are 

 now expending life and money ; it would certainly 

 be a gain to reduce it simply to a question of money. 



If, in spite of all these efforts to spare the South 

 humiliation or losses of capital likely to be too severe- 

 ly felt, the political chiefs who direct the South per- 

 sist in war, then the policy of the Convention should 

 be to pronounce in that case for war with all the force 

 and energy of the nation. For peace upon any terms, 

 and merely because it is peace a peace recognizing 

 a North and a South would not bring about a sta- 

 ble equilibrium. It would only prepare the way for 

 new struggles, and for a condition of disastrous 

 anarchy. 



The paramount question is the Union. By peace, 

 if it can be had on honorable and right terms ; by 

 war, if the political leaders who are directing the 

 South insist upon war. 



The situation of our country is unquestionably crit- 

 ical. It demands the devotion and the patriotism of 

 all men who really love their country, and it is one of 

 those moments when all personal aspirations should 

 vanish in the face of the great questions of principle 

 and national existence which are at stake. 



Thanking jou, gentlemen, for the evidence which 

 vour letter gives me of your confidence in my dispo- 

 sition to do every thing in my power for the interests 

 f the country, I am, very truly yours, 



J. C. FREMONT. 



In Ohio this dissatisfaction was also mani- 



fested. A circular was issued in Butler Countj 

 by former supporters of Mr. Lincoln, calling a 

 Convention on the 6th of August at Hamilton, 

 to consider the withdrawal of Fremont and 

 Lincoln, and the meeting of another Convention 

 in Buffalo on Sept. 22d to nominate a candidate 

 in their stead. Upon, this call the New York 

 " Evening Post " remarked : 



But whether such a Convention will be needed or 

 not, will depend very much on the action at Chicago. 

 If a Peace Democrat of the character and opinions of 

 Yallandigham should be nominated there, we do not 

 see how the War Democrats, who may be unwilling 

 to support Mr. Lincoln, can be induced to give in 

 their adhesion to the party. On the other hand, if a 

 sound, honest, capable and earnest War Democrat 

 should be nominated there, on the simple platform 

 of " unconditional submission to the Constitution 

 and the laws," it would go far toward rallying to 

 his support all that part of the nation which is dis- 

 satisfied with the present administration of affairs. 

 In the former event a new Convention would be re- 

 quisite; in the latter apparently needless. 



Loyal Leagues was the name given to secret 

 associations of Republicans supposed to be or- 

 ganized for the purpose of promoting the suc- 

 cess of their favorite candidate for the Presi- 

 dency. Very little is publicly known of them, 

 but they were supposed to extend throughout 

 all portions of the free States. On Aug. 3d the 

 State Council of th'e Leagues in New York 

 adopted the following resolution : 



Resolved, That we earnestly recommend and urge 

 upon the subordinate councils to organize military 

 companies within their several bodies, to arm and 

 drill with the utmost diligence, and with great cau- 

 tion, that no unnecessary occasion of offence be given 

 to our enemies. 



This recommendation was very generally 

 adopted. 



On the other hand, it was stated that secret 

 political associations existed in the other par- 

 ties, and particularly the Democratic, designed 

 to aid their cause in the election. "Whatever 

 associations for this object may have existed in 

 any party, the veil which hides their proceed- 

 ings from the public gaze has not as yet been 

 removed, and nothing further can here be said 

 than to state the fact of their supposed exist- 

 ence. 



On the adjournment of Congress in July, the 

 Democratic members of that body issued a 

 lengthy address to the members of their party, 

 of which the following are the concluding sen- 

 tences : 



There are but two classes of men in this country 

 who may rejoice in existing conditions: First, those 

 who make money out of the war ; and second, those 

 who desire to achieve emancipation by it. As to the 

 former, their thirst for sudden wealth is gratified, 

 and it is not in their nature to regret deeply those 

 calamities which fall upon their fellow-countrymen, 

 but from which they are exempted. And as to the 

 Radical Abolitionist, his cup of enjoyment is almost 

 full. He believes that emancipation will take place, 

 or the Union remain broken forever. Either re- 

 sult satisfies him profoundly and wholly, and no 

 possible event during his existence can compete with 

 either of these in merit and excellence. 



But has not the country borne all it can reasonably 

 bear, in fact much more than it can reasonably bear, 



