758 



UNITED STATES. 



The action of the convention was at the out- 

 set favorably received by the country, and san- 

 guine expectations were entertained by its 

 friends that its action would bo confirmed at 

 the subsequent elections. 



Meanwhile the Republican party were not 

 inactive. Every effort was made to preserve 

 its ranks unbroken and retain the confidence of 

 the people. The two resolutions which follow, 

 extracted from a series adopted by the Union 

 League of Philadelphia, on August 22d, ex- 

 press the sentiments then entertained by Re- 

 publicans both toward Congress and the Pres- 

 ident : 



Resolved, That the thanks of this League be, and they 

 are hereby cordially presented to the loyal representa- 

 tives in Congress from this and other States, who, 

 faithful to justice, to liberty, to the Constitution, and 

 the Union, have saved the country from the humilia- 

 tion, danger, and disgrace of admitting into the pub- 

 lic councils unpunished traitors, whose hands are 

 stained with the blood of her loyal children. 



Resolved, That in the extraordinary sympathy 

 recently manifested by Andrew Johnson, under the 

 guidance of William H. Seward, with the prominent 

 traitors of the country, and their political adher- 

 ents; 



In his treachery to a loyal people, who trusted and 

 raised him to power; 



In his recent declaration that he will so use that 

 power as to compel every man who holds office un- 

 der the Government to support his policy or give up 

 his bread ; 



In his denial of the right of the people of the loyal 

 States to exercise legislative powers in Congress in 

 the present condition of the country; 



In his indecent and ribald attacks upon their repre- 

 sentatives for endeavoring to establish justice, and 

 protect a weak and helpless race from persecution, 

 oppression, and slaughter; 



In his fraternity with the rebels of New Orleans, 

 resulting in a horrible and causeless massacre of 

 loyal, peaceful, and virtuous citizens, wicked in con- 

 ception and fiendish in execution 



We recognize with profound disappointment and 

 sorrow a degree of moral and political depravity 

 which has no parallel in our history ; and we are 

 thus admonished that the utmost vigilance is now 

 required on the part of those by whose votes and 

 arms the nation was saved, in order to secure the 

 fruits of their victory justice with peace, and liberty 

 with union. 



On August 28th the President left Washington 

 for Chicago, to be present at the laying of the 

 corner-stone of a monument to be erected to the 

 memory of the late Stephen A. Douglas. . He 

 was accompanied by Secretaries Seward, Welles, 

 Postmaster-General Randall, General Grant, Ad- 

 miral Farragut, Rear- Admiral Radford, Senator 

 Patterson, M. Romero, Mexican minister, and 

 others of less distinction. The first night was 

 passed in Philadelphia, the second in New York, 

 and Chicago was reached in the evening of Sep- 

 tember 5th. Immense crowds were present in 

 the cities and towns through which the Presi- 

 dent passed, and his popular reception was highly 

 flattering. At all important places where the 

 company tarried addresses were made to the 

 President, to which he responded, and often 

 some other members of the party. He entered 

 very fully into a discussion of the leading 

 measures of his administration and of the diffi- 



culties arising from the action of Congress, 

 often using severe and bitter denunciations. 

 The ceremonies at Chicago took place on Sep- 

 tember (5th, when an address was delivered by 

 General John A. Dix. The party in a measure 

 now broke up, and' the President returned 

 rapidly to "Washington by the 1 way of Spring- 

 field, 111., and St. Louis, Mo. In a political 

 aspect the excursion was quite unfavorable to 

 the President. 



Meanwhile the Southern Unionist Conven- 

 tion assembled at Philadelphia on September 

 1st. This convention was a movement in oppo- 

 sition to the one of August 14th. It was as- 

 serted that it would represent the sentiments 

 of men who had been Unionists in the Southern 

 States through the war; while those present 

 from the Southern States in the August 14th 

 convention represented the sentiments only of 

 such as had been in arms against the Govern- 

 ment. The mass of the delegates were from 

 the border States, and a very few from those 

 farther South. The convention was organized 

 by the appointment of ex-Attorney-General 

 Speed as president. Delegates appointed by 

 the Governors of several of the Northern States 

 were also present, " not to sit in the convention, 

 but to cheer and cooperate " with the members. 

 In Connecticut the Republican State Committee 

 resolved to send forty delegates. Governor 

 Oglesby, of Illinois, requested the two Senators 

 from that State to act as delegates; Governor 

 Fenton requested the same of the two New- 

 York Senators; large delegations were also sent 

 from each of these two States. Indiana, Maine, 

 Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Ohio, were 

 represented by considerable numbers. In the 

 proceedings the Southern Unionists sympathized 

 with the extreme members of Congress in favor 

 of negro suffrage. This finally produced a 

 division ; and the Northern representatives, not 

 being disposed to take that advanced position, 

 withdrew from all ostensible connection with 

 the convention. At the same time the delegates 

 from the border States, being in a considerable 

 majority, adopted an address and resolutions, 

 which were quite unsatisfactory to the repre- 

 sentatives of the more extreme Southern States. 

 An adjournment was then proposed by the ma- 

 jority, amid great opposition from the minority. 

 The difficulty was arranged by leaving the 

 minority to meet on the next d;iy and adopt 

 an address and resolutions agreeable to their 

 views. The following is an extract from the 

 series of resolutions first adopted: 



3. Resolved, That the unhappy policy pursued by 

 Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, in 

 its effects upon the loyal people of the South, is un- 

 just, oppressive, and intolerable; and accordingly, 

 however ardently we desire to see our respective 

 States once more represented in the Congress of the 

 nation, we would deplore their restoration on the 

 inadequate conditions prescribed by the President, 

 as tending not to abate, but only to magnify tho 

 perils and sorrows of our condition. 



4. Resolved, That with pride in the patriotism of 

 the Congress, with gratitude for the fearless and per- 

 sistent support they have given to the rause of lot- 



