SIR,--We, the undersigned, Committee of the Union League of
Savannah, Ga., have the honor to present to you these our
petitions to his Excellency Andrew Johnson, President of the
United States, signed personally by the hands of some three
hundred and fifty loyal citizens. We respectfully ask that you
will present them to his Excellency the President, and we beg
that your Honor will use all of your influence in our behalf,
and oblige,
Very respectfully, your humble servants,
JOS. C. JACKSON, _Chairman_,
GEORGE R. J. DOLLY, _Cor. Sec._,
BENJ. W. ROBERTS,
PETER DUNCAN,
JOSEPH S. TISON.
BOSTON, 8th July, 1865.
GENTLEMEN,--Your petition asking for the right to vote has been
forwarded to me here, with the request that I would present it to
the President. I regret much that my absence from Washington has
prevented me from doing this in person; but I have lost no time
in forwarding the petition to the President, with my most earnest
recommendation.
You need not beg me to use influence in your behalf. I cannot
help doing so to the extent of my ability.
Allow me to add, that you must not be impatient. You have borne
the heavier burdens of Slavery; and as these are now removed,
believe the others surely will be also. This enfranchised
Republic, setting an example to mankind, cannot continue to
sanction an odious Oligarchy, whose single distinctive element
is color. I have no doubt that you will be admitted to the
privileges of citizens.
It is impossible to suppose that Congress will sanction
governments in the Rebel States which are not founded on “the
consent of the governed.” This is the corner-stone of republican
institutions. Of course, by the “governed” is meant all the loyal
citizens, without distinction of color. Anything else is mockery.
Never neglect your work; but meanwhile prepare yourselves for
the privileges of citizens. They are yours of right, and I do
not doubt that they will be yours soon in reality. The prejudice
of caste and a false interpretation of the Constitution cannot
prevail against justice and common sense, both of which are on
your side; and I may add the Constitution also, which, when
properly interpreted, is clearly on your side.
Accept my best wishes, and believe me, fellow-citizens,
Faithfully yours,