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AN ADDRESS 
 
 TO ALL HOSOKABLY DISCHARGED 
 
 Olllim anil 
 
 IN THE LOYAL STATES, PROM THE 
 
 SOLDI[BS' AND SAILORS' NiTIONIll UNION LEAGUE 
 
 OP WASHIKGTON, D. C. 
 
 To the Monorahly discharyed Soldiers and Sailors of the United States, 
 (jreeting : 
 
 We address the honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of the Union 
 army and navy of our country upon the importance of organizing leagues 
 throughout the States, having for the!ir object the maintenance of their 
 rights and best interests, and the fostering of that heroic spirit which led 
 them forth to battle in a sacred cause, and the diffusing and practising 
 of those great patriotic truths and lessons evolved by the success of their 
 efforts. '' 
 
 It is admitted that the rebellion just ended was one of the most gigan- 
 tic recorded in the history of the world, its inception and prosecution 
 the most wicked and diabolical, and its success would have entailed con- 
 sequences the most calamitous to our country. 
 
 The successful overthrow of this monstrous combination of wicked 
 men has secured the perpetuity of our republican form of government ; 
 established security to our commercial, agricultural, and mechanical 
 interests, and blessings to us as a nation not exceeded by those obtained 
 for us by our forefathers. 
 
 These great results have been accomplished by the individual and 
 combined efforts of the Union soldier and sailor, and it is important that 
 every man who has served his country should faithfully keep this fact 
 in view. 
 
 It has cost the lives of many of our comrades ; made vacant many a 
 chair at the family board ; and widows and orphans are now mourning 
 the loss of their protectors, while many who went forth from the family 
 circle in all the strength and pride of manhood have returned broken in 
 health, their manly forms crippled and maimed ; and all have endured 
 hardships and dangers unparalleled in history. 
 
 It behooves us to use our influence to se« that the crime which has 
 inflicted so much misery and woe uj^on the cc ntry shall not be lost sight 
 
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 of, and the sacrifices of her defenders be held in light esteem ; aud it re- 
 mains for lis to prevent the charge that "republics are ungrateful'' from 
 becoming verified in fact. 
 
 We must stand by each other now, as we did upon many a battle-field, 
 that no enemy to our interests shall overwhelm us. 
 
 We must not prostitute our honor by begging recog^ilion as the 
 saviors of the country, but we must persistently ancl respectfully demand 
 this. ' " . ' ■ " 
 
 It is our birthright, which we hold of highest value, and to be yielded 
 for no consideration. There are reasons why we should organize to 
 maintain our rights, and observe the utmost vigilance. There are thou- 
 sands in every State who did not go in defence of their country from 
 unmanly motives. They are wanting in patriotism and courage. To 
 those it will be an object to dim the glory of the achievements of the 
 soldier, that their recreancy to their duty may not be so conspicuous. 
 Others, whose sympathies were with the traitors and their cause, will 
 make it an object to have little credit attached to the service of the soldier 
 or sailor, that the heinousness of their treason may not be so apparent. Nor 
 can we overlook the professional politicians who found it to their interests 
 to advocate our cause and bespatter us with praise Avliile their ends were 
 subserved, but who in their schemes ofself-aggrandizement will endeavor 
 to make a soldier's serviceofsecondarv importance, fearful lest his claims 
 upon a grateful country may overshadow theirs. 
 
 Every rebel soldier, and particularly those who have been the very 
 front and offending of this war, have an interest against thotie who fought 
 for the Union. As our cause and services increase in the estimation of 
 the public, that of the rebels become more dishonorable. If they in- 
 crease in favor and can make it appear that it is not so bad after all to 
 have been a participant in this unholy rebellion, then it will appear less 
 commendable to have fought for the maintenance of the Union. These 
 are some of the influences that it will require all the combined efforts 
 we can command to counteract. We would not disguise the fact that 
 they are formidable, but we have had formidable combinations to con- 
 tend against before, with what result let Yicksburg, Gettysburg, and 
 Eichmond tell. The same principles are involved. We claim our 
 position as a right due us ; those Ave have to contend against are the 
 enemies of our country and of her defenders, and it will require the 
 same devotedness to our interests, the same degree of self-denial and de- 
 termination not to be discouraged by seeming delay in the accomplish- 
 ment of our purpose, nor to be disheartened by occasional reverses, that 
 \^ e evinced in overthrowing the enemies of our Government. 
 
 We must not be turned aside by questions of creed or party. These 
 were represented^in the Union army, and did not affect its unity of action 
 or purpose. If our success has accrued to the present benefit of the Re- 
 pi; )lican party, as a party, we could not have done our duty less faith- 
 ful iy if the Democratic party, as a party, had received the advantage. 
 We must fight to keep before the people "that treason is a crime;'' that 
 all men engaged in the rebel cause were traitors to their country, and 
 forfeited their rights and privileges as citizens : that what they did in 
 
its .su})port was damnable, diabolical wickedness, and sliould find no 
 apologist; and that, while we grant them the boon of life, they shall 
 not be restored to positions of honor and trust. by any influence which we 
 possess, and this shall apply to all aiders and abettors of treason wliere- 
 ever they exist as ulcers upon the body politic. We must keep before 
 the people, not boastfully nor arrogantly, but with dignified persistence, 
 that we are the people that saved this country, and but for whom tliLs 
 fair fabric would have been crushed, and anarchy reigned supreme. 
 
 But for us, all the institutions of learning, every enterprise tending to 
 ameliorate the condition of our people, and advance the great interests 
 of our country, would have been swept away. We need but remain 
 faithful to each other and combat the classes before enumerated. There 
 are thousands of patriotic citizens in every county of the States of our 
 Union who have always appreciated our services, and given us the meed 
 of praise due us, and who stood by us and our families while we were 
 doing battle for our homes and firesides. If we remain true and faith- 
 ful as citizens, as we have been to our country as soldiers, we can always 
 calculate upon their co-operation. The earnest and laborious attention 
 of Soldiers' and Sailors' Leagues, wherever established, should be given 
 to gathering the names and facts of every man's military history, of that 
 particular locality, who has faithfully served in this war, and sacredly 
 preserve the record. The families of those who have died, or have been 
 killed, should receive the especial and fostering attention of the surviv- 
 ing men of the army and navy. If this is not done as a sacred duty by 
 such organization of soldiers and sailors, many a brave man's wife and 
 children will suffer. We owe it our fallen oomrades to attend to this 
 matter. 
 
 The patriotic people of the loyal States, men and women, did their 
 part nobly during the war, and merit the lasting gratitude of every 
 soldier, and their continued co-operation can confidently be expected in 
 the future ; but it becomes our special duty to look to the welfare of those 
 of our own household of braves, and add all in our power to their com- 
 fort. The war has demonstrated that the support of most value to the 
 soldier and sailor, while battling for his country, did not come from 
 those who were actuated by political motives or self-advancement, but 
 from the patriotic citizens of our country, who always came up in the 
 hour of our nation's trials. Let us prove ourselves worthy of the con- 
 tinued confidence and esteem of these citizens, and by a calm, dignified 
 and combined demand for the hire of which the laborer is worthy, await 
 its paym.ent, ever keeping in our hearts the motto, '' Our country, now 
 and forever, one and inseparable." 
 
 The discharged soldiers and sailors, temporary residents of Washing- 
 ton, D. C, representing nearly every state in the Union, have already 
 formed themselves into a league, and are actively at work to promote 
 the soldiers' and sailors' interests. AYe respectfully urge and invite our 
 comrades in every section of the country to form themselves into similar 
 leagues and eft'ect a speedy organization, Vvith a view to the calling of a 
 national convention of soldiers and sailors at an early day, who shall 
 determine the character, aims and object of this league, mould andestab- 
 
]lsh its form of government, and give it an influence and importance 
 that will forever establisli it upon a firm foundation. 
 
 We respectfully solicit a full, free and candid interchange of views 
 with every soldier and sailor of our country, and to this end we invite 
 correspondence from every one upon every subject that can be of inter- 
 est to the soldier and the sailor and that would be proper subject for the 
 attention of a national Convention, We trust every soldier and sailor 
 will give us his vicAvs upon any subject he thinks will be of advantage 
 in accomplishing the objects we have in view. We ask this in order 
 that we, being located at the seat of the General Government, may 
 become acquainted with the views and demands of our comrades, and 
 thus be able the more intelligently to labor for their interests. We will 
 cheerfully send our constitution to all Leagues in process of organiza- 
 tion upon application by letter. All communications will be addressed 
 to William Stringer, Esq,, Corresponding Secretary Soldiers' and Sailors' 
 National Union League, Washington, D. C. 
 
 Comrades, we commend this Avork to you. It is for you to say 
 whether we shall be felt as a power in the land. Individual effort is 
 useless, but a well-established combination, representing nearly one 
 million treemen who bared their bosoms to the fire of the enemy, and 
 risked their lives that the nation mi,s:ht live, will be entitled to consid- 
 eration, and wield an influence that will be a sure guarantee that our- 
 rights will be respected, and our demands receive attention. Let us 
 strive to elevate the cause in which we have been engaged, and thus 
 elevate still higher the cbaracter of the Union soldier and sailor, so that 
 it may be handed down to our children and posterity, side by side with 
 the Eevolutionary hero, as the synonymn of all that is just, brave, hon- 
 orable and patriotic. To this end, we invite your hearty co-operatio-n 
 and commend to your attention the views set forth in this address, and 
 trust the day may not be far distant when we shall see the aims and 
 objects thus set forth practically carried out. 
 
 L. Edwix Dudley, 
 W. L. Baer, 
 H. C. Grossman, 
 C. H. Mapison, 
 William A Short, 
 William SiBiNGEEi 
 James Cross, 
 
 Washington, Sept. 22, 1865. Commlitr>- ,,n Address. 
 
 If favorable to the sentiments of the above address, please 
 publish it in your paper. 
 
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