Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-08-29
MR.. PAYNE TO GOV. DENNISON.
CLEVELAND, August Goth, 1861.
To His ElceAency, W. DenniSon,
Inuor,nr <f DL;n.
Governor of Ohio:

the convention which unanimously APP
proved the resolution in question, / may
not decline the challenge in your note of
yesterday to repl y to your extraordinary
communication of the 18th inst.
In that document you express the opin
ion that this Resolution enbodios some
grave charges" against the "State Au-
thorties." including yourself as the "Ex-
ccutivc;' and you ask for bill of "par-
ticulars," and demand the "evidence"
upon which the assault is based. You
couiteously invite me to look over the
files of the War Department, and profler
me the distinguished privilege Of Gin
tcrrogating the officers of your STAFF
and you more than intimate that de-
clination of the service is to be construed
into proof positive of the stimulated
patriotism" political ambition" "par.
ty avarice," and sundry other unamiablc
sins of the Democratic party.
My reply may not equal your expec-
tations, but it shall leave you no cause to
complain Of the want of candor or frank
nose; and if unpleasant truths are related,
| beg you to remember that the writer,
though political opponent is more a
friend than an enemy.
And first let me correct one or two errors
into which you have fallen in regard to the
purport and of the Resolution. You seem
to consider its accusation aimed princi-
pally, if not exclusively, at the Gov
ernor of Ohio" and the other "Stato
Authorities" But the language express
/ ly condemns the corruption, extrava-
gance, incompetency and favoritism
shown in the War Departments OF the
State and Federot Governments" a
fair proportion of this censurt was inten-
ded for and should be assigned to, the
War Department at Washington; and
that it was Just and merited requires no
| further proof than the declaration OF Mr..
Van Wyck, the Republican chairman OF
the select committee raised at the special
session of Congress, to investigate the
transactions of that department.: "Ihat
within two short months there has been a
system of plunder, which, for audacity
and wckedness, has never been surpassed
That corruption and fovoritism, when eX'
posed, should be severly condemned,
everybody will assent to; but wether il IL
good policy to expose and correct them
during the war, is II question on which
men NAV, it would seem do differ.
infer your opinion to be that such expo
sure and condemnation of abuses, tends
to "deprcciate the public credit" and
compel the National Government to a
discracelul compromise with armed trea-
son; while others, with equal sincerity,
believe that this war will never be brought
to a successful termination, until men OF
United competency and unquestloned
integrity are entrusted with its admins
tration; and in my opinion the President:
by no one act of his, would so eifectually
strengthen the public credit and marshal
and nerve the national forces for the
prompt suppression Of this rebellion, as by
the simple displacement of Mr.. Cameron
and the appointment of Judge Holt in his
place
Another error into which you have fall
len is incxtcnding the censure of this reso'
luton to parties for whom most palpa-
bly. it was never intended. If these
charges are "well founded" you say ''tht
State authorities" 'ought Immediately
to resign their official trusts" The
Auditor, Treasurer, Secretary Comptro-
Her and Attorney General, as well as tho
Executive, are usually classed as STATE
authorities. am not aware that any
charges have been preferred against the
incumbe of those offices. And shouc
the validity of these charges against You
| war Administration be established L SCI
no reason why they should resign unless
it be from a profound commisseratlor
for the "Executive." Neither was it inten
, ded by those who voted for the resolution
to impeach the capacity or integrity o
the distinguished gentlemen who have
more recently been called to the prncipa
position on Your staff. | will! go on'
step farther and say for myself, that il
approving the resolutions | had no in
: tention of imputing "corruption, t.
9 yourself personally.
What was intended by the Convention
g and what fair construction of its Ian
: guagc imports, is, that in the Admins
c tration of the war department, whicl
from necessity employs numerous subor
, dinates and agents, through the incompe
u tency or connivance of those acting in be
: half of the State, improvident contract
: have been made, extravagant prices pai'
: for inferior articles of clothing and sup
0 plies, frauds have been perpetrated an,
@ partizan iavorites have profted at tn
; expense of the public Treasury. Or j
l may be paraphased in these words
The Governor, who is really very clev
er gentleman, and who with his staff wa
abundently competent to discharge th
duties of COmmander-in-C Chief OF tn
Ohio militia, while restricted to the peac
establishment, was in fact not qualifieC
by military education or previous eX
pelience, for the multiplied difficulties auC
arduous responsibilities OF war emer
gency, and committing the fatal mistak
h of not promptly summoning to his gui
II dance a board of experienced councillors
t. he long continued his feeble and inef1ici
,t ent Administration, until through tn
1. want of judgement and incompetency q
" himself and some potrton OF his subordl
in mates, extravaganza, fraud and favoritisr
r. were practced, whereby the public scrvic
10 was seriously preiudiced and the publ
Treasurery devleted."
le As thus Defined the accusation is suffi
er GENTLY grave, admit; and the Democrat
to ic Convention should not have given cul
S. rency to it, eXcept from an honest cor