Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-07-24
IRoNroE. ONO. Nav, 9, 1869.

Dear Sir: / don't agree with the
Ohio state Democracy as to the course
they seem inclined to pursue at this
crisis, To my mind, the only issue
paramount to, and transcending all
else-is; the preservotion Of oar nation
aIity. We've now got to whip the reb-
els, whip 'em badly, make 'em knock
under, come to terms. sue for peace;
and until these things are done, | am
resolved to know nothing save the
national cause of the United States OF
America, and to wish for nothing ex-
cept the triumph of the Federal arms
wherever displayed. As for party, /
care for none. and never did care
much. - Henceforth, / shall
60 for the best man. My political
creed is: the nationality Of the United
States, and perpetuation of the Union,
and Of those liberties which that Union
has secured to us so far. must with
hold my suffrages from the course Of
Mr.. Vallandigham, Mr.. Medary, Judge
Thurman, Peter Balm, and men ike
them. l cannot give my approval to
the Dayton Empire, the Crisis, and
journals Of that stamp. Ny friend
= %%%% %%4% = of the
*### ##**E =, is absolutely
unpatriotic in bis opposition to the Ad-
ministration. He published JEFF. Da-
vis' Inaugural Address without
word of dissent-wilhout structure
upon its assumptions Of principle, or
its falsi6cations Of fact; and, at the
same time, in giving one of Lincoln's
Messages, he INDUCED in the bitter
est invective. He is but one Of many;
not, indeed, so bad as some of his col
Leagues are. For my part, 1 cannot re-
concile such manifestations Of conduct
and opinion with nv deliberate sense
of political duty. To party, l owe
nothing; to the nation, everything. /
have shaped my action, SO far as relat-
es to this war, by Douglas letter to
to Chairman of the Illinois Centeral
Committee-the last thing he ever
wrote. I go with Benz. F. Butler. B.
F. Hallette, (the framer of the Cincin-
natl PLATFORM Joseph Holt, Edwin NJ.
Stanton, Daniel S. Dickinson. VIM. S.
Grosebeck-aye, with Franklin Pierce
and Caleb Gushing - = But no
such Unionism for me as Vallandig-
hams, Ben. Woods, Jesse D. Bright's,
or McDougsii's. If they, and such as
they, are Democrats, in any tolerable
sense of the word, 'hen was / never a
Democrat, am not one now, never ex-
pect to be, and would sue the man for
slander that said l was one. For
years, in fact ever since I had been a
voter, acted in main with the Demo
cratic party, though, at bottom, a
whig of the Henry Clay school. l
went with them on our State ques-
tions-New Constitution, &c-from
1849 to 1858; l was with them as
against the Know Nothings in 1854;
and l was absolutely with them on the
non-intervention policy as respects
slavery from 1854 TO 1860. But, SO
far as relates to the tremendous crisis
we are now passing through, 1 will not
act with the Democratic party, if its
masses allow Vallandigham & Co.,
to walk in the lead, and cry: 'Jollow
ust" l think the present time is too
awful for the indulgence Of party
spirit-that bane Of Republics! Let
us 6rst be sure that we have a coun-
try-a nstionality-and the force with
in to make US feared at home and re-
spected abroad. ! disspprove
OF the whole scheme Of Secession; from
the premises on which its closet-reason
ing is based, to the damning conclusion
which its adherents now proclaim to
an astonished world. / won't have,
to do with it-directly or in
directly. Whether the Old Union Of
1889 be restored or not, I want this
War, so long as it may last, conducted
with such wisdom and energy that we
shall have no more scare-crows faunt-
ed in our faces by the Cbivalry for the
next century. DEMONSTRATION" or
no reconstruction; restoration" or no
restoration-we must have security, or
else Government is a sham. Hence,
so long as hostilities continue. ! am
for vigorous measures, with as little
OF dissentient action at the north as
may be. Its only question: whether
we. Of the regular Government, shall bs
hammer or anvil, sovereign or subject. |
| prefer it should result with the "ham
mer" and sovereignty on our side;
and, to secure this result, / want the
whole mind, soul and strength of the
United States. resolutely bent To the