Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-03-06

]
he was induced, at our request, to attach
his name to these letters, and thus give
them the weight Of his authority.
LETTER NO. l.
To ABRAHAM LINeoLN President Of the United
! States.
"RGspEcrGD SIN I do not address
you for the purpose Of censure or advice.
From boyhood to old age [ have belong
ed to the Democratic party of the coun-
try. Ny political creed, in common with
that of my party throughout the North
has been, and now is, devotion to the
Constitution as it came from the hands C. {
! Washington and his compatriots, and to
the rights of the States reserved by them
on the adoption of that instrument.
"We look upon the structure composed
of the States and the Union as our tenn
pie of liberty, Of which the States are the
pillars and the Union the roof Remove
the pillars and the roof will fall remove
the roof ard the pillars will be over
thrown by the storms Of anarchy and
war, and our county will be stlewed
With ruins more melancholy than those
which lie PROSTATE o. stand shattered on
the sites of ancient ciSies.
"Ruthess hands have seized upon and
are attempting to remove a portion Of
the pillars of our temple, at the hazard
Of crushing themselves and us in its fall,
and in the insane hope of building a new
temple for themselves out of the ruins.
"Though the Democratic party Of the
North were always willing to make all
reasonable or even tolerable concessions
to satisfy their allies in the South, yet as
a body no party is more devoted to the
Constitution and the Union. 1t was de-
votion to the Union which induced them
to make concession after concession to
quiet the apparent apprehensions Of their
Southern friends. So vital in their view
was the preservation cf the Union and the
Constitution to the interests and safety
of the Southern States in particular, that
many Of them could not, until the assault
on Fort Sumptcr, he convinced that the
leaders Of Southern afitation had any
thing in view beyond fnrthcr guarantees
for their local institutions. Under delu-
sion some of them rFised their voices
against tDtltlDll, anu ttlClCb1 ullN llllllSIy
rendered material service to the cause of
rebellion. But when convinced by the
thunder of rebel cannon and the flames of
Fort Sumptcr, that revolution, and not
redress or security within the Union, was
the object of the Southern leaders, they
did all that honest men could do to re-
trive their error, and, Notwithstanding
their political antagonism on minor
points, the Democratic party of the North
rallied around your Administration as
the only means of saving their country.
Your armies abound with them none
: are more ready to sacrifice all that is dear,
even life itself, for the preservation Of the
Union and the Constitution, and to them
it is cheering, though but Just, that you
have recently given them Il representative
in your Cabinet.
"Be assured, sir, that the Democratic
party of the North, with the exception
of a few scmi-traitors whom they repudi-
ate, cordially approve the objects of the
war against rebellion as declared by you
in all your public avowals They rally
around you with devotion to the cause
not exceeded by any class Of your origi
nal supporters, and they will spare nC
sacrifice to save the Union and the Con
stitution. In this great object they ART
already consolidated with the great mass
Of the Republican party, and will b'
among the last to despair. Indeed, thes
two parties for all present purposes con
stitute but one, which may be apppropri
-, ately called the CONSTITUTIONAL uNlol
PA0ry, The object OF this party in the
: pending war is to preserve the Constitu
lon as Il Is. 1t is the Constitution, an,
Hm only., which makes us a mutton DIES
troy it and the nation will cease to exist
being res olvcd into thirtyiour indepcu
" dent States. In fighting for the Constr
y. tuition, therefore, we fight for the life q
10 the nation for all that can give us peac
and security at home and all that ca
make us hoHored and respected abroat
>, "Thc fundamental principle of on
n Government, that principle which has Ell
;, abloi the Republic to extend itself lror
the Atlantic tot he Pacific, and cndowe
q it with capacity to embrace continent
y and climcs within its dominion, is tina
everything which relates exclusively o
- mainly to local affairs shall be left to b
- regulated by local governments, while tn
= powers of the General Government shal
II be only such as are requisite to promot
Il the peace, happiness and prosperity o
i the people, whatever may be their pccn
, liar customs, laws or domestic inStitu
= tions. An attack upon this principle i
+ an assault upon the Constitution it /
! undermining the foundations Of the Re
/ public it is divcSting it of that attribute
! almost divine, which, like the Govern
ment of Heaven, protects alike error anl
truth, allowing man to work out his owl
= happiness in peace by the free exercise
i his own powers.
! But we have a class of men among
us who not content with such n GOV
! ernment. They are not content with tn
~ privilege of shaping the laws and inStitu
', lions Of States in which they live accol
- ding to their own sense of right and eS
pedicncy, but wish to compel other me
and other communities, over whose loc'
affairs they have no rightful control,
~ adopt their notions, and, utterly regard
= less of essential differences in circumStal
" ces, remodel all local institutions by the
20 procustcan standard. And by concer
al o(Tnrt theSo men are attempting to