The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1862-10-30
LETTERS
Addressed to His Excelleney. Abraham
Lincoln, President u s. A.
LETTER l.

resident OF inc CthIe OF OHlO, pay
ing rates and taxes, and as a pro-
fessional man | take the deepest in
terest in all that enters into thc hap
piness, peace and prosperity of man
l am q peace man, because
| am q firm believer in hat "glori-
Gus Gospel of the blessed God"
which teaches us that the kingdom
of God is q kingdom of "peacc on
and good will to all men,
1 have not been many years in
your country, but l have seen
enough Of American society to en-
able me to address you in the Ian
guage of truth and soberness.
The present dangerous state of
the American nation has led me
to resolve to address n series Of let
tiers to your Exccllcncy,a the Chief
Magistrate, placed in the Presiden-
tial Chair by the people. You are,
de tacto, the present head of the ma
tion-thc enc exalted parsonage
and it must he well known to you
that the existing condition of the
orce united, happy and thriving
States, both North and South, is
radically and to an alarming eX-
tent unsound and sadly ~derangcd.
Sir, a war, the elements of which,
have for very many years received
the sanction Of some men in the
Southern or slave States, and of q
large number Of religious and other
fanatics in the Northern or free
States, has ovcrtaken tho entire ma
ton, and hHSdreds OF thousands of
brave notwithstanding both the
North and tac South-havc been
slain on the battle, field, or have
died of their wounds, or Of fever
and ague. Thousands Of homes,
which were once cheered by the
kind husband or faithful son and
atfectionatc brother, are now filled
with gloom, and the plague and
leprosy Of stern war have entered
into their walls, and the destroy
ing angel of the covenant of death
has left the traces of his devouring
power in all the States over which
he has passed on wings Of wrath
scattering death like Il storm Of
hail mingled with blood. Rivers
have been reddened by the blood
of men, and many fields and plains
have already been turned into vast
grave-yards, or rather, into largo
pits dug for the reception Of the
slain, and thousands Of the best ant
most promising Of our young men
including native Americans-Eng
lish, German, Scotch and Irisl
have been manned for life! Thu
fruit Of mems industry-smiled up
on by the rich Giver Of all good
has been destroyed by contendine
hosts on the river and on the land
Sir, permit me to ask how long ha,
. this devouring, devastating, andd
! stroying contest to last? Can nj
reasonable means be adopted to pu
: a full stop to this most ierccly car
: ried on of all other modern wars
; | may be mistaken when l say tina
! | do not for a moment believe tha
your proclamation of slave enamel
patton, now under review by til
Il civilized world, and seriously cor
I demned by the leading men an
. leading journals of Europe will e'
: eranswcr the end which you inut
Z have had in view at the time 90
sent it forth. Still, it may produt
the most fearful consequences
=" tho slaves Themselves. The n
" groes may be reused by it to slang
u ter their owners, including viii
Is men, women and children and sis
them by the tens of tliousands. 81
. I have always objected in though