The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-08-05
senator ShcrsAaMss Testsmony eon-
&ertn ing NEr. Vallamdighas

Ia speech delivered by Senator John |
Sherman, in Delaware, Ohio, ON the 18th |
ult., he bore the following testimony con-
cerning Vallandighan's Congressional rec
ord" his associations and synatathies. Of
course there are those who will say that it Isl
an abolition lie,n but The fact is, every word
spoken by the Senator is corroborated by the
official record of Congress, which no man can
gaiasay. Senator Sherman said
I served as member of Congress with him
during his entire time. He was the intimate
friend and associate, personal and political, of
the leaders of this rebellion. You will look
in vain for any word from him of reproof,
encouragement or dissent, to any act of theirs
in the progress of the rebellion. He defend
ed all the outrages in Kansas, The repeated
invasions of armed Missouri mobs, the fraud,
violence, murder and crime, with which these
same rebels sought to overcome freemen in
Kansas-the infamous laws of bogus legis-
lature-the attempt to establish pro-slavery
constitution by election frauds, all these We're
defended and excused by him. He applaud
ed and Joined in the noisy threats OF dlsunion
uttered in both houses of Congress when Mr.
Lincoln was elected. During the memorable
election session following Mr.. Lincoln's cleo
ton, and when those rebels, encouraged by the
imbecility of Mr.. Buchanan, were seizing
forts, armories, custom houses, and killing
and robbing our citizens, Mr.. Vallandigham
defended and excused them.
He was with them in consultation, co-ope-
rated with them, was part: toall their plans
and encouraged them more than any other
Northern man in acts of open war. He was
the first and indeed the only man who person.
ally proposed in Congress substantial disso-
luton of the Union, and the substitution of
four Confederacies. When Major Anderson
withdrew from Fort Moultrie and occupied
Fort Sumter, Mr.. Vallandigham was the onlv
man from Ohio who voted 81 No" in a resolu-
tion of thanks to that gallant officer. Up to
tie close of the 30th~ Congress there was not
single act or declaration of Mr.. Vallandig-
ham that was not approved by tie leaders in
the rebellion. The only difference afterwards
was that they took up arms boldly to over
throw the Government, while he avalls him.
self of his position as member of Congress
from Ohio to sap and undermine the author
Eity of the Government and thus more effect
| ually aid the rebels than by sharing their dan
gers in the field"
"When the extra session of Congress metiu
1861. party ties had disappeared, the people
of the loyal States were acting heartily to.
gether in defense of the capitol then belea.
guered by hostile armies. Where was Mr.
Vallandigham then? No political debates
about the conduct of the war had then aris-
en-, when Crttcnden and johnson, Unior
men of the South and of the North, Demo.
| Gratis of the South and of the North, were
acting heartily together in providing mean:
of defense, what then was the course of Mr.
] Vallandigham ? He was active and spoke
frequently, but not one word against the reb
els then in arms around the capitol, but ar
raignnent after arraignment, accusation afte
accusation, against the constituted authorities
The record will show that six men at this ses
sion were especially prominent in opposition
to every measure of offense or defense =
Breckinridge, of the Senate; Bennett, Nor
ton, Wood, Reid and Vallandigham of tht
House. Since then Breckenridge, Reid anc
Bennett have joined the rebel service; Wooc
cropped out in the New York riot and ou
Democratic friends now propose to make tn
other Governor of Ohio. You will not int
his vote recorded in favor of any appropria
tion for the support of the army. l have be
fore me the record of the vote on the bill t
authorize a National loan, taken on the lot
day of July, 1861. Those who voted in tn
negative on this important bill are Bennett
Reid, Wood and Vallandigham. Is not ma
known by the company he keeps