The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-09-16


/ H1R. Wa DtHHjSJH, Chairman Ghi1h state !
! Ccnfrd CommHire, Columbus, OHIO:
| DEAR SIN: lu the address of c. t., Val. !
| laudigham To the Democrats of Ohio dated !
Niagara Falls. July IL, 1868, the following |
passage occurs:
! "Travelng a thousand miles and more. through
nearly c.half the Confederate States and soiourn
ing for . time at widely different points met not
one man, woman or child. who was MT resolved 10 |
perish rather than yield To the pressure Of arms,
even in the most desperate cNtremitlcS. Aud what
ever may and must be the varying fortunes Of the
war, in which recognize the hand of Providence
pointing ySibly to the ultimate SSuc Of this great
trial of the States and people of America. they
better prepared now every way to make good their
inevitable purpose, than at any period since the be-
ginning of this struggle These may indeed be un-
welcome truths but they are addressed to candid
| and honest men. Neither however, let me add,
did meet any one, whatever his opinions or his
station political private, who did not declare his
readiness, when the war shall have ceased and
invading armies been withdrawn to consider aud
discuss the question of reunion. And who shall
doubt the issue OF the argument"
The substance of this extract is clearly
tits:
lst. That the South is unit on the qucs-
ton of resisting the Federal Government
to the last extremity, and the unanimity is
so great that he saw not one man, woman
or child thai dissentcd.
ID. That the Confederate States are bet
ter prepared than ever before to carry out
their inexorable purpose oGrebcllion.
Sd. That the people st the rebcllious
States, with great unanimity, declare their
readiness to discuss terms of reunion, on
the cessation of hostilitics aud the with
drawal of our armies
It is strange that Mr.. EallandighGm had
the tcmerity to make the first of these
statements, when it is notorious that n1
precinct in this State, not oven in East
Tennessee, has so large a per cent. of Union
men as Bedford county and Shelbyville, its
county-scat Mr., Vallandighan's first rest
ng-placc after lie left our lines. That vii
age gave $50 Union votes to Gfty for Sc
cession at the beginning of the war, and it
has retained its reputation for loyalty un-
tarnishcd during the struggle thus far. If
Mr.. Vallaudigham had attempted to ascer-
tain the sentiments of its citizens, he tc0uid
haze foWd MW nine OW Of ecery ter tcere
IN fdcor Of immcoliote Submission to the
Federal Government.
would be glad to believe it possible
that these facts escaped his notice, but
having recently visited Shclby,iIlc, and
converscd with large number OF citizens
who saw and convcrscd with Mr.. Nallandig-
ham daring his stay there, am forced to
the conviction that he knew the statement
quoted above to be false.
The second statement is not less wild
and singular than the first. He must have
known that at the time of his visit and 5e-
fore the late heavy disasters had fallen
upon the rebellion, tho commercial affairs
of the South were in a most runous condi-
ton. Prices current stood us follows
Boots were selling from $50 to S75 per
| y
mon felt hats from $40 to $50 apiece, bacon
81 30 per h., -four soc. per pound corn So
per blishcl, and other commodities in pro-
portion. He could hardly have failed to
uotcc that nearly the whole available force
of the Confcdcracy was already in the field,
that barely enough citizens were left at
home to oversee the slaves and manage
the plantations that the Confcdcracy was
a shell, which, though made of iron, when
once pierced, must collapse into ruin.
His faith in the strength and military vir-
tue of the Southern Contederacy greatly
surpasscs that of large number Of his
friends who are officers and soldiers i'll the
rebel army. Witness the swarm OF desert
ers, who arc daily leaving their ranks,
Furthermore, it is a well.known fact that
even before BraSg's expulsion from Middle
Tennessee, many of his officers, including
two Major-Gcnerals, gave ii as their pri-
vate opinion that the rebellion. could not
, succeed.
The third statement of Mr.. Nallandigham
, is only true as far as his first one is false.
Of course all loyal SoutherncrS are not only
ready to discuss the question of reunion,
but are anxious TO return to the Union with
, out discussion. But when Mr.. Nallandig-
, ham states that the leaders of tlrs rebellion
, unanimously express their Willingness to
discuss the question of return to the
Union he either entirely forgets his con.
; versation with the rebels, or rccklcssly
states ialsehood.
In a full and frank conversation between
; himself and Governor Harris (rcbcl Gov
ernor of Tennessec), the latter, after hearing
Mr.. Vallandigham' statement of his opn-
ions and policy, said in the presence of many
witnesses " POu tOtuAy misunderstood rs.
Ne hare reSolced 10 listen TO no tcJDtS short
0f tie total separation and absolute iadepeH-
deHce ofHc South, ami are ,cW 0cccW M
boundary south fMe line Of the Ohio and
) the Potomac, Negotiation on oAter basis is
utterly useless"
hold myself personally responsible TO
Mr. Nallandgham or any OF his responsible
,, friends, for maintaining by abundant proofs
the assertions | have made above. | ap-
peal to the citizens Of Ohio to vindicatc the
honor Of cur State and the loyalty of our
: people against the designs Of aparty headed
10y u man who not only stands convicted
as the public enemy Of his country, but af.
ter having " left his country for his coun-
trys good" ioined himscif with pirates and
smuSgcrs tn throw contempt upon the laws
of the blockade, which his Government had
established for her protection, now stands
on Il foreign shore, and, with a knot OF adj
miring traitors around hiRi, looks on the Re
public engaged in deadly struggle fcr its
life, and tries to cheer our enemies by de-
claring our cause hopeless.
answer his craven words Of despair by
the stout facts OF July, under which the
whole rebel framework is reehng and tot
tcring TO its fall GHswec thcrh bv the
fact that even in this rebel portion e rebel
Tennessee, thousands are flocking to our
headquarters rcpentant declaring that their
cause is hopeless and begging to come back
under the shield Of the Union. Let cli true
men take new heart and new hope.
Let the Republic but once moro display
the majesty OF its strength and the work
will be ended. Il cur drafted force were
now in the field it would need no prophetic
voice to say with authority, " Yet sixty
days, and this rebel Nmeveh shall be c"er-
, thrown am ETC.,
J. A. GARFIELD.
, Tug WAY OF WEITISG MopERy RoMlNcEs.