The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-07-15
sEsihEfHhs. Y q. X.-Ne l7.-WHonn No. 485

~ ana py direct language advised against en-
iistments, and in favor of desertion and re-
sIstance to drafting. We all know that CON-,
bihatiors, armed in SOME instances. to resist
the arrest of-deserters, began several several
months agoj that more recently the like has
appeared in resistance to the enrolment pre.
paratory to a draft and that quite number
of assassinatiohs have occurred from the same
anina,ts2 These had to be met by military
force and this again has led to bloodshed and
DEATH And now, under sense of response
lbility more weighty and enduring than alnv,
which is merely official, I solemnly declare
my belief that this hndrance of the
military, including manning and murder is
due to tie course in which Mr.. Vallandig-.
ham has been engaged, in a greater degree
than to any other cause : and is due to him
personally in greater degree than to any
other one man. 81 .h=715 y5asr!s
y These things have been notoriously known
to all, and, of course, known to Mr. Va.lan-
digham. Perhaps would not be wrong to
say they originated with his especial friends
and adherents. With perfect knowledge E Of
them, he has frequently, if not constantly, ]
made Speeches in Congress and before popular
assemblies; and if It can be shown that with
these things staring him in the face, he has
ever uttered word of rebuke or counsel
against them. it will be a fact greatly to his
favor with me, and one of which, as vet,
am totally ignorant. Whenit is known5that
the whole bnrdenro of his speeches has been to
stir up men against the prosecution of the
war, and that in the midst of resistance to it.
he has not been known in any instance, to
counsel against such resistance, it is next to
impossible to repel the inference, that he has
counceled directly in favor of it. -,-s
With all this before their eyes, the Con-
yVe9ntion which you represent have nominated
Mr., Yailandigham for Governor of Ohio /; and
both they and you have declared thezpurpose
to sustain the National Union by all consti-
tutional means. But of course they and you
in common, reserve to yourselves to decide
what are constitutional means, and unlike the
Albany meeting you omit to state or intimate
that in your opinion an army is a constitu-
tional means of saving the Union against a
rebellion, or even to intimate that You are
conscious of an existing rebellion being. in
progress with the avowed object of destroy
ing that very Union. At the same time your
nominee for Governor, in whose behalf
you appeal. is known to you and to the world
toadeclare against the use of an army to sup
press the rebellion. Your own attitude. there
fore, encouraging desertions, resistance to the
draft and the like, because it teaches those
who incline to desert and to escape the draft
to believe it is your purpose to protect them,
and to hope that you will become strong
enough to do so. 1'e5ol io. sa5 30 s71ot e!ltiin1
After short personal intercourse with YOU.
gentlemen of the committee cannot saw I
think you desire this effect to follow your at
titude, but assure you that both friends and
enemies of the Union looks upon it in this
light. 1t is a substantial hope, and by con-
sequence, real strength to the enemy. 1t
is false hope, and one which you would
willingly dispel. I will make the way ex-
eeedingly easy. Isend you duplicates of this
letter in order that you, or majority, may,
if you choose, indorse your names upon one
of them, and return it thus indorsed to me,
with the understanding that those signing are
thereby committed to the following PROPOSE
tions, and to nothing else: ~ 7sisas'sa s7ss's
L. That there is now rebellion in the.
United States, the object and tendency, of
which is to destroy the National Union ! and
that, inayour opinion, an army and navy. are
constitutional means for suppressing the re-.
bellion. ...--4
g. That no. one of you will do anything
which, in his own judgment, will tend to
hinder the increase or favor the decrease. or
lessen the efficiency of the army or navy,
while engaged in the effort to suppress that
rebellion and, =ei p fsi7 E' 81. .1ai'@ g
.. That each ofyou will, in his Sphere
do all he can to have the officers, soldiers aand
seamen of the army and navy, while engaged
in the effort to suppress the rebellion, paid,
fed, clad, and otherwise well-provided and
supported. .i-t sattssssl 81 s5=it-s:v.
And with the further understanding; that
upon receiving the letter and name thus en-
dorsed will cause them to be, published.
which publication shall be, within itself.
revocation of the order in relation to Mr..
Vallandigham. a05 tiasr7s ss75ss.7 ss's
1t will not escape the observation that /
consent to the release of Mr.. Vallandigham
upon terms, not embracing any pledge from
him or from Others as to what he will or
will not do. I do this because he is not pres
ent to speak for himself, or to authorize 9TH
ers tospeak for him aud; hence, I shall ex-
pect that on returning, he would not put
himself practically in antagonism with the
position of his friends. But I do it chiefly
because thereby prevail on other influential 2
gentlemen of Ohio to so define their position
as to be of immense value to the army-thus
more than compensating for the CONSEQUENT
ces OF any mistake in allowing Mr. Vallan-
to return, so that on the whole the
public safety will not have suffered by IL
Still IN regard to Mr. Vallandigham and all
others, l must thereafter, as heretofore, do SO
much as the public safety may seem to re-
quire. l have The honor to be respectfully
yours, ETC., eF A. LINCOLN.
How Ohio Soldiers Are to Vote, 5a
II H e L W. ase
A NJ Ncrr..y .z.,, 49, s,ls-54lasi, =