The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1863-09-02


ington to deny to our soldiers in the
field the privileges of freemen-the in
estimable privilege of thinking, speak
ing and voting as they please. 1t is
an insult, it is an outrage on the sol
der, to deny him the right to receive
and to read whatever documents and
papers he may choose. l am not
public man, sir, but have public as
well as a private interest in the mat
ter. Two of my sons-nearly all |
have-entered into this contest as pri-
vate soldiers, and had they remained
in that capacity to the end Of the war,
no President or power on earth could
deprive them of their birth-right.-
Citizenship is the born-right of an
American, and citizenshipis the bought
right Of foreigner who complies with
the law, and dearly, dearly toe, has
many naturalized citizen paid for
that right. From old Lexington to
Gettysburg they have soaked the al
tar of liberty with their blood. -Four
from my house and home hove gone
forth "where blood and carnage clothc
the ground in crimson, sounding with
death groans." One Of them | shall
never see more. He sleeps the long
sleep at Vicksburg. And yet am ga
Copperhead," l am ga Buttcrnut," I
am a "black- hearted traitor and ought
to be sent to Fort Warren" "HEU
Me MIsERUM!" flow very wretched
| should feel. Those SMART men,
those men who stand on street corners
when Democratic professions are pass
ing, and shout "Hmrah for JEFF Da-
Wis" are filed with justice and gener-
osity for their fellow-citizens Who
says they are brceehes pocket patriots?
The thought is slanderous; they are
noble, disinterested souls.
But enough, enough of such fox
faced vermin. The charge has been
made, the charge is constantly repeat
ed that Democrats prefer their party
to their country. Hence the fierce
and fiery invectives showered down up
on them; hence they are called ''hounds
and curs;" and hence, in Cabinet Its
erature, it is said "the Copperheads
shall be sent Kissing back to their
holes" What are the proofs? The
last proof is that thousands and tens
of thousands of those who answered the
call of old Divad Dot, shouted out:
awe will fight John Morgan but vote
for Vallandigham." Capt. Cunning
ham, in his account of the raid through
Indiana and Ohio, says, "Wherever
we went we were opposed by Copper
heads and Butternuts in front and
rear" Poor miserable "hound cursl"
why did you oppose your friends?-
The first proof was, that when the
President called for $4,000 men, the
Democracy rushed to the standard of
their country. When the President
called for 5000 more, the Demo.
Gratis poured in until our civilian War
Secretary was obliged to cry out,
'Hold, enough" On the volunteering
system our army and navy have not
less than one million and half of
men, and at least one half are as true,
unhinching Democrats as ever cast a
vote or shouldered a musket.
Again, your note says, that there
are persons "both here and abroad, "
who are interested in my opinions,
and desire to know "my views about
the political parties at the present
time" Ihave no pleasure in person
ality, no motive, private or public, in
speaking or writing about myself. |
shall do so, then, only so far as it will
elucidate my subject. You doubtless
remember, that meeting was called
in Cncleyille, by the then Republican
party, to organize the Great National
Union Association. They appealed
to every patriot, to every lover of his
country, to every man who was oppo-
sed to the reasonable, the criminal ef-
forts, which certain Southern malcon-
tents were making, to trample upon
the Constitution, and to dissolve the
Union, to come forward and lend his
aid to the Administration in defending
that Constitution and preserving that
Union. Seeing, feeling, knowing as
I did, that everything which | held
high and holy, as an American citizen
was at stake, | responded to that call.
| desired to believe, | did believe, that
those men were honest and sincere in
their professions of placing themselves
above party. ] know for one, | felt,
like the Quaker, Of saying to my po>
litical name, 'lie there democracy, un-
til | have choked these villains. " l
was invited, I was urged to preside
over that meeting. Standing in the
presence of Coils. Cochran and Flor,
ence, | declined. | felt that they
were deserving the honor and respect
of all men, and that either would be
worthy Of the cause and place. de-
clined to act as President, but deter
mined to act as private, and hence ]
excused myself, one week later from a
similar invitation from some of my
old Democratic friends. Well sir, /
voted for "Tod and victory" but no
sooner did victory take her seat in Co.
lumbus, than she summoned all the
cohorts Of Abolitionism-"like swal-
lows to their sooty nests, they came in
countless thousands home." Before