Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-08-13


was read at the great Democratic meeting
held at Toledo, on the 9th inst. II was
an immense and enthusiastic meeting,
aud was addressed by Hon. s. S Cox,
and Hon. G. II. Pendleton. The reading
Of Mr.. Vallandigham's letter was received
with repeated demonstrations of approval
and with most unbounded applause by
the vast crowd;
THE LETTER.
TABLE Rock HOUSE, NIAGARA Falls, c. W.
July 81, 1863.
Messrs. Thomas Dunlap, ii. Z. Platt, John I.
Mahcr John @. lsham ]. G. Wales aud others
committee. etc. . Nft
GENTLEMEN: Unable to attend your
meeting of the 9th Of August, in person,
permit me to address you by letter briefly.
/ waste no part Of your time in person.
al defense. To the candidates, speakers
and writers of the Administration party
| leave undsturbe1, the brave and chiv-
alrous work of assailing an opponent,
absent hecause the tyrannic power Of
their master executed by military force.
compels it. The great issue of the day
ought not to be subordinatcd to things
merely PERSONAL and I recommend to my
friends generally, that they initiate the
wise Romans, and Garry the war into
Africa"
The Democracy of Lucas, postponina
all other issues, and ignoring all difleren.
ces Of opinion in regard to them, assem-
bic, of course, to consider what General
Fremont, the candidate of the "free
speech and free press" Republican party
Of 1856, very aptly styles "the upper
most question Of the day"--the question
of their own constitutional rights and
liberties. This is the practical issue in
the Ohio campaign, forced by the Presi.
dent and his party upon the people; and
boldly met by the Democracy in their
nominations, as also in .their admirable
platform. which, as q candidate, / accent
as their solemn and deliberate confession
OF political faith, and their pledge to the
country that they mean to defend the
rights asserted in it, with their lives, their
fortunes and their sacred honors. Until
these shall have been made secure, it can
neither be useful nor possible to discuss
any other question not directly connected
with it. There is, indeed, Just such ones
ton, one second only in importance to that
ofpublic liberty the Union Of the States,
worth the whole world to the American
people. But LIBERTY is the soul of n
people; and what shall it profit us to gain
the whole world and lose our own soul9
The Constitution made the Union. and,
when the war began, it was proclaimed
to be FOX the supremacy of the Constitu.
ton and laws; and whatever difference
of opinion there may have been, even
then, es to the node Of securing it, every
patriotic citizen of the United States
knew what the laws and the Constitution
were. But what do we SEQ to day?
The opinion and will from hour to
hour of the President-and such Pres
identl-is solelnnly and officially pro.
claimed superior to the Constitution and
the laws. even in the States wholly loyal
So that upon the present policy of the
Administration and its party, declared
Interchangeable, the South is to be forced
to submit to the will and opinion OF
Abraham Lincoln. instead of written
fundamental statute and common law
And if we ourselves scorn to yield up our
constitutional rights and liberties to This
monstrous demon, does any honorable
: man, any sane man, ask or expect the
States and people Of the South to sur.
render so long as u man survives to
strike blow, or a woman to strengthen
his heart or nerve his arm? Upon such a
policy this war must and will be interim.
nable. SO many square miles may be
overrun, so much soil may bo conquered,
but the hearts of the people never.
II How, then, stand the chances of the
Union, measured by the Two different pol.
icics of tho Abolition and Dcmocratic
parties?
The party of the Administration dc
clares that the States and the people of
the South shall be forced to lay down
their arms and submit. What then?
Conhscatlon of all property; cmanoipa-
ton of all slaves, and execution of all
who, directly or indirectly, have taken
part in the rebellion; namely, nine tenths
OF the whole population; for no general
amnesty has ever as yet been so much as
suggested by either Congress or the Ex-
ocntive. and unconditional submission is
now the least which is demanded. More
than this: as to any State which may
first submit or be conquered, conscription
OF every male person, white or back, be.
tween twenty and forty five, for the con.
quest OF the States in arms. Nor is this
the worst; for inasmuch as all slaves and
free negroes South are considered .loyal"
md nearly all white men and women
"disloyal," and, therefore, as having for
leited oil rights. the negroes, then are all
fee, are to be treated as almost the only
persons entitled to The several rights and
privileges of citizenship. and especially
The very soldiers to garrison tho South.
And now add to all this: suppression of
the freedom of speech and of tho press.
suspension Of tho writ of ha5eas corpus, |
martial law, arbitrary arrests, impriscn.
ments, banishments. interference with
elections, test oaths, appropriation of
houses, seizure of private property, aud
every other act of oppression, outrage
and despotlsm. which lor two years have
been mcrcilcssly practiccd even in States
never in insurcction, but always loyal
to the Union.
This is the entertainment to which
. ~. IAs