Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-05-06
Address of the Unios Members,
Of the Senate and House of Representatives Of
fEe State Of Ohio, to the Soldiers Of Ohio.

Soldiers Of OhioI
: In behalf the loyal people Of Ohio, we re
t spond to your patriotic and thrilling appeals
Men who have dedicated their lives to thei
country. and shown their devotion by toll
and sacrifices, have the right to address us
reposing in peace and prosperity at our quie
homes. Ohio owes you debt of gratitude
J which money cannot discharge nor words ex-
press. You have achieved, by your gallant
deeds, distinction which brightly mark the
page Of history, and impart to the annals o.
our State an imperishable luster; and you
may be assured that our loyal people CRATE
fully appreciate their obligations to your val
or and patriotism.
We acknowledge the Justice and propriety
of your rebuIe Of the "ignoble contentious
Of home politics and wild, shameless party
strife which unhappy prevail amongst us.
We cordially deplore this disspnsion. No
cause which has ever commanded human en-
ergy so fully merits union Of purpose. Of voice,
and of action, as that which has called you
from the endearments Of home to the perlls
Of the battle field, and which summons Us to
the noblest duties and sacrifices which free
men can render. Whilst we regret that many
have preferred the badge and success of party
to the old banner of beauty and of glory,
and the triumph of freedom. we may refer
with patriotic pride to the Union Movement
Of 1861, in Ohio, in which you participated
as bright illustration Of the loyalty of our
people.
Then men of every variety of party ante
cedents met round the altar of their country
Laid upon it as willing sacrifice all past
political preudices. and unitedy pledged fdel-
ity and cooperation until the rebellion should
be crushed, and our flag float again over all
the States of our once unbroIlen Union
Nothing aided more to consolidate that pa
triotic movement than these memorable words
in the last speech of the lamented Douglaa:
awe have a solemn duty to maintain the
Government The greater our unaninity the
spoedler the day of peace. We have pre-
judices to overcome, from the few short
months since of fierce party contest Yet
these must be laid aside. Let us lay aside all
ordinations and recriminations as to the orr
gin of these difficulties. When we shall again
have a country, with the United States flag
floating over it, and respected on every inch
of American soil, it will then be time enough |
to ask who and what brought this upon us
Whoever is not prepared to sacrifice party Or
ganizations and platforms on the altar Of his
country does not deserve the support and con-
idence of honest people There are only
two sides to this question Ersry man must
be for the United States or against IT, There
can be no neutra7s in this ,car, only patriots or
traitors" These sentiments became the rally
ing cry of Ohio's patriots,-and a multitude
of our best and most prominent fellow cili-
zens, gladly forgetful Of all past political diff
ferences and antiquities, rallied as became
American freemen, to the common standard
of our country. Ohio never witnessed
more impressive spectacle than that of the
Of September 1861. The Presi-
dent ofthe Baltimore Convention was chosen
as the standard bearer of the Union hosts
He generously yielded to his country's call
and bravely, during the canvass, exhibited
lis devotion to the great cause to which he
lad committed his heart and treasures Those
who fought with him under this same banner
shared in the spirit and devotion of his deeds,
md the people CT Ohio signalized their ap- |
probation of the Union movement by giving
more than 81, 900 majority to the candidates
n this convention. The power Of that en- t
husiastie and uni'ed movement caused dis r
oyalty to seek concealment, and arosed the ,
,atriotic into a generous competition for no I
lie deeds and sacrifices. the voice Of 1861 t
would probably have been re-echoed in 1862 /
,ut for the significant facts that more than o
1000 voters had gone to the battlefield, s
nd the strength and energies of our people
we're concentrated upon vigorous efforts to E
ecruit men to Gil the places of the brave who >,
ad fallen by diseases or in the armed conflict, \
nd to respond to a call for al increase Of our
rmy. Those now sympsthzing with the re- q
eIlion did not then reveal any treacherous q
esigns Their appeals to the brave. to come d
} the rescue of the country, were not taint- n
with words of dishonOr or reproach. There r,
7ere a few shameless political bankrupts who, e,
/ their hiding places, uttered words of dis te
,yslty. but even those were rebuked by po- d
tical associates who disowned their heresies. N
be majority of our prominent men, wed Il
ilh one another, both by words and deeds .,
, enkindle in the hearts of the people a,
eeper devotion to the Union, and deadlier 4,
aired of the rebellion Under these cir ~
instances our last annual election occurred. E,
he result is well known to you. Whilst Al
le loyal men Of Ohio were volunteering and al
boring with untiring vigilance to fill up your ar
,lumns, unscrupulous and faithTess men were ~
iling to secure party triumph Many of p
lose who wore the cloak of loyalty, and W
paltered with the people in a double sense, ts
I'VE thrown off their disguise and now shame II,
ly claim the result as a victory for party "
ID rebuke to our Government. They are -
elcome to the uuenviable distinction of n,
crying in a triumph, which has given fresh -,
imation to the dropping hopes of traitors. -
Such men have no genuine sympathy with rie
e soldiers, and be assured the loyal men of pr
no have uone with them. We disown them be