Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-11-12

We desire to pnt the North upon q plat.
form upon which all can stand, so that
we shall present an undivided and nm
broken front. We will not only bring al
the powers Of force against the rebellion
but we will do more than that--we will
carry disunion into it's ranks by extend
ing to them in this hour when victory
has crowned us, and when it is great,
magnanimous so TO do. every inducement
that honest and honorable men can offer
to them to return to the Union. Cheers
In this We differ from our political op-
! ponents-we do not refuse to exert one
single energy less than they; we propose
to bring to bear those Influences which
the history Of the world. your own good
judgment. everything. teaches you is es
sential to bring to u successful tcrmina.
tion any contest, whether between in1i.
viduals or nations. Cheers. We feel
that upon this point, therefore. we hold
higher ground than is held by those who
stigmaiize us as being untrue to our coun.
try. Why do they stigmatize us thus
They would hardly make that imputa,ion
against the hundreds and thousands who
have gone forth from the Democratic
ranks to battle for the flag Of our Union.
[Great cheering.l Why then ? Is it
because we are willing not only to sus-
tain our soldiers in the field, to sacrifice
property and life, but that we say that,
moro than this, we will sacrifice upon the
al tar of our country our pride and pas.
sions. when pride and passions stand in
the way of our success? Cheers.
But this is not the only point OF differ
ence. Who will not concede that, unless
there is more energy, more skill, more
judgment exhibited, than has heretofore
marked the progress of this war. we are
coming to certain destruction ? A man
may float along the beautiful river that
runs by your city, in safety, for a time /;
but, if he continues. day after day, to
float idly along, and allows the time to
pass by when he can reach the margin in
safety. he will find himself at last in sight
of that mighty cataract whose name is
famous throughout the world, and will
find himself within the swift vortex Of it's
waters which will whelm him into utter
destruction. SO with our nation. unless
we put forth every exertion. not only Of
material power but of wise statesman
ship. OF Christian consideration. of pat
riotic sacrifice of passion aud prejudice,
we too shall find, alas too late, that the
period is past when we can rescue our
selves from the dangers that lie in our
course Cheers. That party is the
most true to the country which proposes
to wage this war for purposes which are
attainable-which are within reach. On
the other hand. that party does the mos,
to endanger our future and bring us to
destruction which proposes new and
greater obstacles to the successful termi.
nation Of the war.
Now / ask you to listen for moment
while l state to you the attitude of the
two great parties upon this subject. We
say, on our part, that we wage this war
for the purpose of restoring the Union,
for the purpose Of upholding our consti-
tuition, and of maintaining and defending
those personal, home, hearth stone rights
of the citizen which are guaranteed in
that constitution. These certainly are
objects worthy Of the approval Of all good
men. They are more easily reached than
our opponents in this war. 1t is easier
to bring back the southern States when
we say that if they come back to the per-
formance of their duties, they shall also
enjoy their rights as States, than it is, if
we say that they must, when they return.
bow abjectly to the dictation of passion
ate and infuriated men. Chcers.] Let
me call your attention to the history of
this war. When it began, by the unan-
imous vote Of Congress. representing all
parties, it was solemnly declared that the
object of this contest was to put down
resistance to the laws, to maintain the
dominion of the constitution over the
whole country, and to restore the Union
of our fathers. AT that time there was
no division OF sentiment in the North
, All were united in carrying on the con.
test. al! gave their contributions Of men
and money, and for time the voice of
party seemed to be hushed. But little
while after that we were told that the war
was to be continued for another pur-
pose--that there was a cause for this diff
ficulty-that slavery was the the cause
and slavery was to be removed. We
protested against this issue. Time has
moved on and now we have another issue
Not content to have the war end with the
restoration of the honor and the suprem
acy of the constitution, or even with the
destruction of slavery, you have recently
heard the declaration from the Vice Pres.
ident of the Unittd States and by Sena-
tors from eastern States, who not only
prognosticate, but make the policy Of
this administration, that this war is to
go on until the general government has
added to it new power over, and new
relations to the vast regions Of the South.
which. they say, once were States. You
have heard the boast by one Senator that
not only should the war go on. but that
it had gone on until the great and impe.
rial State Of New York was dragged at
the heels of a conquefor. Laughter and
applause. Can we hope for success
full termination of this war within . pc
riod of time that will save us from ma
tional bankruptcy and national ruin il
we are to have. day after day, new and
moie difficult issues presented, and day
after day in its progress we are to be told
that its ends and objects are to be more
and more revolutionary and subversive
of all we have been taught to honor or