The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-09-30
ADDRESS OF THE UNION WAR DE
MOCRACY.
40 rHE naaoceRAoY or oHIo:

To THE DRsEocRAcY OF OHIO:
FE1Low w-CIT1zENs:-Having met for the
purpose, amongst other things to adopt such
measures as the exigencies of the hour may
seem to demand for the welfare of our COM
mon country" we feel it to be a duty which
we cannot ignore nor thrust aside. to address
you briefly but plainly and truthfully upon
the n1o0aentous questions of the day, and if
possible stay the mad and furious storm of ia
naticisn which seems to be sweeping with
/ almost irresistible force over the face of our
once happy country. We have indeed fallen
upon I" troublous times' Passion and preju-
dice seem to rule the hour Reason and
Judgment have fled the throne, and fanaticism
aud ultraism sway the scepter undisturbed
over tho public mind Our Country, cur
Government, that blessed inheritance descen-
ded to us from our forefathers, is to all but
the hopeful, in the very last throes of expir-
ing nature. In whatever direction the eye is
turned, the horizon of ouF.national existence
is overcast with portentous clouds which hu-
man wisdom and human sagacity seem totally
| inadequate to penetrate or brush away.
We are not the arologists for the mistakes
and errors of the Administration in the pros
eeution of the war, nor do we approve of or
sanction the tactious opposition whichsis be
| ing brought to bear against the legitimate as
well as the doubtful powers of the government
| to put down the rebellion, " suppress the in
surrection, and enforce obedience to the Con-
stitution and the laws of the land; and when
we are asked to sanction and approve, by the
/ exercise of a most solemn and important priv
ilege, the elective franchise ; that factious,
and, as we think and believe, to use no harsh
or term, misguided opposition. which, from the
very beginning, has stHdiously and persist
! effort forth t0 caUn
the life of the nation--we do most earnestly,
! yet calmly and deliberately, enter our solemn
protest against it, and call upon and earnestly
entreat all candid men to reject. before voting
for the very embodiment of this opposition.
!, You, as we'll aswe, are called upon by the
Comparative svoce of a Convention to vote
| for c. L. Vallandigham for Governor of .he
/ State of Ohio. We admit the full force. and
/ effect of this call; it comes to us clothed with
the power and prestige of party ties and party
fealty; it comes to us ladened with the asso-
cations of former years. but all these cannot
be made TO avail a feathers weight, when our
country, our kindred, and the future oil this
5, Republic are at stake Believing, as we do,
4 that5the aetion-o of the Convention in .nofnina-
ting Mr. V.,1Iandigham was great mistake,
<, and one which, if approved and sanctioned by
the people at the polls, will seriously endan-
ger the perpetuity of our government, we
have felt and now feel it oar duty TO withhold
from him our support, and thus clear our
skirts of all completely with the agency with
! which it is brought about
And in so doing, We stand by the doctrines
advocated by Douglas, by every Democratic
member of Congress from Ohio, and by the
d entire Democracy of the North except Mr..
! vallandigham and a small faction, prior to
Mr.. Vallandigham's nomination for Governor,