Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-09-11

Justice 10 the living may often compel us 10
question the proprety of the adage speak not
of the dead, unless well, but certainly nothing
can excuse SANDER upon the memory ola dead
man. One of the most ptiful---shall we not say
sgraceful-exhbitions brought out by the
present political campaign, is the attempt made
by Copperhead editors and speakers to make it
appear that the dead Douglas was opposed to
putting down the present rebellion and, as
consequence wns in favor Of Secession. No
greater outrage, than this, has ever been perpe-
trated upon the memory of any man. To do
this, (see Smm Machine of last weeh,) they quote
from speech made by Senator Douglas in the
Senate before the war broke out, distorting that
speech to their own uses by misrepresenting it.
and leading their hearers and readers to believe
that that speech truly represented the views of
Senator Douglas in regard to prosecuting the
war inaugurated by the South itself Party
needs cannot drive man farther than the mis-
representing of man whose voice is hnshed in
his coffin, and following that falsehood with a
charge, which, were it true would render the
memory of the deceased stencil in the nostrils
of all honorable men.
Yet the Sp,m Adehi,,e publishes excerpts
from Senator Douglas speech, tearing them from
their context, SO as to show that Mr.. Douglas
was opposed to the war, when it knew-as does
every intelligent man in the North-that Mr.
Douglas in that speech was condemning a war
that should be made by the North on the South
When Sumter was fired upon, that was a war by
the South upon the Federal Union, and from
that moment Mr.. Douglas espoused the cause of
the Government Then it was-after the South
commenced the war and after the leaders of the
rebellion had declared that they would agree to
no Compromise that did not favor Secession
that the great Douglas pledged himself to Pres
dent Lincoln that he would stand by him until
the last rebel should be subdued; then it was
that his clarion notes were heard in Chicago,
calling upon his friends and the Democratic par
ty to forego their party prejudices, and to stand
by the Government and sustain it in all its eff
forts to put down the rebellion; then it was,
while lying on dying bed, he dictated the no.
BILE letter to Virgil Hickox, Chairman of the IL
linois Democratic State Central Committee, urg-
ing similar course; then it was, but few hours
before his death, he left, legacy to his sons,
the admonition to stand by the Union.
The speech of Mr.. Douglas in Chicago-the
last one that he ever made, and his letter to Mr.
Hickox--the last one that he ever wrote, will be
found on the first page of this paper. They
have appeared in the JOURNAL before, aud have
been extensively published throughout the 10y !
al North, but they cannot be read too often, or
their contents be too deeply pondered by the
American people. Oh, that every Democrat int
the land would carefully, and with the view of
the tremendousresponsib resting upon them
in this fearful crisis, read this letter and speech
and then act upon theirown convictions ofright.
Then there would be no fears of how the rebell-
ion would terminate. A hundred thousand ma
ority for the Union ticket in Ohio this fall
would do more to restore the Union, than would
he defeat of Lees army and the occupation of
Richmond by the Union army.
We request our readers, to show this speech
md letter to their Democratic neighbors. If
hey have any respect for the memory of Doug
as, they will read them; yea, not only read
them, but act up to their requirements.