Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-02-19

have become the leaders of the Democracy,
he great champions Of the party,
The success of the last cappaign in New
York, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois-was
made the protext on the part OF this ele.
ment In the party to assume the leadership
Of Ii, and proclaim their purpose to make
the issue squarely in the next contest, and
G. i. Vallandigham, who less than two
years ago, was looked upon by majority of
the Democratic party as little better than
traitor is prominent candidate for Gov
ernor of Ohio What is Mr.. Vallandig.
ha ms position on the Constitution and the
Union? lie proposed in Congress certain
amendments to the Constitution Of the
United States, which virtually divided the
into four Governments or sections
More recently he has shown bis aversion for
''the Constitution as it is aud the Union as
it was" by bold and fearless advocacy Of
the recognition OF the Southern Confeder.1
acy. In speech delivered in the House
of Re presentatives, January l4th, 1868,
Mr.. Vallandigham said:
"Stop fighting. Make an armistice--ns
formal treaty. Withdraw your army from
the seeded States. Reduce both armies to
a fair and sufficient peace establishment. -
Declare absolute free trade between the
North and the South. Buy and sell.
Agree upon zollveiein. Recall your fleets.
Break up your blockade. Reduce your
navy. Restore travel. Open up railroads.
Re establish the telegraph. Reunite your
express companies. No more Monitors and
iron.clads, but set your friendly steamers
and steamships again in motion. Visit the
North and West. Visit the South. Ex.
change newspapers. Migrate. Interim AIRY.
Lct slavery alone. Hold elections at the
appointed times Let US choose new
President in sixty four.
"'But this is recognition. 1t is not
formal recognition, to which will not con
sent. Recognition now, and attempted
permanent treaties about boundary travel,
and trade and partition ofTerrilories, would
end in war fercer and more disastrous
than before.
"But certainly what I propose isinformal,
practical recognition. And that is precisely
what exists to-day, and has existed, more
or less defined, from the first.
"'But it confesses disunion. ," Yes, Just
as the surgeon, who sets your fractured
limb in splints, in order that. it may be
healed, admits that it is broken. But the
Government will have failed to crush out
the rebellion. Sir, it has failed. You wen t
to war TO prove that we had Government.
With what result? To the people of the
loyal States it has, in your hands, been the
Government of King Stork, but to the
Confederate States, of King Log. But
the rebellion will have triumphed.' Better
triumph to-day than ten years hence"
This is Mr.-Vallandighan's position now!
What was it before the war commenced -
In speech delivered by him in the city Of
New York, at the Cooper Institute, on the
2nd day of November, 1860, he said, "that
If any one or more of the States of this
Union, should at any time seccde-lor rea.
sons of the sufficiency, and justice of which
before God and the great tribunal Of history
they alone may jndge-much as | should
deplore it, never would as Representa-.
tive in the Congress of the United States,
rote one doltar Of money ,ohereby one drop
Of american Jtood should be shed IN a cipil
,oar." And that he kept his pledge, thus
early made for the encouragement of the
South, the following from his recent speech
is sufficient evidence:
IL could not, with my convictions, vote
men and money for this war, and woud
not, as Representative, vote against them. :"
We might quote still further from these
leading spirits, to show that they are not in
favor of the Constitution as it is, and the
Union as it was" And we might quote
from lesser lights in our midst, who are con.
trolling and directing public sentiment in
the Democratic party. Evidence strong as
holy writ that their professions of devotion
to tho Constitution and the Union, which
fall so glibly from their tongues, are only
the sleeps clothing that tho wolves have
donnod to hide their deiormity, whilst they
accomplish their true purpose, the destruc-
ton of the Union, the recognition of the
Southern Confcdoracy, and re- e-Union on
the Slave Oligarchy Constitution.
But this article is already longer than we
intended to make it, and we shall close at,
by making one other quotation, to show the
light in which these Constitutional Union
men and their recent labors are regarded by
the leaders in the Southern Rebellion.
Since the elections North, Mr.. Fcote has
offered the following resolution in the
Southern Congress:
''5. The Government of tho Confederate
States, in consideration of tho change in
public sentiment which hos occurred in sew,
eral of the Northern States wherein pohtic.
al elections have been held--sympaihizing
most kindly with those by whose manly ex.
ertions that change has been brought about
would be willing to conclude a just and
honorable peace with any one or moro OF
said States who, lrenouncing all political
connection with New England) may be
found willing to stipuate for desistng at
once from the further prosecution OF the
war against the South, and in such case the
Government Of the Confederate States
would be willing to enter into a league, of.
iensive aud defensive, with the States thus
deslsting, of permanent and enduring
character.
There we have an offer, boldly and un.