Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-07-23

But il the circum stantial evidence exists
20 which you alludc, which makes ut
next to impossible to repel the inference
thai Mr.. Vallandigham has counseled di-
,sc,lv in favor" M this resistance. and
that the same has been mainly attributa.
bio to his conduct, why was he not turned
over to the civil authorities to be tried
under the late acts of Congress? IL there
be any foundation in fact for your state.
ments duplicating him in resistance to
the constituted authorities, ne is liable to
such prosecution. And we now demand,
as mere act of justice to him, on iuves'
ties.ion of this matter before jury of
his country; and respectfully insist that
fairness requires either that you retract
these charges which you make against
him, or that You revoke your order ot
banishment and allow him the opportu
nifty of an investigation before an impair.
tial Jury. .a "
The committee do not deem it necessa-
ry to repel at length the imputatiou that
the attitude of themselves or of tn, dom
ocratic party in Ohio encourages deser.
tions, resistance to the draft and the like, "
or tends to the breach Of any law of the
land. Suggestions of that kind arc not
unusual weapons in our ordinary politi.
cal contests. They rise readily in the
minds of politicians heated with tho ex
citement of partisan strife. During the
two years in which the democratic party
Of Ohio has been constrained to oppose
the policy Of the administration, and to
stand up in defence Of the Constitution
and of personal rights. this charge has
been repeatedly made. 1t has fallen
harmlessly, however, at the feet of those
whom it was intended to iniure. The
committee believe it will do so again. II
it were proper to do so in this paper, they
might suggest that the measures of the
administration and its changes Of policy
in the prosecution Of the war have been
fruitful sources of discouragng enlist
ments and inducing deser.ions, aud fur.
nish reason for the undeniable fact, that
the first call for volunteers was answered
by very many more than were demanded,
and that the next call for soldiers will
probably beresponded to by drafted men
alone. Tho observation of the President
in this connection. that neither the con-
vention in its resolutions, nor the com.
inittee in its communication, intimate that
they "are conscious Of an existing rebcl-
lion being in progress with tho avowed
object of destroying the Union" needs.
perhaps, no reply. The democratic party
Of Ohio has felt so keenly tho condition
Of the country, and been so stricken to
the heart by the misfortunes and sorrows
which have befalen it, that they hardly
deemed it necessary by solemn resolution
when their very State exhibited every
where the sad evidences of war, to remind
the President that they were aware of it's
existence.
In the conclusion Of your communica
tion, you propose that. il ma jority OF
the committee shall afiix their signatures
to duplicate copy of it, which they have
furnished, they shall stand committed to
three propositions therein at length set
forth: that he will publish the names thus
signed, and that this publication shall
operate as q revocation Of the order OF
banishment. The committee cannot re.
frain from the expression of their surprise
that the President should make tho fate
Of Mr.. Vallandigham depend upon the
OYiutou " tulo CoultutoCc uDOu tlebc
propositions. II the arrest and Danish
mens wuio legal. and were deserved; II
the President exercised a power clearly
delegated. under circumstances which
warranted its exercise. tho order ought
not to be revoked. merely because the
committee hold. or express, opinions ac-
cordant with those of the President. II
the arrest and banishment were not legal
or were not deserved by Mr.. Vallandig.
ham. then surely ho 10 entitled to an i'm.
mediate and unconditional discharge.
The people of Ohio were not so deeply
moved by the action of tho President,
merely because they were concerned for
the personal safety or convenience of Mr..
Vallandigham. but because they saw in
hie arrest and Punishment an attack upon
their own personal rights; and they at
tach value to bis discharge chiefly. as it
will indicate an sband onment Of the claim
TO the power Of such arrest and Danish
ment. However Just tho undersigned
might regard the principle entertained
in tho several propositions submitted by
the President, or how much soever they
might, under the circumstances, feel in
clined to indorse the sentiments contained
therein, yet they assure him that they
have not been authorized to enter into
any bargains, terms, contracts, or condi-
tions with the President Of the United
States to procure the release of Mr.. Val.
landighsm. The opinions of tho under
signed. touching the qnstions involved
in these propositions. are well known,
have been many times publioaly express.
ed. and are sufficiently manifested in the
resolutions of the convention which they
represent. and they cannot suppose that
the President expects that they will seek
the discharge of Mr.. Vallandigbam by
pledge. implying not only an imputstion
upon their own sincerity and FIDELITY as
citizens of the United States. but also
carrying with it by implication concos.
sion Of the legality of his arrest. trial. and
Punishment. against which they. and the
convention they represent, have solemnly
protested. Aud while they have asked
the rev ocation OF the order Of banishment,
not as a fapor, but as right. due to the
people OF Ohio, and with = view to avoid
the possibility of conflict or disturbance
Of the public tranquility. they do not
do this. nor does Mr., VAllandigham
desire IL at any baorifice OF their dignity