Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-10-29
To the Union Men of Wisconsin.
address of the Union State Central Committee.

FELLOW CITIZENS The election is close at
hand. On Tuesday, the Sd of November, the
character of the State Administration for two
years to come, Will be determined
There remains but little more than one
week for the labors of the canvass are the
Union men in the several counties doing their
full duty?
The time for argument is we'll nigh past.
The issues are fairly made up. What is now
most wanted is earnest, effective preparation
for bringing to the polls every Union voter.
! That done, an Overwhelming victory is GER
tain. Without it, we may suffer an ignomin-
ious defeat. They who have been active in
! the other duties of the canvass, will fail in
the most important Of all should they neg
lcct to provide ample means for getting out
the full Union vote.
Nor will it DO to trust the accomplishment
of this to the spontaneous impulses Of unor
ganized public spirit.
At every precinct the Union voters should
be listed, as far as possible, and a committee
| appointed whose express duty it shall be to
see that they vote to q man.
| 1t may be that even in time like the pre-
sent, there are some Union men so careless, or
who prize freeman's franchise so lightly,
| that they will forget or will not take the
trouble to attend the election unless specially
urged and provided with the means of trans
portation. Teams should be in readiness to
go for such. The votes Of the careless and
lukewarm count equally with those of the
most Jealous and active.
Next in Importance is vigilance in guard
ing the purity of the ballot-box The enroll
| ment Of men subject to military duty prepar-
atory to the draft has revealed some start
ling facts 1t has shown the existence among
us of class of sneaks who, after fraudulent
ly exercising the prerogatives of citizenship,
bascly shrink from mourning its responsible
ties. 1t has shown that hundreds, aye thous-
ands Of these men, have been in the habit of
voting, year after year, in violation Of the con-
| stitution and the laws. 4 vigilance commit
| tee, strong in numbers and strong in purpose,
|
throughout the day. Let every man who of
| fers vote, and whose right is in the least
suspected, be subjected to the EXTREMIST test.
The provisions of our statutes for illegal
voting are stringent. The utmost penalty
should be visited upon transgressors Every
thwarted attempt at illegal voting, remember,
is one vote lost to our opponents!
The presence at the polls Of large and
well organized committee, both to guard the
ballot-box and as moral power, is exceed
ingly important
All the omens are suspicious of victory.
Voices Of cheer come up from every side.
| The elections in other States may well arouse
us to emulate the splendor Of their achiev-
ments. Wherever the people have spoken,
thus far, they have pronounced with ID voice
of unexampled emphasis their infcxibIe pur-
| pose to stand by the Administration in putting
down rebellion by military force, and their
| determination to confide in no man, or polit-
ical organization, that betrays any sympathy
with traitors, or any wayering in support
|
| If Wisconsin fails to join her voice with
that of her sister loyal States, it Will be due
| solely to the supineness of her Union men,
The magnificent successes in Maine, Caifor-
MIA, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Iowa, giving new
strength and heart to the soldiers in the field
and to the friends of free institutions every
where while blasting the fondest hopes of
IL !
and systematic work. The result in Ohio is
largely attributable to the exertions of bust
ness men who ordinarily take no active part
in elections. They closed their places of
business; they went to the polls; they not
only voted, but they stayed and worked for
the ticket till night, giving "one day to their
country"
Let not the lesson be lost on Wisconsin
| men.
| 4 friend who was with the Army of the
| Potomac when the result Of the Ohio and
| Pennsylvania elections reached it, tells me :
"You cannot imagine the gladness with
which the news was received by the soldiers ;
the Joy they felt at learning there was enough
| loyalty still at home after sparing them for the
field to rebuke and defeat the united
hordes of Peace Democrats, rebel sympathiz-
ers and Copperheads at the ballot box" Let
| Wisconsin see to it that she also sends glad
tidings to her brave boys in the field on the
eve of the Sd of November
1t is not merely for the election of our
ticket that we should strive. The Republic in
its peril demands more of Wisconsin. It de-
mands the weight of a decided majority as
testimony of her unwavering loyalty. If we
could be guaranteed 10000 majority on the
home vote, it ought not to cause us to abate
an effort or relax a sinew in this struggle
Every vote that can be added to the majority
is precious as an expression Of unanimity of
sentiment and stability Of purpose.
Madison, Oct "a, 1868
| HORACE RUBLEE,
| Chairman Union State Central Committee
| George B. Smith On the Ryan Address.
| ~ am saving what believe to be true And