Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-07-15
WHOLE NO. 2441.

he SnOulQ nave Oeen LufQeQ over 10 Ile
civil authorities, under recent acts of Con-
gress. / certainly do not k7,Ow that Mr..
Vallandigham has specially and by direct
language advised against enlistments, and
IN favor of desertion and resistance to
drafting. We all know that combinations,
armed IN some instances, to resist the ar
rest of deserters, began several months
ago that more recently the like has ap-
peared in resistance to the enrolment
preparatory to a draft and that quite a
number of assassinations have occurred
from the same ayiiHaus. These had to be
met by military force, and this again has
led to bloodshed and death. And
And now, under a sense of responsibility
more weighty and enduring than any
which is merely official, l solemnly de-
clare my belief that this hindrance OF the
military, including manning and murder
is due to the course in which Mr.. Nalland-
igham has been engaged, in greater de
gree than to any other cause and IS due
to him personallyin greater degree than
to any other one man
These things have been notoriously
known to all. and, of course, known to
Mr.. Vallandingham. Perhaps | would
not be wrong to say they originated with
HIS cSDGCldl lTlcllNS anu dunefenIS. w lIn
perfect knowledge of them, he has fire.
quently, if not constantly, made speeches
in Congress and before popular assemblies;
and If it can be shown that with these
things staring him in the face, he has ev-
er uttered word of rebuke or counsel
against them, it will be fact greatly in
his favor with me, and one OF which, as
yet, l am totally ignorant. When it is
L. u = k,1pdar, of hrs
speeches has been to stir up men against
the prosecution OF the war, and that in
the midst OF resistance to it, he has not
been known in any instance, to counsel
against such resistance, it is next to i'm
possible to repel the inference, that he
has counseled directly in favor of 1t.
With all this before their eyes, the Con-
vention which you represent have nomina-
ted Mr.. Vallandingham for Governor of
Ohio, and both they and you have declar-
ed the purpose to sustain the National
Union BY all constitutional means. But
of course they and you, in common re-
serve to yourselves 10 decide what are con-
stitutional means, and unlike the Albany
meeting, you omit to state or intimate
that in your opinion an army IS a consti-
tutional means of saving the Union
YOU are conscious of an existing rebellion
being in progress with the avowed object
81 DESTROYING that very Union. At the
same time your nominee for Governor in
whose behalf you appeal, is known to you
and to the world to declare against the
use of an army to suppress the rebellion.
Your own attitude, therefore, encourages
desertions, resistance to the draft and the
tike, because it teaches these who incline
to desert and to escape the draft to be-
lieve it is your purpose to protect them,
and to hope that you will become strong
enough to do so.
After a short personal intercourse with
you, gentlemen Of the committee, l can
not say think you desire this effect to
follow your attitude, but assure you that
both friends and enemies of the Union
look upon it in this light 1t is sub
stantial consequence, real strength to
the enemy. 1t is false hope, and one
which you would willingly dIspel. l will
make the way exceedingly easy. l send
you duplicates of this letter in order that
you, or majority, may, if you choose IN
dorse your names upon one of them, and
return it thus indorsed to me, with the
understanding that those. signing are
tutIGON COLlLnAllCI " bAAO AOAAO"-A5 H-SH
ositions, and do nothing else:
That there is now a rebellion in the
United States, the object and tendency
of which is 10 destroy the National Union;
and that, in your opinion, an army and
navy are constitutional means for sup
pressing the rebellion.
2. That no one of you will do anything
which, in his own judgment, viii tend to
hinder the increase or favor the decrease
or lessen the efficiency of the army or ma
Wy, while engaged in the effort to sup
press that rebellion: and,
3. That each of you will, in his sphere,
do all he can to have the officers, soldiers
and seamen of the army and navy, while
engaged in the effort to suppress the re-
bellion, paid, fed, clad, and otherwise
well provided and supported.
And with the further understanding,
that upon receiving the letter and names
thus endorsed will cause them to be
published, which publication shall be,
within itself, revocation Of the order in
relation to Mr.. Vallandigham.
1t will not escape the observation thatI
consent to the release of Mr.. Nalland-
ingham upon terms, not embracing any
pledge from him or from others, as to what
he will or will not do. do this because
he is not present to speak for himself, or
to authorize others to speak for him; and
hence, shall expect that, on returning,
he would not put himself practically IN
with the position his friends.
But do it chiefly because | thereby pre-
vail on other influential gentlemen of
Ohio to so define their position as to be OF
value to the army-thus more
than conpensating for the consequences
of any mistake in allowing Mr.. Nalland-
igham 70 return, so that on the whole the
public safety will not have suffered by 1t.
Still in regard to Mr.. Vallandigham and
all others, | must thereafter, as heretofore
do so much as the public safety may seem
to require. | have the honor to be respect
fully yours, etc.
A. LINCOLN.