The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-09-18

seat, Mr. Vallandigham's first restin,
place after he left our lines. Tha
village gave three hundred and fit,
Union votes 10 fifty for secession q
the beginning OF the war, and it ha,
retained it's reputation for loyalty I'm
tarnished during the struggle thus far
/, If Mr.. Vallandigham had ATTEMPTED
to ascertain the sentiments of it's citi
zens, he would lave found than hin,
out OF every ten were in favor or i'm
mediate submission to the Federa
Government.
l would be glad to believe it posi-
BILE that these facts escaped his notice
but having recently visited Shelby
vile, and conversed with large mum.
Der OF citizens who saw and convers.
ed with Mr.. Vallandigham during his
stay there, I am forced TO the con
viction that he knew the statement
quoted above to be false.
The second statement is not less
wild and singular than the first. He
must have known that at the time ol
his visit, and before the late heavy
disasters had fallen upon the rebellion,
the commercial affairs of the South
were in most ruinous condition. -
Prices current stood as follows:-
Boots were selling from $50 to SIS
per pair; soldiers brogans at s45 per
yaT; common felt hats from $40 to
$50 apiece; bacon l,50 per pound;
corn. SO per bushcl. and other com
modities in proportion. lie could
hardly have tailed to notice that near
lv the whole available force of the
Coniederacy was already in the field.
that barely enough citizens were left
mt home TO oversee the slaves and
manage the plantations; that the Con
federacv was shell, which, though
made of iron, when once pierced must
collapse into ruin.
His faith in the strength and mill
tary virtue of the Southern Conieder-
acy greatly surpasses that of large
of his friends who are oflic-
ers and soldiers in the rebel army
Witness the swarm OF descrtcrs who
are daily leaving their ranks. Fur
thermore, it is II well known fact Tint
even before Bragg's expulsion from
Middle Tennessee, many of his oilic-
ers, including at least two Major G. Gen-
erals, gave it as their private opinion
that the rebellion could not succeed.
The third statement of Mr. Vallan-
digham is only true in so far as his
first one is false. OF course all loyal
are not only ready To dis
cuss the question of re- union, but are
to return to the Union with
out discussion But when Mr.. Val
states that the leaders of
this rebellion unanimously express
their willingness to discuss the ques-
tion of q return to the Union, he eth
er entirely forgcts his conversations
with rebels or recklessly states falls
hood
In a full and frank conversation be
tween himself and Gov. Harris (rcbcl
Governor Of Tennessee J the latter, af-
ter hearing Mr. Vallandigham's state
ment of his own opinions and policy,
said in the presence of many witness
cs: "Iou totally misunderstood us.
We have resolved to listen to no terms
short of the total separation and alb
solute independence of the South, and
we will accept no boundary South of
the line of the Ohio and the Potomac.
Negotiation on any other basis is ut
terly useless"
l hold myself personally RESPONSE
BILE to Mr.. Vallandigham or any of his
responsible friends, for maintaining.
by abundant proofs, the assertions |
have made above. ] appeal to the
citizens Of Ohio to Vindicatc the hon
or Of our State and the loyalty OF our
people against the designs of party
headed by man who hot only stands
convicted as the public eneSly of his
country, hut after having "lctt his
country for his colmtry's good, " join
ed himself with pirates and smugglers
to throw contempt upon the laws Of
the blockade which his government
established for her protection, and
with knot ofadmiring traitors around
him looks on the Republic engaged in
n deadly struggle for its life and tries
to give cheer to our enemies by de.
claring our cause hopeless.
] answer his craven words of de-
spair by the stout facts of July under
which the whole rebel framework ia
reeling and tottering to its fall. |
answer them by the fact that even in
this most rebel portion of rebel Ten
nessee, thousands are hocking to our
headquarters repentant, declaring that
their cause is hopeless and begging to
come back under the shield Of the
Union, Let all true men take new
heart and new hope.
Let the republic but once more dis
play the majesty Of its strength and
and the work will be ended. If our
drafted force were now in the field it
would need no prophetic voice to say
with authority, "Yet sixty days and
this rebel Nineych shall be over
thrown" ! am, etc,
j. A. GARFIELD,
------..--Sr- 's--------