The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1863-08-20
sefter from the Democratic Can
liafa for. GoNarnor of Ohio !.

& Hsdate tor GoNernor of OHIO
.~ The following letter from the
Hon. G. L. Vallandigham, was read
at the Democratic Mass Meeting
held at Toledo on the 5th inst
The reading of it was received
with repeated demonstrations of
applause by the vast crowd;
TABLE Rock House.,
Niagara Falls, c. W., July 81, 1863 !
Messrs Dunlap and others, Committee, &c.
GENTLEMEN: Unable to attend your
meeting, ofthe 5th of August, in
person, permit to me address youby
letter briefly, 4
Waste no part of your time in
personal defense. TO the candiI
dates, speakers and writers of the
Administration party | leave, un'
disturbed the brave and chivalrous
work of assailing an opponent, alb
sent because the tyrannic power of
their master, executed by military
force, eompels it. The great issl
TICS 0f tho day ought not to be SUBJ
ordinate to things merely person.
AZ; and | recommend to my friends
generally, that they initiate the
wise Romans, and "carry the war
into Africa"
The Democracy of Lucas, post
poning all other issues, and ignorI
ing ali differences Of opinion in rel
gard to them, assemble, of course,
to consider what General Fremont,
the candidate of the "free speech
and free press" Republican party, of
1856, very aptly styles "the upper
most question of the d0y"-thc
question Of. their own constitution,
= d. slle iIlI0 6aIsilsa 6I<ed
+ ID.
tke President aud his party up,
oif the people and boldly met by
tlie Democracy in. their nominaI
tons as also in their admirable platl
form, which, as a candidate, ! ac-
cept as their solemn and deliberate
confession ofpolitical faith, and the
pledge to the country, that they
mean to defend the rights asserted
lit, with their lives, their fortunes
and their sacred honors. Until
these shall have been made secure,
it can be neither useful nor posi-
bic to discuss any other question
not directly connected with it.
There is, indeed, just such a ques,
ton, and second only in import
ance to that Of public Iiberty-the
Union of the Statcs, worth the
whole world to the American peo,
pie. But LIBERTY is the soul of
a people; and what shall it profit us
to gain the whole world and lose
our own soul? The Constitution
made the Union, and, when t C
war began, it was claimed to be
for the supremacy Of the Constitu,
ton and the laws; and whatever
difference of opinion there may
have been, even then, as to the
mode ofsocuring it, every patriot
ic citizen Of the Unitel States knew
what the laws and Constitution
were. But what do we see to. day,
The opinion and will from hour
to hour of the President--and
such a President.-is solemnly
and off .ia'ly proclaimed superior
to the Constitution and the laws,
even in the states wholly loyal.
So that upon the present policy of
the Administration and its party,
declared unchangeable, the South
is to be forced TO submit to the
will and opinion of Abraham Line.
oln, instead Of written fundament,
al statute and common law. And
if we ourselves scorn to yield up
our constitutional rights and liber'
ties to this monstrous demon does
any honorable man, any sane man,
ask or expect the States and peo,
pie of the South to surrender, so
long as a man survives to strike a
blow, ora woman to strengthen
his heart or nerve his arm? Upon
such a policy this war must and
will be interminable. So many
square miles mag be overrun, so
much soil may be conquered, but
the hearts of the people never.
How, then, stand the chances Of
the Union, measures hy the two