The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1863-10-07


G. KA EMMERLING,
Comma nding 9th o. vi.
d. M. STOUGHTON,
Lieutenant> Colonel CONG 21st 0. V. |.
REPLY OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL
COMMITTEE.
DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL)
COMMITTEES Rooms,
COLUMBUS, ONO, Sept. rs, 1868
To Lieut., COL G. II. Gosvenm, and o'hes,
Army Of the Cumberland:
GENTLEMEN:-Y ours OF the l4th inst,
prcpounding certain interrogatores 10 US,
bss been received. You ask IL:
"1>t. DO you, aud the party you repre-
sent in Ohio, admit the constitutionallty o.
the law OF the Ohio Legislature passed at
its last session, giving the soldiers in the
field the right to voteH'
Whether that law is constitutional is OBJ
viously purely legal question, the decision
oil which cannot be, ought not to be, i'll the
slightest drgree afsc'ed by any admission or
denial of the Democrat c or any ether parry.
| raised, it must be decided by the Supreme
Court OF the State, (our out OF live Of whose
members are Rcpublicans,) in accordance
with what the court shall be eve to be the
requirements OF the Constitution, and wholly
irrespective Of any party creed. For these
reasons, We migh', without disrespect, do
cline to answer your question first, because
of its immaer!aly; and secondly, because it
seems to SAVIOR oil the idea tat the rights OF
the citizen are 10 be determined by party
creeds and not judicial decision. We are
sure you do not mean this, for If all parties
in Ohio believed the law to be unconstiu
tonal. you and your fellow soldiers would
yet insist, and properly too, upon voting un
der the law-leav'ng It's constituionaiity to
be decided, not BY individuals or parties but
by that supreme judicial tribunal provided
by the Constitution to decide it. But, gen
tlemen, we have no concea lments to make;
and the sincere respect we entertain tor you
induces us to waive all Other considerations,
and answer your questions promising that
we have already sufficiently answered it in
onr Address 10 the Soldiers, which you
had not seen when your letter was written |;
but which we trust you have received be
fore this and found satisfactory upon this
point
The duties OF this committee are executive
in their charal ter, and it is no part Of
them to make creeds for the Democratic
party. The party speaks Tor Itself through
its primary NEE ngs and Stae Conventions
and TO them we therefore refer for It's opln
ions. The facts are as follows: AT tbe ses~
sion before the last OF the General Assembly,
bills " ere introduced by Democrats, Messrs.
Dresel and Sayler, and one by a Republican,
Mr. Guncks. They were supported by the
Democlats-Gndetd the movement origina
ted with the Democrats) but failed for want
OF Republican support--the Republicans be
ing in the majority. In view Of this deeat
oil the bills, ihe Democratic State Conven>
ton that assembled at Columbus, on july T.
1862, resolved, That the re iusal OF the Gen
eral Assembly to permit our gallant soldiers
in the field the right to vote was grea'
and unjuslitiable wrong 10 them, that ought
not to have keen committed.
This resolution, wltA the others contained
in the plat Iorm oil that convention, were rati
believe. in the State, at primary meetings
and to these lacts and the triumph Of the
Democracy at the election last iall. more
than TO any other cause, are you indebted
Ior the law authorizing you to vote. Here
then, gentlemen, you have the opinion oi The
party pronounced In the most authoirtiye
manrer and nothing that we could say could
add to its orce. All that the party has ev-
er asked. or will ever ask 10 fair play. We
are sorry 10 have reason 10 believe that it
has not had fair play in many instances so
tar. While Republican papers, speeches and
documents have been freely circulated In
the army, Democratic speeches have, in a
great measure, been suppressed Postmas
lers and Provost Marshals have assumed to
decide Tor the soldier what he should read,
as il he were not competent to decide Tor
himself, and Democratic newspapers have
been thrown out Of the mails or destroyed,
or their circulation prohibited, as the whim,
caprice or prejudice Of these subordinate offi
cials dictated. Oh course, we do not mean
to say that oil Portmasters, and Provost
Marshals have acted in this way, but the
number who have 80 acted have been and IS
s., numerous as to constitute q grievance Of
which we have just right to 'mplain.-
The Democratic party hhs furnished as ma.
ny sol1ers az any other party, and they
have fought as bravely and endured the
hardships OF war with as much fortitude as
any other soldiers. And yet many OF these
brave men daily see their ialhers, brothers
and friends traduced in Republican pewspa>
pers, freely circulated in the camps, as trail
tors aud plotlers against their country, while
the Democratic newspapers that repel and
conlute these base accusations, they never
see, We need not say to you, who are sol
diers, and therefore men OF honor, that this
10 not rght----to you. Who are men OF intel>
lect, that this is not wise 10 you, who were
born and reared under free institutions, that
this is no. consistent with their spirit III
the soldier is to exercise the elective fran
chlse-and all admit that--hs ought TO have
the same opportunities that other cit:zons
have 10 obtain information and form his o.
pipions. OF course, we do not mean that