The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-03-03
Address of the Ohio Soldiers to the
People of Ohio.
Battle Field of Stones River,
Feb. lst 1863.

| AuuTeSS Oh inc onlO ~
People of Ohio.
Battle Field of Stones River,
Feb. lst, 1863.
To the People Of Ohio:
The Ohio soldiers of the Western
army, your friends, brothers and sons
address you from this field Of renown, il
urgent entreaty, upon matters of sucl
grave import to them and to the coun
try, as to demand your calm and patien
audience. Exiles from home for long
weary months, away from the petty strife
of local politics and the influence of self
ish demagogues and party leaders, with
the pure and steadfast faith in the holy
cause of defending our Government
which brought us into the field, and has
sustained us in peris, hardships, tolls
and exposures, which have scarcely a
parallel in history, we feel none of the
acrimonious bitterness that now enters
into the ignobe contentious of home
politics, and calmly view the condition
of the country from that only true stand
point, the soldiers and patriots devo-
lion 10 the great Republic-once bless
ed Of all nations.
We ask, what means this wild, shame
less party strife at home why any op-
position TO this war of selfpreservation
why any but political demagogues
should wish a severance oft the Republic ?
wherefore foolish cry for a cessation
of hostililies on our part, to give time 10
the traitor. re bels to strengthen their de-
fenses and discipline their armies why
should the brave, true men oil the great
army Of the United States, war broken.
toil-worn and battle stained, be left with
out sympathy or aid from YOU men Of
Ohio, now enjoying the blessings Of peace,
careless of dangers of invasion wars
dread terrors, only because we, your
brothers and sons, stand between your
loved homes and wars desolation ?"
Are we not in war? Is not the whole
force Of the Government employed in de-
tending the nation against a gigantic
effort TO destroy it :? Has not blood flow
ed like water and treasure expended
enough to make rich a nation? 1t is
not worth pre- erving? can two or more
States be carved out peacefully from the
present loved Republic Can we give
away lis rivers. lands and loyal people to
its destroyers ? Can we afford to di-
vide the Republic into eontending petty
States and be forever the victims of in-
ternecine wars between small principali
ties ? Can we quietly, calmly, even
complacently, sit by and see the grand
Republic Of the world thus cut off and
destroyed by innate weakness ? No
honest citizen Of Ohio is willing thai
such sould be our fate.
What matters now the cause of the
war? BY whose fault, or by the adoption
of what mistaken policy =? 1t exists ?! L
must be fought out, or ended by giving
up all that it was waged for For the
sake Of peace (; 10 be rid of the burdens
of taxation for fear Of the shedding o.
blood would any basely give up hi.
nation and become the citizen of q ruin.
ed and dishonered land ?
Then wherefore opposition to the war
Because a particular party is in power
Because its policy is obnoxious ? Be
cause il has committed errors Because
il has thrown to lis surface and given
prominence to bad or incompetent men
or adopted political theories and sough
to make them practical, which are con
demned by many good men? No III,
remedy for all these evils if they exis
4 all. may be sought in the quiet but pow
/ ful means of the ballot. which has pow
! er in our government TO charge dynasties
where the armies OF the world woul,
/ fail.
Is il thought that peace and volun
tary restoration of the Union may b.
effected by compromise. All that ha
been tried. Disdaiuiully. the rebel
| flung back in our faces every protfereC
olive branch, before peaceful men be
came armed soldiers and the booming 0
Fort Sumter's cannon. with iss terribl,
alarm, called nation 10 arms. Ant
now insolent aud de6cant. they laugh K
scorn all thoughts Of peace on any othel
terms than recognition OF their false ma
tionaliiy. They are stronger now thar
then. The despots and money changers
OF Europe have given them subslan,ia