Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-09-17
An Eloquent Letter from a, former
citizen of st. Clairsville.

An Eloquent Letter from q. former
citizen of st. ClairsvilIe.
THE following is letter written by A. j.
Williams Esq, first editor of the Indepen-
dent Republican, published at St. Clairs.
vile, Belmont County, Ohio, to his sister
Louisa w. Neff, at Glencoe, Belmont Coun-
ty, Ohio.
CINCINNATI, o., Aug. 3lst, '63.
VERY DEAR SISTER LOUISA: avail my
self Of the first leisure moment to reply to
your very sffectionate letter Of the = inst.
am glad that our beloved father is with
you, know that everything will be done by
you and tho Col. to make him happy.
Well, Louisa, copperheadism has finally
eliminated. An issue has been formed
that sits the brains and iptegrity out Of the
Democratic party, or rather, an issue upon
the side Of which the old Democratic party
has always claimed to stand, and upon the
other side of which that party. as political
organization, has to-day planted its standard.
The result of this shifting Of policy, just
when that issue becomes one OF immense
practical moment, is to leave outside Of the
party all the integrity it ever possessed
|
ing the Democratic party, that class OF men
are Butler, Dickinson, Dix, Brady, Van
Buren,, Je,oett, II. B. Payne, Judge Ran
ney, Judge Kennon, McClernand, Logan,
Tod, Grosebeck, and last but not least he
who has for quarter Of century been the
pride and glory of the Ohio Democracy
JOHNNY BRoUaHP They stand where they
always stood-utterly and incorporating.
ly opposed to disunion. / have italicised
the names OF Jewett, Payne, and Ranney-
for they hung to the old party just as long
as they could remain in it and claim to be
for the Union. / have named Jewett as
out of the sinking old craft, on the strength
of his patriotic letter to the Belmont county
Democratic Convention, and his recent
avowal against Vallandig ham. have used
in the same connection, the name Of Judge
Ranney, because of his well known good
quality of braiu--his integrity, and because
of his bitter denuncation of Vallandigham
in q conversation with me last fall on the
day upon which he received Gov. Tod's in
vitation to take the stump for Volunteers.
He was then attending Court at Geauga
county.
l have also used the name of Fl. B.
Payne Of Cleveland, upon the authority of
his we'll known integrity, and reliable. assu-
RANGES that he cannot support Vallandig-
ham.
Who are now the leaders of the party?--
] They are all on the ticket,-a traitor at the
Mead, and an insignificant Secesh-Owl at
ht the tail. Vallandigham--whose shame
less and unblushing infamy alone has
brought him conspicuously before the Amer
ean people, heads the traitorous column.
l. H. Ia,
lectual pigmy and political nincqmpoop'
Who brings up the rear,-Johnny Heaton.
ticket to magnify, by intellectual contrast,
i|he other end. But the Vallandigham end
ID conspicuous enough. He blackens the
whole ticket and the whole party with
treason deep and damnable. Johnny is
bimply ludicrOus dttdchee to the concern.
IHe, as insignificant as he is, is up before
the public, and all who know him must
laugh at the ridiculous sight. THE higher
the Ape goes, the more he shows his tail. !"
Alasi and alack! for that party that hangs
its hopes, and its very existence in the des-
ruction Of our country.
But this is "nigger iodr" Was it q
nigger war when Jewett and Ranney were
on the stump for it? Was it nigger war
when the immortal Douglas ayowed that
there could be but two parties-patriots and
traitors! 0 no, then Lincoln was all right
But how was Valandigham thon? Just as
bitterly opposed to the war as now: using
and abusing the position to which he was
elevated by the suffrages of tilljudging free.
men, to cripple the Administration and de-
feat all its measures to enforce the conscrip-
ton and laws, and to protect against armed
treason, that country, that to him has been
a protection and q support, but to which he
is living shameless disgrace. The cry Of
''niggerSis clap.trap. The only ''nigger''
IN the war is the "nigger" IN the say Of the
aoar, and that "nigger" must get out Of the
way. Our armies have not as yet stepped
one foot out Of their legitimate march for the
suppression Of the rebellion; and the negro
has been interfered with only by our armies,
and that invariably to help, and not to re-
tard the legitimate cause Of restoring the
Union.
AS a Democrat, one who stands where
that party always stood, before it was dis
graceful to belong to it, l say God helr
d our armies to crush out, everything that .op'
poses their march. and to use everything,
!, butte to their success. l think more of my
country than 1 do of Slavery, or any other
local Institution. Our country can live
without Slavery, and if she cannot live in.
tact and entire with Slavery, ! say my
!, country now and forever, 10. her remain un.
n broken, entire, eternal. Sordid and mean
must be the wretech who loves African bon
dage better than country. Despicably loath.
some is he who makes war upon the CHIEF
magistrate Of our nation, when eur country
cause and salvation demands for the Presi
dent the united support of her people. :.
No intelligent patriot will vote for vailan'
digham. The fools and khaves ofthe Dem.
ocratic party are sifted out to give him sup
port. -,
not be at loss to know how stand--and
trust further that it may prove gratifying to
you to be assured that your brother who has
! consistently and even tenaciously adhered
to the Democratic party-who meyer ran
rampant after Abby Kelly. Fred Douglass,
& Co., as his brother +. did, has integrity
and sensc enough not to follow that party