Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-10-03
miscellaneous lei,
Convention Of War Democrats
.9;.} s .oo sea of 0hio,os .a'y..o'' . %, e. e.
ADDRESS TO THE DEMOCRACY
ADOPTED AT THE CosvEsrroN WHICH AssEM.
BLED AT COLUMBUS SRPT. 22SD, 1868. II


~, BLED AT CoLUMBus, SEPT. 22SD, 1868. II
b. $50 I .hHH-a 18 ----- I'54. M l'--1J4i1 g
Fellow CIrizENs - Having met for the
purpose amongst other things, "to adopt
such measures as the exgeDcies of the hour
may seem to demand for the welfare of onr
common couniry." we feel it to be dnty
which we cannot ignore nor thrust aside, to
address you briefly but plainly aud truth.
fully upon the n,omemtoas questions of the
day, and II possible stay the mad and fnri.
ous torrent of faaatieism which seems to be
sweeping with almost irresistible force over
The face of our once happy country. We
have indeed fallen upon "iroubIeons times.p
Passion and prejudice seem 10 rnIe the hour
Reason and judgment have fed the throne,
aud fanaticiSm and ul raism sway the scep,
ter undisturbed over the public mind. Our
Country, our Government, that blessed in
heritance descended to us from our fore.
fathers, is to all but the hopeful, in the very
last throes OF expiring nature. In what
ever direction the eye is turned the horizon
of our national existence is ,vercast with
portentous clouds which fuman wisdom and
human sagacity seem totally inadequate to
penetrate or brush away.
We are not the apoogists for the mis-
takes and errors of the Administration in
the. prosecution of the war, nor do we ap.
prove of or sanction The factions opposition
which is being brought 10 bear against the
legitimate as well as the doubtful powers of
The government 10 put down the rebellion,
"snppress the insurrection," and enforce OBJ.
edienee 10 the Constitution AMI the laws of
the land; and when we are asked to sane
tion and approve, by the exercise of q most
solemn and importaut- privilege. the elees
tive franchise, that faaious, and, as we
think and believe. to use no bar her term,
misguided opposition, which, from the very
beginning, has s'udiously aud persistently
opposed every effort put forth TO save the
life of the nation--we do most earnestly,
yet calmly and deliberately, enter our
solemn protest against it. and call upon and
earnestly eptreat all candid men 10 reject,
before voting for the very embodiment of
this opposition '7aF72 'i i9I 'a' 1'' :, :.
You. as we'll as we, are called upon By
the imperative" voice of Convention to
vote for G. L. Vallandigham for Governor
of the State of Ohio We admit the full
force and effect of this call il cones to Us
clothed with the power and prestige Of party
ties and party fealty; it comes 10 us laden,
ed with the associations of former years, but
all these cannot be made to avail feat hers
weight, when our country. our kindred, and
the future of this Republic are at stake
Believing. as we do that the ac' ion of the
Convention in nominating Mr.. Valandig.
ham was great mistake. and one which.
~ annrouad and 90 notionad hv H. ..ao.~io -,
the polls, will seriously endanger The perpe
tuity of our Government; we have felt and
now feel it our duty. to Withhold from him
our support, and thus clear our skirts of all
completely with the agency by which it is
brought about.
Aud in so doing, we stand by the doc
trines advocated by Douglas, by every De.
mocratie member of Congress from Ohio,
and by The entire Democracy of the North,
except Mr.. Vallandigbam and small fac
tioD, prior 10 Mr. Vallsndigham's nomin.
alton for Governor. and in no wise affiliate
with or approve of the doctrine of Aboli
tioAism or Fanaticsm of any kind. r''2 e
Bat self respect as well as dnty 10 you,
require that we, should state briefly, and
candidly, the reasons why we are thus com
PEELED to withhold our votes from Mr. Val.
landigham, and which, perhaps, in ordinary
times we might pass by In silence evenif IN,
able to approve, for the reason that such
views, although eDtertsined by, the candid,
ate would never find an opportunity to be
made effective, and conld not influence the
people Of other States not ,theu, as uow. in
rebellion. ..... .--..,,- ...-.,..., Il,
First, We cannot support Mr.rVsllan.
dighsm, because in his speech in Congress-
Feb. 90, 1861, he said,
"lt is vain TO tell me that States cannot
seeeds. Seven States haze seeded. Ia
three months their agents and commission
ers will return from Europe with the recog
milton Of Great Britain aud France, and OF
the other powers of the Continent,n lVal.
iandghsm Record. p,, 16.) ,,.,.T- ,,vus >,
ni Again. "Secession has been tried and
has proved a'speedy and terrible success
The praeticability of doing II, and the way
TO do \. have been established lReeord.
Again. II lany one or more of The
States Of this Union should secede---for
reason Of the suiicieucy OF which, before