Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-07-09

notorious, known to all, and, of course, known
to Mr. Vallandigham. Perhaps l would not
be wrong to say they originated with his es-
pecial friends and adherents. With perfect
knowledge of them, he has frequently, if
not constantly, made speeches in Congress
and before popular assemblies; and if it
can be shown, that with these things star
ing him in the face, he has ever uttered
a word OF rebuke or counsel against them,
1t will be fact greatly to his favor with me,
and one OF which, as yet, am totally igno-
rant. When it is known that the whole bur-
den of his speeches has been to stir up men
against the prosecution of the war, and that
in the midst of resistance to it, he has not
been known in any instance to counsel against
such resistance, it is next to impossible to re-
pei the inference that he has counseled d.
rectly in favor of it, With all this before
their eyes, the convention you represent has
nominated Mr.. Valandgham for governor of
Ohio; and both they and you have declared
they purpose to sustain the national Union by
all constitutional means. But, Of course,
they and you, i'll common, reserve to your
selves to decide what are constitutional means,
and, unlike the Albany meeting, YOU omit to
state or intimate that in opinion an army is Il
constitutional means of saving the Union
against rebellion, or even to intimate that
you are conscious Of an existing rebellion
being in progress with the avowed object of
destroying that very Union. At the same
time your nominee for governor, in whose be-
half you appeal, is known to you and to the
world to declare against the use of an army TO
suppress the rebellion. Your own attitude,
therefore, encourages desertion, resistance to
the draft and the like, because it teaches .n9se
who incline to desert and to escape the draft
to believe 1t is your purpose to protect them,
and to hope that you will become strong
enough to do so. After short personal in
tercourse with you, gentlemen of the commit
tee, cannot say | think you desire this effect
to follow your attitude, but ! assure you that
both friends and enemies of the Union look
upon it in this light. 1t is a substantial hope,
and by consequence, real strength to the
enemy. 1t is IA false hope, and one which
you would willingly dispel. | will make the
way exceedingly easy. send you duplicates
OF this letter in order that you, or majority,
may, If you choose, endorse your names upon
one OF them, and return it thus endorsed to
me, with the understanding that those signing
are thereby committed to the following prop.
ositionS, and to nothing else
l. That there is now rebellion in the
United States, the object and tendency of
which Is to destroy the National Union; and
that, in your opinion, an army and navy are
constitutional means for suppressing that re-
bellion.
2. That no one who will do anything
which. in his own Judgment, will tend to
hinder the increase, or favor the decrease, or
lessen the efficiency of the army or navy,
while engaged in the effort to suppress that
rebellion; and,
3. That each of you will in his sphere, do
all hp IN la the n,1
seaman Of the army and navy, while engaged
in the effort to suppress the rebellion, paid,
fed, clad, and otherwise well provided and
supported.
And with the further understanding that
upon receiving the letter and names thus en-
dorsed, will cause them to he published
which publication shall be, within itself, a
revocation of the order in relation to Mr.
ValandIgham.
1t will not escape observation that | con-
sent to the release of Mr.. Vallandigham up
on terms, not embracing any pledge from
HIM or from others, as to what he will or will
not do. | do tins because he is not present
to speak for himself, or to authorize others
to speak for him; and hence, shall expect
that on returning, ne would not put himself
practically IN antagonisn with the position
of his friends. But | do it chiefly because |
thereby prevail on other influential gentle
men Of Ohio t0sso define their position as to
be of immense value to the army-.thuS more
than cumpenSating for the consequences of
any mistake in allowing Mr.. Vallandigham
to return, so that on the whole the public
safety will not have suffered by it. Still, in
regard to Mr. Vallandgham and others, /
must hereafter, heretofore, do so much as
the public safety may seem to require. |
have the honor to be respectfully yours, etc.
A. LINCOLN.