The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-08-14
TABLE. Rock HOUSE,

OAOOhuAO WCStN16 az AOIe
do.
TABLE. Rock HOUSE,
NIAGARA FALLS, @. W., July 81. /
Gentlemea:EUnable to attend vol
meeting on the 5th of August, in pei
son, permit me to address you by lette
briay. Waste no part of your time
personal defense to the candidates an
speakers of the Administrations party
| leave undisturbed the brave and chiv
alrous work Of assailing an opponer
absent, because the tyrannic power
the master, executed by military fore,
compels it. The great issue of the dS
ought not to be subordinate to thinG
merely personal, and recommend
my friends generally, that they imitaF
the wise Romans and carry the war inl
Africa.
The Democracy Of Lucas, postponil,
all other issues, and ignoring all diffel
ences of opinion in regard to them, al
Semble, of course, to consider what Gel
Fremont, the candidate of the free speed
aud free press Republican party of ls5t
very aptly styles the uppermost queStid
OF their own constitutional rights ad
liberties. This is the practical issue in I'd
Ohio campaign, forced the Presideu
and bis party upon the people, and bold
ly met by the Democracy in their nomI
nations and also in their platform, whicR
as q candidate, ! accept as solemn an,
deliberate confession of political faitt
and their pledge to the country that thd
mean to defend the rights asserted in |
with their lives taeii.r tier fortunes, and the |
sacred honors. Until these shall havI
oSS SoSS made secure, isvaS !; neither be mad
useful or possible to discuss any othel
question not directly connected with it.
Here is, indeed, just such question
one, second only in Importance to that
Of public liberty. The Union of the
States is worth the whole world to the
American people, but liberty is the soul
OF people and "what shall it profit
Us to gain the whole world and lose our
own SOUL"
The Constitution made the Union,
and when the war began, it was pro.
claimed to be for the supremacy of the
Constitution and laws, and whatever
difference of opinion there may have been
even then as to the mode of securing it,
every patriotic citizen of the United
States knew what the laws ard the Con.
stitution were. ...
But what do We see to day2 The
opinion and will, from hour to hour, of
the PreSident-and such a President J.
is solemnly and officially proclaimed sa.
perior to the Constitution and laws, even
in the States, wholly loyal 80 that, up.
on the present policy Of the AdminiStra,
tion and it party, declared unchanged,
the South is to be forced to the will and
opinion of Abraham Lincoln, instead of
the written fundamental statue and com.
mon law. And, if we ourselves scorn
to yield upon our constitutional rights
and liberties TO this monstrous demand,
does any honorable man-any sane man
ask or expect the States and people
Of the South to surrender so long as a
man survives to strike blow or wo.
man to strengthen bis heart or nerve his
arm 7
Upon auch policy this war must. and
will be terminable. So many square
mills may be oVerrun. so much soil may
be conquered, but the hearts of the peo
pie never. How, then, stand the chang.
es of the Union, measured by the two
different policies of the Abolition and
Democratic parties ?
The party of the Administration de-.
clarcS that the States and people of the
South shall be forced to lay down their
arms and submit. What then? Con.
Gscation Of all property, emancipation
Of all slaves, aud the execution of all
who, directly and indirectly, have taken
part in the rebellion, namely, nine. .tenths
Of the whole population, for a general
amnesty has never, as yet, been as much
as suggested by either Congress or the
Executive, and unconstitutional submis-
sion is now the least which is demand.
ed.
More than this as to any State which
may FIRST submitor becouquered. Con,
scriptiou of every male person, white or
black, between twenty and forty. five, for
the conquest of the States still in arms.
Nor is this the worst, for, iuasmuch as
oil slaves and free negroes South are
considered loyal, and nearly all white
men and women disloyal, aud therefore
as having forfeited oil rights, thenegroes,
hereafter free, are to be treated as al.
most the only persons entitled to the
several rights and privileges of citizen
ship, and especially the very soldiers tc
garrison the South; and add to all thii
suppression of the freedom o. speech anC
Of the writ Of habeas corpus, martha
law, arbitrary arrests, impriSonmeuts
banishments, interference with elections
test oaths, appropriation of private hous
es, and every other kind Of oppression
outrage aud despotsm, which for two
years have been repeatedly practicec
even in States never in insurrection, bu
always loyal to the Union
This is the entertainment to which
under the present policy of the Admins
tration, dictated by the radicals wh,
control it, the States and people of. tn
South are invited. Aud repeatedly th,
question was put to me when amon,
them: III the citizens Of the states still
adhering. to the Union are continual