Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-07-09

whole burden 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 repel the inference,
that he has counseled directly in favor of
1t. With all this before their eyes, the
Convention you represent have nominated
Mr.. Vallandigham for Governor of Ohio;
and both they and you have declared the
purpose TO sustain the National Union by
all constitutional means. But Of course
they and you, in common, reserve to your
selves to decide what are constitutional
means, and unlike the Albany meeting,
you omit to state or intimate that in your
opinion an army is constitutional means
Of saving the Union against rebellion, OF
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 nom
inee for Governor, in whose behalf you ap-
peal, is known TO you and to the world to
declare against the use of an army to sup
press the rebellion. Your own attitude,
therefore, encourages desertion, resistance
to the draft and thelike, because it teaches
those who incline to desert and escape the
draft to believe it is your purpose to pro-
teet them, and to hope that you will become
strong enough to do 30. After short per-
sonal intercourse with you, gentlemen Of
| the Committee, l cannot say | think you de-
| sire this effect to follow your attitude, but
I assure you that both friends and enemies
of the Union look upon it in this light. 1t
is substantial hope, and by consequence,
a real strength to the enemy. 1t is false
hope, and one which you would willingly
dispeI. 1 will make the way exceedingly
easy. send you duplicates of this letter
| in order that you, or majority, may, II
t4RfE E5 ahfHd and 9GGHF' FeGGFn It 2BGs nhS @
with the understanding that those signing
are thereby committed to the following
propositions, and to nothing else:
| l. That there is now q 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 constitutions al means for suppress
sing that rebellion.
2. That no one of you will do anything
which, in his own judgement, will tend tC
hinder the increase, or favor the decrease
or lesson the efficiency Of the army OF
navy, while engaged in the effort to sup
press that rebellion and,
8. That each Of you will, in his sphere
do all he can to have the officers, soldiers
and seamen of the army or navy, while
engaged in the effort to suppress the re
bellion, paid, fed, clad, and otherwise vel
provided and supported.
And with the further understanding tha
upon receiving the letter and names thu
indorsed, I will cause them to be published
which publication shall be, within ITSELF {
revocation of the order in relation to Mr.
Vallandigham.
Il will not escape observation that con
sent TO the release of Mr.. Vallandighan
upon terms, not embracing any pledgt
from him or from others, as to what ht
will do. l do this because he is not pre-
sent to speak for himself, or to authorizt
others to speak for him and hence, l shall
expect, that on returning, he would no
put himself practically in antagonism witt
the position of his friends. But I do i
chiefly because 1 thereby prevail OF
other influential gentlemen of Ohio to 81
define their position as to be of immens'
value to the army-thus more than com
pensating for the consequences of any mis-
take in allowing Mr.. Vallsndigbam to re
turn, so that on the whole the public safet!
will not have suffered by it. Still, in re
gard to Mr.. Vsllan1ighsm and all others
Imust hereafter, as heretofore, do so mucl
as the public safety may seem to require
I have the honor to be respectfully you're
etc., A. LINCOLN.