Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-03-25
The Loyal Voice of the Fighting
Ohio Seventh, and the Brave Men
who stand Shoulder to Shoulder
With Them.

HEAD QUARTERS, 7TH REG. o. Y. l.,
lsT BRIG., 2D DIV, 18TH ARMY CORPS,
DUNFRIEs, VA, March l, 1868.
To THE People OF THE STATE OF ONO:
In view of the stand taken by some of
the political leaders in the State of Ohio,
on the character of this rebellion, its
cause and consequences, and the ability
of our government to crush it /; in view
of the GOODNESS shown by many, in help
ing to sustain, and the treason spoken by
others against the government =; in view
of the great importance OF unity and con-
cord, in these perilOus times, and the
fact that the State of Ohio, IN common
with her sister States, is deeply interest
ed in the result OF this contest, we, the
soldiers of that State, desire to express
through the medium of an untrammeled
press, our opinion, and give our views as
parties interested in the struggle.
When the Palmetto Flag was flung to
the breeze, and the boom Of traitors can
non resounded through the land no State
sprang Into line" sooner or more willing
ly than Ohio. Her sons left their farms
and merchandise, their counting houses
and pulpits, and converting their plow
shares into swords, and pruning hooks
into spears. went forth at their country s
call to her defease. Two years have roll
ed away, and vet the Palmetto Flag waves
in the breeze, and the boom of traitors
cannon resound through the land.
Our world has been at times conyulsed
by revolutionary throes, which have shak-
en- it to its very centre but never have
the annals of history been darkened by a
more gigantic conspiracy or more lnfa-
nous rebellion.
Battles have been fought and victories
won, but the end is not yet.
The spring of 1868 beholds us in bellls-
erent attitude, ready at the most tayora-
bic opportunity, to strike again for our
Union, our Constitution, and the MAIN
tenance of our laws Month after
month the Ohio soldier has been in the
field, and his comrades one after another,
have testified by their deaths their devo-
tion to their country; while the great
people at home have divided themselves
| into two parties, each claiming to have
the same end in view, but diverse means
of attaining that end the one by uphold
/ ing and sustaining the Government, IN q
determination to fight the contest out :;
the other by opposing the Adminlstra-
ton, and calling for compromise.
The latter class are traitors enemies IN
the dark more to be feared than the
armed rebel before us; and we would re-
spectfully call them to AhentiOn!
When we entered the military service
of the United States, We had full knowl-
edge of the fact that our existence as a
nation was threatened by armed rebel
traitors, the consequence of whose success
would be our political ruin; we had
also a firm conviction of the ability OF our
Government to put down the rebellion,
which knowledge and conviction have
been confirmed during the past two years.
In a manner intended to allay suspicion,
vou have, for months past, been endeav-
oring to undermine the noblest, freest
Government that ever was given to man.
You have been holding secret meetings,
and concocting dark plans, to stab to the
heart our cherished political institutions.
In the garb of patriots, you have cried
Peace : Peace while in your traitorous
hearts YOU knew there was no peace
Pretending to be the friends of the sol
dier. YOU have declared the army demor-
allied. the soldiers tired of the war, ep-
posed to the administration, and deslrous
of compromise on almost any terms
With one hand YOU have sown the seeds
of dissension. In short, you are black
hearted traitars, in comparison with whom,
the deluded miscreants Of jeff. Davis are
honorable men; and you and they will,
sooner or later, unless you desist from
your treaoherous conduct, be ''hied away
to your native hell"
To the former class, the vast majority
who have stood fast in their integrity,
amidst the surges of the political sea, we
would say, God speed the right ! Take
baopt from mast victories, from present