Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-08-13
Letter from vallandighann TO the
Democratic Convention OF Lucas
County.
TABLE Rock HOUSE,
Iron the Toledo Commercially

County.
lFrom the Toledo Commercially
TABLE Rock HOUSE,
NIAGARA FAILS, q. w., July 81.
GENTLgMEN-UI Unable to attend your meet
ing of the 5th August in person, permit
me to address you by letter, briefly. Waste
no part Of your time in personal defense 10
the candidates and speakers Of the Admin
istration's party. leave undisturbed the
brave and chivalrous work Of assalling auI
opponent absent, because the tyranulc pow
sr Of the master, executed by military
force, compcls it. The great issue Of the
day ought not to DO subordinated 10 things
merely personal and ! recommend TO my
friends generally that they initiate the wise
Romans, and carry the. war into Africa. :,
The Democracy Of Lucas, postponing all
other issues, and ignoring oil differences of
opinion in regard to them, assemble, Of
course, to consider what Gen. Fremont, the
candidate of the free speech and free press
Republican party Of 1865, very aptly styles
the upperm0st question OF the day-the
question of their own constitutional rights
and Liberties. This is the practical issue in
the Ohio campaign, forced by the Preside mt
and his party upon the people, and boldly
met by the Democracy in their platform,
which, as candidate, l accept as their
solemn and deliberate profession Of political
faith, and their pledge to the country that
they mean to defend the rights asserted in
il with their lives, their fortunes and their
sacred honors. Until these shall have been
made secure, it can be neither useful nor
possible to discuss any other 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 a people,
and what shall it profit us to gain the whole
world and lose our own soul2
The Constitution made the Union, and
when the war began, it was proclaimed to
be for the supremacy of the Constitution
and laws, and whatever difference Of opin
ion there may have been even then as tc
the mode Of securing it, every patriotic cit
izen Of the United States knew what the
laws and the Constitution were.
by what do we see to day? The opinion
and will from hour TO hour Of the Presiden
and such President!-is solemnly and OF
fcially proclaimed superior to tho Constitu y
tion and laws, even in the States who'll
Administration and its party, declared un
ehnngeable, the South is to be forced to tn
will and opiaion Of Abraham Lincoln, il
stead OF the written fundamental statut
and common law. Aud, il we ourselvs
scorn TO yield up our constitutional righl
and liberties to this monstrous demand
does any honorable man, any sane man, as
or expect che States and people Of th
South to surrender SO long as man SUI
vives to strike blow, or woman
strengthen his heart or nerve his armY
Upon such policy this war must an
will be iuterminable. So many square mile
msy be overrun, so much soil may be COZ
guered, but the hearts Of the people neve
How, then, stand the chances OF the Uniol
measured by the two different policies (
the Abolition and Democratic parties2
The psrty Of the Administration declary
that che States and people Of tho Soutl
shall be forced To- lay down their arms an
submit What then? Confscation of O
property, emancipation Of oil slaves, an
che execution Of all who, directly or ind
roo.ly, have taken part in the rebellion
namely: nine-t -tenths Of the whole popul
tion, for general amnesty has. never
yet, been 10 much a. suggested by eth
Congisss OF the Executive, and unconstit'
tional submission is now the least which
demanded, though it would do more, n,
only for constitutional liberty but for q
Union, than such men could acoomplis
in hundred yoars.
/ need not repeat my often declared COL
vietion, which time has always vindicatet
thst the South cannot be conquered
force Of arms; but granting for argumel
cake, the eAectual check and waning pr
portions OF the rebellion, as proclaimed no
again for the hundredth time, by tho orgal
Of the Administration, and that by u
second Monday in January next, oil ii
armies of tho Con!edorates will have bee
captured or dispersed and their rcmainin
1--WE hundred thousand square miles Of Te
,l'ory overrun and occupied, then tho ho,
for the pacification Of tho South and conoi
iation OF her people win have arrived, whie
party will most readily 10 henrkened TO
them2 Who as Governor Of Ohio will
the most efficient agent In that great at
srduous task2 Your candidate, oommitte
wholly to the restoration Of the Union ss
was, or the candidate OF the Administr
tion, pledged to policy full, upon the OF
hand, Of continued evaporation and hat
and on the other Of finsurrection and reveng
Very momentous are these questions, t
until that shall have been accomplishe
there cen be neither Constitution nor Unio
and no security and no quiet in the Ian
nor can single soldier tell their return
mother, or wife, or child, or home.
Reason, together. then, enof Ohio, a
Judge wisely, who love your country, .
would restore IL to its former peace, pr
psrity and glory. Continual war and ctr
are tho forbidden fruit Of our political Eds
and bear still the primal curse uttered
tones louasr than the voice OF the migl
sutsrsct, in whose presence | now write,
''In The day that thou sstest ther
though shalt surely die"
fSignedl Q. L. VALLANDIaHAx
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