Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-07-02
For the GaIlipolis Journal.

EMR. HARPER:-I attended, the
ratification meeting Of the Vallsndig-
hamers, at jackson on the eth inst
Speeches were made BY the Hon. w.
A. Hutcbins and W. H. Stafford Of Chill.
licoihe, that were remarkable for bold.
ness and disloyslty; for their appeals to
the passions and prejudiees Of the su-
dience; for their vindictive bitterness
in attacking the Administration, Con-
gress and our military Generals; and
for the fact that they contained not one
single Oord in condemnation Of the re
bellion or the rebel chiefs.
Mr.. HIS first efforts were to set him.
self right before bis constituents, who.
many Of them. doubtless remembered
bis war speeches last fall in stumping
bis district. He said the reason that he
bad advocated a vigorous prosecution
OF the war then was. that he had some
feint hope OF Union sentiment exist
ing in the seeded States; but that he
now was satisfied that whatever OF
Union feeling then existed had been
crushed out with the weight of the
Presidents proclamation and the un-
constitutional acts OF an abolition Con-
gfess; and that two years OF unsUccsss-
fal Vor had convinced him that we
could not subjugote the South--hence
he VAS for eOnciliotin, compromise, peace
He neglected to tell Ne whether he
thought Union possible, OF whether we
should be compelled TO acknowledge
the independence OF the South; or what
kind Of terms we should offer, or that
would be acceptable to ihe rebel chiefs.
Greedy had favored the plan Of allow
ing them TO go in peace. and he was
more sagacious than others, for he
knew We could not subjugate them.
The Government was fast merging
into q military despotism. He de-
nounced in the bitterest terms, militia
ry arrests, the suspension Of the writ
Of habeas corpus, the suppression of
free speech and the press, and was fu-
riously eloquent over the arrest Of
Vallandigbam. Val's record was clear,
he (Vsl) had never uttered one dis
loyal word. It was claimed that Val's
lst Of February 81 resolutions provided
for the division Of the Union into four
Confederacies--it was simply de-
They only contemplated the protection
Of one section against the aggressive
legislation Of the others. He said GOTH
ing about their recognizing the right OF.
and providing for secession, and took
care not to read them. The reason that
our own country does not run Hood,
that our homes are not given over to
plunder, devost0tion and all the horrors
OF eiviI nor; is because Of the for6eor-
once of the Democratic party. They
have forborne until forbearance has al.
most ceased 10 be virtue. ca voice
"tbat's soy All this, and q great
deal more of the same sort, from our
NJ. G.
Mr.. Stafford gave rs history of the |
cause Of the rebellion-it had been /
conceived and nurlured BY a small
party Of abolitionists in the North. who
had not only been courted by one Of the /
great leading parties. but had absolute-
ly controlled its policy, and when that
party got into power, dissolution fol-
lowed, Of course. fF. '.i1l
The great question before the Demo-
cratic party is, are we fTeenen or are
we SLAVES? "a voice eyes, that's the
question:" Although Mr.. SIS speech
was lnhnitely -e..s- than HIS, il was
pointIess, and consisted enIIrsiy I.-.G.
forts to rally the party By the cry that
our liberties are gone, by appealing to
The mesnest passions, and putting on
theatrical airs. declaring against mill
AIRY arrests. lsuding Val, prsising the
Democratic party, claiming that 4 Of
,ur soldiers were Democrats, but &ey
we're reduced to such subordination
hat it would be impossible to get an !
vote. {