Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-09-27
CIcIRo, Hamilton county, Ind, Sept 90, 1866
Speech OF Hon. Fernando Wood at
the Ratification Meeting I'm New

tFtI VI VI p'lNrtcc w tue tlfN-
ton OF George b. Mcclellan as President of the
! United States.
IL is scarcely necessary for me TO saw that.
were il an original question, should have pre-
| ferred some man whose opinions approximate
nearer tn nv own. So long within the Dem
ocratc party it a question between candi-
dates, | struggled for the selection of some one
with whom ] more nearly concurred. opposed
the nomination of General Mcclellan. at
tended the convention for the purpose of oppOsi-
ton 90 him. and did oppose him until ali opposi
| ton to him bad failed He was nominated aud
it appears To me that honorable man am
concluded by the result Having did all could
| against him without success would it be right to
continue oppositonl
| Why did oppose his nomination. Because,
| by his public record, knew he was for the war,
/ which was against. Yet the conventiOn-the
tribunal to determine the matter-the body to
which Democrats OF all shades have submit ted
| the question. decided that. without regard TO his
| peculiar views or antecedents, he should be the
standard bearer of the party at the coming great
| campaign. The body did not, by resolutions,
attempt to ndOrse his sentiments. On the con
trary il declared principles which, il is thought,
were opposed TO those he entertained Yet,
while declaring these sentiments, il also selected
| him as its candidate. / adhere to the principles,
and OH those principles shall support Mcclellan.
| Because thus concluded rs to my support OF
| the man. DO not feel constrained to give up the
views entertain as to the doctrine The Con
ventioD itself took this very ground. Its nomi-
nee aud platform were apparently inconsistent
with each other, and yet for paramount reasons
connected with success it deemed such contra
dictory position reconcilable with good policy
Therefore having none other to vote for but the
man thus selected and having been party 60
| the effort 10 select some other person, am pre-
| cluded from opposition to him Besides If elect
! ed, / satisfied he will entertain the views and
execute the principles of the great party he will
| represent without regard to those he may himself
| possess He will then be our agent. the creature
OF our voice. and as such can not. if he would
and would not il he could, do otherwise than
ecute the voice of the country, which, under the
4 constitution and laws. will be the commanding
| general over him, clothed with supreme power
! Nv friends, | have said thus much on the as
| sumption that Mcclellan is opposed to peace
| There those who deny that he is opposed 10
peace. MANY intelligent and honest peace mer
] do not concur in the opinion that Mcclellan will
continue the war il elected His recent letter &C
ceptng the nomination is made the basis of op
position To him by peace men; they in II
| nothing but war, nothing but coercion and con
tnued boodshed Are not thesespersons hasty
! in reaching this conclusion from that document.
| have examined this letter with care. Ii pre-
sents two propositions, viz: a resolute determin
alton to adhere TO the Union. let the consequen
ces be what they may, ana significant declart
ton that the Union can be restored only by the
exercise of the same spirit which created il
which he specifies that of cancellation aud
compromise" His precise language is that 1.-THE
Union was originally formed by the exercise OF a
spirit OF Cancellation and compromise" To re-
store Ind preserve Il, the same spirit must pre-
vail in orr councils and in the hearts of the peO
pie
Now. a TO the Union, | have always con
tended for thu: At no time since the breaking
out of the war have uttered a word or writer
! a paragraph that could be construed into a con
sent TO a separation OF this blessed Union oil
| States. Nor am | alone among Peace men in
this attitude as a Peace men Mr.. Nallandg
ham, Mr. Pendletop. Mr. T. II. Seymour, ex
! President Pierce and other prominent states meI
who have distine Iished themselves as opponents
OF the war hold this position. The lamenteC
Douglas who. If living, would toe the great leader
OF the Peace element OF the Democratic party
declared ~ an early day that eternal
dissolution. Horltio Seymour. a living authori
". equally high "a an exemplar of Democrat,
sentiments said that successful coercion a,
much revolution a successful secession tn,
Union. therefore. is the great end and aim o.
Peace men The Chicago Convention emphati
ton passed by the Convention was:
Resolved. That in the future. a. in the )as,
We will adhere With unsWerying fidelity 20 th,
Union under the Constitution a the only solid
foundation of strength. security and happi
ness A. a people. aud As a framework Of govern
ment equally conducive 10 the welfare and pros
! peritv Of all the States. both Northern auC
Southern
Certainly Geu Mcclellan does not declar,
Union sentiments less strong or more explicit
than these In this respect al least. he reiterate-
accept, AMI re,ffrms the platform laid down a
Chicago II may be that be sees 10 other way
10 union but 10 war though his avowal in iavO
OF Cancellation aud compromise does not partak,
Of that character We think war il dsunion
and hence we opposed 10 the may thinl
otherwise BE that a. 10 NAV, IL Is but common
sense 10 assume, that after a tew more month
OF fruitess Trial. he. like ourselves will conclude
that The sooner we abandon the idea Of force ,ht
better 1.-THE Southern States DO not want I,
return 10 the Union. they never will return. The
viii come back willingly OF not at all Hence II
= that We are IN favor OF the only way by which
the Stltes can be reunited. To continue the wa
: will not only prevent Union. but will destro,
the North
We consider war destructive 10 the Union sen
, timeut. aud that Us continuance will insure Ii,
entire emancipation of the South. Therefore
? when General Mcclellan declares for the Union
be assumes the position which We have assume.