Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1864-03-02
LErTER FRoN HoN. 3. 2. wADE.

LITTER FROM HON. 3. F. WADE.
LFrcm the Toledo COmmsreialI
Ths following letter from Mr. Wade, was
written in response to an invitation to ad-
dress the Union Congressional Convention Of
the 23d inst:
AsHrABULA, Aug. 8, 1852.
GrSrlEsRN Your letter inviting me to ad-
dress Convention at your place, on the 23d
inst. is received, and, were I in a condition
to comply with your request, nothing would
give me greater pleasure tnan to do 80
Some time before left Congress, my health
had been impaired, 50 that It was with greal
difficulty I could he in my place in the Seuate.
Siucs ms. return it has failed rather-than i'm
proved, until have been obliged to keep my
bed most Of the time. with a slow nervous.
fever, which has reduced me SO much that
cannot hope to speak at your Convention.
The gigantic and sublime efforts which the
people -rlade-to defend their institutions, and
to trample this secursed rebellion under foot,
baye s5een parslyzed, aud in great measure
rendered abortiye by the oveF-caurious, tim
id and vascilIating course Of the Administra-
tion up to this time. This policy Is the fruit
si that cursed slave idolatry which has bro'f
this nation to the verge of ruin; it is this thar
whenever our armies have reached the do
minions Of those aristoc~ats who have brought
this trouble upon US. instead Of reducing them
70 RUIN and DESOLATION, has induced
our officers in every instance 10 weaken our
own force and degrade the proud Northern
soldier who was sent there to fight and con-
Quer rebellion, to become the guardian of the
hen-roost, the pig-sty, or the apple orchard OF
tAls lordling, who with all his available force,
was absent in the rebel army, meditating the
murder Of our troops. It is this that has
compelled our soldiers, under the scorching,
burning sun Of the South, to die in the mala-
rious trenches, Of excessive toll, rather than
use the sturdy negroes who were Injured to
the climate and anxiously sought TO do this
same work and relieve our men from its
hardships and its perils. It is this that has
DEGRADED cur brave men GnStead Of acting
the soldier) to become the hound for catching
slaves for Southern rebels, and returning them
TO masters who are even in arms against US.
In shsrt. 1t is this that divested all efforts to
conquer. on our side, Of the dignity of war,
and has compelled us to stand before the civ
iIizsd world apparently without policy and
witli0ut a motive. But all this is low chan
ged. The Representatives of the people, no
longer forgetting their diguity, sle at the foot
Of the throne for a more energetic policy. It
does. not belong to the President to devise a
policy for tie country; his duties are well
performed when he has caused the laws to be
faithfully executed. No matter whether he
thinks it polite, or impolitic. be has but one
simple duty to perform toward it, that is, to
see that It Is faithfully executed. Therefore,
it devolvss upon Congress, (under our Con-
stitution, the great representative Of the pow
er and dignity Of the people,) to devise q
policy. They who have the power to declare
war. to provide armies and navies, and to
disband them at pleasure, h'Te also the pow
Or, when war is declared, to determine on
,ghat principles It shall Be conducted. And
well and faithfully have the last Congress
performed their duty in this respect Let,
therefore, the young man, who is anxious to
sssiai tie Government in its hour Of peril, 60