Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-19
Peace Convention i'm Syracuse.
N W

Judge Onderdonk, are present and intend
to speak this afternoon.
Several western politicians are here. AT
a meeting held last evening, a series of res
olutions was agreed upon, more moderate
than suited the views Of some, and it was
determined to appoint full delegation 10
Chicago, advisory In its character, and not
to seek seats in the Convention, but this
morning the question is in some doubt, and
considerable opposition is being manifested.
There were two mass meetings to-day,
one on Franklin Street and the other near
the Syracuse House. The largest was in
Franklin Square, Vallandigham and Fer
nando Wood being announced to speak
there. In response to loud and enthusiastic
calls Vallandigham stepped forward and
addressed the multitude for an hour or
more, holding their closest attention, ex-
cept when interrupted by applause.
He said he was not here to parade his
private griefs, not to speak of what he had
done or suffered in the cause. All such
things were indeed insignificant in compar-
is0n to the great national interests that are
at stake. He would only say that time has
already vindicated almost to the utmost ex-
tent his views in regard to national affairs.
They are no longer peculiar. They are be-
coming most general. 1t was not the pur-
pose of this Convention to sow seeds of
discord in the Democratic ranks. Such was
no part of his mission. A delegate chosen
unanimously to represent his constituents
at Chicago, he would be false to them and
to the interests of his party and his coun-
try were he to lend himself to such an OBJ
ject. He would go there with the single
purpose of aiding in bringing about the
nomination of sound candidate, on
sound and patriotic platform, and to pro-
mote harmony among the Democrats and
conservatives of the country.
There is now but one question before the
country-war or peace. He assumed that
it is the desire Of all who love their coun-
try that, first her liberties shall be made Sc
cure and then her material prosperity re-
stored. There were some who believed that
these objects could be best secured by war,
while great mass Of the Democlacy held
that they could be obtained only through
peace. A majority determined to try war.
We were obliged to submit. Had he pos
would have been shed. There would have
been no marshalling of hosts, no hostile
cannon. no mighty debt.
The President has had all the men and all
the money he demanded. Never was there
such an example of submission by a people.
Nothing has been wanting that constitu-
tional power conceded or that audacious
usurpation could take from the pepole, and
what is the result, with more battles
fought than were fought by the three great
est conquerors of the world in any five
years of their power? Is the Union restor-
ed? No. A single State brought back?
No. Is the Constitution maintained or OBJ
served? No. Are our libe ties respected?
No. Have we had free press, free assem-
blages, the right of the habeas corpus. or
arrests by due process of law? No! No!
How is it in material point of view? A
debt of nearly four thousand millions, q
daily expediture of nearly five millions,
and currency worth about 3S cents on the
dollar, which two months ago was worth
one hundred per cent. more than it is now,
and which two months hence will be worth
100 per cent. less
Ruin is impending, and now in the fourth
year of the war what better is the prospect
of success of war than in 1861 and 1862?
Not for want of courage, for no braver men
ever went to battle. The campaign of 1863
opened under more auspicious circumstan-
ces, and we were told that the rebellion
would be speedily crushed out by force of
arms, but the end of that year found us but
little advanced. The campaign of 1864
opened with the largest armies the world
had yet seen. Those armies, composed large
ly of three year veterans and concentrated
for attack on two or three vital points, and
with what result? Let the record of car
mage and blood answer.
Having tried war so long, shall we now
try some other means? He was for trying
cancellation and compromise. We submit
ted to q necessity. You have had your
trial. You have had war for four years.
Now let us try our plan. Our forefathers
made our Constitution in convention, made
it with pen, ink and paper, after debate by
free speech, coming from the hearts of free
men, and for seventy-three years we pros.
pered under it as no other people ever
prospered. Yet we had our differences
during that period more than once. The
Union was endangered.
The differences of 1920 were reconciled
by compromise, and by the same iustru-
mentality the calamity was avoided in 1850.
Clay, Webster, Benton, Cass and Douglas
were there then, and compromise pre-
vailed through their advice and Efforts
Sumner, Chase and Hale, the leaders of the
party now in power, and which has brought
the country so near to irretrievable ruin,
were there too, and then as now they were
against compromise.
With republican form of government
it is impossible to keep States together by
force of arms. 1t is contrary to the spirit
of free institutions. But if 1t were other
wise, the war has been utterly perverted by
the Administration. To-day it is not a war
for the Union or under Ahe Constitution,
and the eyes of the people are being opened
to this fact Hence it is that through all the
States the cry for cessation Of hostilities
is being loudly uttered.
He regarded the call for 1000 more men
as confession that the war is to be pro-
longed through 1865. If you send more
men, demand that the war shall be success
full and conducted to the end for which it
was inaugurated. In June last, in his Phila-
delphia speech, Mr.. Lincoln said that this
war would continue at least three years
longer. Elect him and you are committed
to that policy.
There is but one way of avoiding such
calamity, and that is by a change Of Presi-
dent through the ballot-box. At Chicago
we propose to nominate candidate who
will inspire the confidence of the people,
a statesman imbued with love of liberty
and respect for the Constitution and all its
guarantees and reservations. lie expected
that the candidate will be committed to q
suspension of hostilities and convention
of the States. That is what vast majori-
ty of the delegates from the northwest are
committed to. AS to men we have no spe-
cial choice.
Let us be united, disregarding all per-
sonal and minor considerations, for the
sake of the cause, and if successful we will
have rescued the Constitution and secured
to ourselves and our children civil and po-
litical liberties. Arbitrary arrests, military
trials and the suspension of the writ of ha-
beas corpus, as well as of the press, will
close forever in the United States.
L ~ 49,. % l.