The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-10-13
IMPORTANT DOCUMENT.
Appeal OF the National Union Committee
to the People OF the United states
HEADQUARTERS OF THE
UNION NATIONAL COMMITTEE,

New York, Sept, 9, 1864
The great rebellion, which for moro
than three years has wrapped the ma
tion in the flames Of civil war, draws
near its crisis. Its armies have been
beaten, its territory has been conquer
ed. the forts and posts which it treach-
crously seized have been occupied and
held by the soldiers of the Republic.
its foreign armies have been detached
from its support, and its hostile arm
paralized by exhaustion and discour-
aged by defeat, is upheld solely by
the support Of political victories to be
achieved by its allies in the Presden-
tial election Of November next.
If the people in that election sustain
the Government, if they roassert its
Just authority and reaflirm its author
| ity to maintain it by war So long as
war assails it, the rebellion will speed
lily end. If they falter in this deter
mination, or leave any room Tor doubt
on this vital point, the rebels will take
fresh courage and prolorfg the contest.
Every utterance of their organs and
their agents affirms and confirms this
position. Every rebel in arms and
every rebel in office--every rebel Or
gan in the rebel States or in foreign
lands-cvery hater of the Democratic
freedom and the rights of man, longs
and labors for the overthrow of the
Administration and the expulsion of
Abraham Lincoln from the Prcsiden-
tial chair. ..., ,.
In the Northern and Western States
this hostility has been embodied and
organized in the acts and declarations
of the Chicago Convention. That
Convention gives a silent approval of
the rebellion itself, and an open con-
demnation of the war waged for its
suppression. Without q word of Gems
ure for the conspirators who plotted
the nations death, il brands with un-
sparing denunciations the patriots and
heroes, who defend its life. While it
passes in utter silence tho gigantic
usurpation of Jefferson Davis and his
Confederate traitors, while it ovorlOolis
entirely, and thus by just and ncces-
sary inference, approves their abro-
cation of political rights and personal
liberties over all that portion of the
United States in which they have
been able thus far to sustain their
usurpcd auth ority, TO pours out its
wrath, without stint or measure, upon
every act by which the constitutional
President of the United States, has
sought 10 defend and protect the life
and liberties of the nation whose eX-
ecutivc power is placed in his hands,
That convention had no words OF
cXultation for our victorics-no thanks
1 and honors for the soldiers and sailors
who have shed their blood to achieve
them, While it denounces our Gov
ernmcnt for neglect of duty toward
our "fcllow citizens, who are now, and
long have been prisoners of war in a
suffering condition" it has not even a
syllable of ccnsure for these rebel au-
! thorites who, with more than savage
cruelty and in utter disregard of every
dictate OF humanity rs well as Of every
usage of civilized warfare, have delb-
erAtc!y and with systematic purpose
inflicted upon those prisoners all the
tortures of exposure, of neglect and
starvation, and have offered premiums
for their murder to the brutal guards
to whose grim custody they have
been consigned. And on tho very eve
of the most glorious victories that
have ever crowned our arms after
three years of bloody, costly and sue
cessful war, when hreo-fourths of the
territory originally held by the rebels
had passed into our hands; at the very
moment when the rebellion itself is
tottering to its fall, and the flag Of our
country is rapidly advancing to its old
supremacy-the party represented at
Chicago demands that immediate ef-
forts be made for cessation Of h0Stjliies
IA step which would instantly arrest
our conqucring armies, and snatch
from them tho glories of general tri'
umph repeal the blockade, and throw
the whole rebel frontier open to the
supplies they so sorely need7 secure
the recognition of foreign Powers
either accomplish their independence
Or give them the ability to fight fol
it four years longer.
We appeal to the people of the Uni
ted Statcs--lovers of the Union and
, friends of trcedom-against the consu
nation of tho foul crime against botl
which the acts and declarations of The
, Chicago Convention involve. We in
yoke them not to sanction these prin
ciples and statements by electing the
candidates put forward to represent
them. We implore them as we love
our county, as they seek the renewed
integrity Of its territory, as they desire
the peaceful protection Of its flag, ant
the blessings of its free institution
and its equal laws for themselves anc
thoir posterity, not to arrest the blow
which is just ready to descend upol
tho rebellion now tottering to its fall
not to give the rebels time to renev
their strength for fresh conflicts; not t.
, aid those who would aid them in over
. throwing our Government, in destroy
ing our Union, in plunging into
5 chaos of anarchy the great communi
, ty of which the Constitution make
, one great and glorious nation, and il
thus oxtinguishng, finally and forev
or tho hones of all who hnve faith il