The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-08-31
yGa 10 SPEECHsoF .fsa4o
H0N.G.I. VALLANDGHAM

H0N.G.l. VALLANDGHAN
In Dayton, August 18th, 1864:
People of Montgomery county: 1t wa
not MY original intention to be Tpresen
at your meeting to day, and i am her
now only because of the disappointment
to which you have beencsubjeeted. 1t ,ha!
not been-you know me well enough tt
believe-because 1 wished to avoid anJ
responsibility that. have kept from ia
of my couptrymensin in the city. of Dayton,
since my return from exile and re.
turned, let me say, Of my own accord, and
because 1 had right to be here. That's
so, l expected within ten days to attend
the Convention at Chicago, and declared
it was not my intention to address any
assemblies until platform had been
adopted and a candidate elected. The
postponement Of the Convention gave me
two months more rest and although
had rest of certain kind during my alb.
sence Of year and forty days, it was not
ef that sort which Idesred. According
ly have refused all invitatio rs totspeak,
availiD myself Of the opportunity afford
ed me to enjoy for a time the pleasures
Of ny own home, from which II have SO
long been deprived. 1t had not been,
therefore, to. avoid responsibility. need
make no exclamation on this ppiEt, even
to abolitioaists, think they understand
by this, time that, after the fashion Of one
greater than l, take the responsibility.
TCecers I .argd Il :;
40 CHARACTER OF THE MEETING. -
Neither was it for want of interest in
the object ofthis vast Assem- blaee- to-day
that declined to be present. 1 feel a
profound solicitude in all that concerns
the people, and have borne some testimo-
nv to the strength and endurance of that
solcitude. But l was not present with
YOU to-day for the additional reason that
this is not mere political meeting. 1t is
a meeting epapating from The fcuptain
ke3d-the people. it is a constitutional
meeting, not an asscmbfage of members
of a PARTY, for the purpose of advancing
The interest Of any organization, much less
the interest of any particular candidate.
1t is such meeting as the people provided
for when they established the Constitu
tional safe guard, that the people have the
ri- hit peaceab:y TO assemble and consider
measures for the redress of their grievan-
ces. 5ba: -.-.-t <t-
And this is your business here to-day.
in which I feel the profoundcst interest
IL is your right to come together and ex-
press your opinions, for you come not to
hear the sentiments of others, but to speak
yoursel1 cs The effects of such a meet
ing as this, gotten up not at enormous ex-
pense and labor, but responsive TO the
better impulses of the people, cannot fail
to reach and take hold on the seats ofFow
er. You speak and hear not as Democrats.
but as citizens Of all parties. One third
Of those who called this meeting are mer
who have been. hitherto supporters of
Lincoln. To-day you come together for
he purpose of considering the burdens
you suffer; and ifever people, since the
Israclites ,wcrs compelled to make mortar
without straw, suffered grievances which |
demanded redress, you are that people,
Gu do right TO come up here for that
purpose The long catalogue of grievan-
,es which you low gsoan under, has been |
rmmed up iu your resolutions. You have t
rcas ured them in your memories, you
rave felt them in your persons ;fnd in your |
ouses. Though the destroying angel |
las not passed through the land, and ia
zen your first born, he has taken hund- |
eds of your first born, at the command |
# Lincoln. Ycu do well without distinc-
ion of party to demand redress of your
grievances, and insist on a cessation of
,ostilitics. 1t is vain, as the attempt to
lestroy one IF those trees by tapping its
ranches, to think of continuing the war,
nd avoid increased taxation and greatly
nultiplied calamities. am here then not
o speak of these topics which ordinarily
ngage the attention of political meetings,
ut to refer to matters Of higher interest
o you as people.
ABOUT THE CHICAGO CONVENTION.
I expect speedily, continued Mr.. V. in
rophetic style, by the grace of God-and
ask no higher authority-to be at Chi
ago. And the eyes and hearts of the.na-
ion are turned in that direction. Even
in the silent slumbers of the
ight-the hearts of hundreds of thous-
nds of them are turned to the Chicago
that wisdom may direct
s. action, as 1 have not the least doubt
will When its work is finished, then
i'll b. ready to devote myself, from
forming till night, if need be, to discus
ion of the subjects that will be involved
4 the struggle to follow.
l can assure you, as far as my judgment
worth anything, that that Convention
i'll meet in harmony, will sit in harmony,
dopt the right kind Of platform, nomi-
ate true candidate, and furthermore, {
nat that candidate will receive consti- |
itional majority of the votes that will
ect him President of the United States. I
Great cheers In the spirit of patriotic S
ZEN. who love liberty and their country, |
I'D laying upon the altar all our private |
riefs, all our prejudices and passions and i
.oForopoas for ono mon ouer onotbor OIL .