Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-08-04
Letter from Colonel s,reight.


Dear SRI learn, through the papers.
that YOU have been nominated by the
Democracy of Indiana for the high and re-
sponsible Office Of Governor of our State.
This calls TO mind conversation held
with you some time in FEBRUARY. 1861.
L on viii recollect that you then maintained
that State had constitutional right to
ssceds from, the Union whenever a ma
jority OF the people thereof saw fit to
do so; and that the Constitution granted
no power 10 tue General Government;
to coerce q Sovereign State" and
that any war waged by our Government
against the Sovereign States" of the
South. would be entirely demonstrations al
Illegal and without authority The posi-
ton YOU then took SCI med to me so anti
national anG revolutionary in its tendency.
that at that time, proposed to discuss
with you through the public press the cues
tions involved III our conversation: and
although you declined public discussion
nevertheless the earnest manner liz which
you maintained your position. made a
deep. Impression upon my mind And
since tie Nallandgham or peace wing Of
the Democracy have openly taken the iden-
ticsl position that you then occupied
have frequently thought Of the argument
you usei at the time above referred to. |
see also that in your speech before the
Convention that nominated you, you stated
that you were opposed to the war as it is
at present prosecuted. Though you in
the same speech referred to resolution
passed by the Democracy on the 9Th OF
January. 1862. to-wit: That we will
sustain with all our energies war for the
maintenance of the Constitution, as hev-
Ing been the sentiment of the Democracy
az that time, and that you were not aware
that it has been changed since You did
not say that you endorsed the resolution,
OF that you would endeavor to carry it out
II elected. Hence each individual is left
TO form his own opinion as to your inten-
tons on this vital and important subject.
In view OF your nomination to the high and
responsible office of Governor OF orr State,
and of the vast influence that Indiana
wields in this great struggle for national
life, together with the strange, unnatural
and unpatriotic not to say reasonable }
course that a portion of the Democratic
party have taken in relation to the war in
which we are engaged, | take the liberty in
behalf of the vast army of Indiana SOL
diers, who have lett home and friends to
sustain our nation in war against trail
tors-to ask you TO answer a few plain.
straight forward questions. tina: we may
know fully how Won stand on the great is
sues of the day. This would enable rs
(should we have the opportunity to vote
understandingly in the coming election.
aud we should be better prepared to Judge
of the probable consequences that would
follow your election.
Ist. Is it your present opinion that the
General Government has not the constiu-
tional right TO coerce State, or any mum
Der of States, that have or may secede?
ID Is ii your present opinion that
the General Government has the constitu-
tional right TO coerce State that secedes
Please inform us as to what evidence has
changed your opinion since February,
1861. The answer TO this question is OF
the utmost importance as it is hoped that
any evidence sufficiently strong to change
your mind to the opposite OF your we'll
settled legal opinion would if made pub
lie convince thousands of the Democracy,
who are still clinging to the same danger
Gus dogma that you did at that time
Sd. In case you have not changed your
opinion on this subject since 1861, please
inform US as to whether you would not.
in the e.ent of your election, feel yourself
bound to oppose by every possible means
the prosecution of war that you then de-
clared would be unconstitutional, unne-
cessary and wrong?
4th. What do you and your party mean
by declaring (as on the 9Th of January, to
which you refer,j in favor of war for the
maintenance of the Constitution, and the
Union under the Constitution? Do they
believe, as you did in 1861, that the States
are sovereign, and that war to coerce
them is unconstitutional, thus declaring
in effect that the seeded States are only
fighting for their constitutional rights;
and if so, is the war to which they refer as
the one they will support in maintenance
of the Constitution, TO be a war against
our Government and our army? The i'm
portance Of answering this question is
plain to every one, from the fact that you
and large and influential portion of your
party have repeatedly declared that the
States were sovereign, and as such had a
right to secede, and that war to coerce
them is necessarily unconstitutional. Now
it's plain that if you and your party are
In favor OF war to maintain the Constitu-
ton in this crisis of our National affairs,
you must array yourselves against the
Government. and the army that are prose-
cutting an unconditional war, which You
and yor party have so often declared to
be our Government and our army.
9th. You and your party declared that
you are utterly opposed to the war as it
is Tow prosecuted; nov, in case of your
election, and the present policy of con-
Quoting the war should not be changed,
would you exert yourself with zeal and
energy to furnish the Government with the
necessary plen to fill all calls that may be
made by the President from time to time,
irrespective OF your opinion Of the con-
stitutionality of the war. or of the wisdom
of the policy with which it may be con-
Quoted?
These are grave questions, and vital
ones to us in the army; we are DESTROYS to