Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-10-03
LETTER FROM GEN. BALL.
He Comes Out for Gen. Mcclellan and
Takes tho Stump for him.

He Comes Out for Gen. Mcclellan and
Takes tho stump for him.
We find the following letter from Gen.
eral BALL in late issue of The GAINESVILLE
Courier, the Abolition organ of Muskingum
County. The General was twice elected to
Congress by the party opposed to the De-
mocracy; was LINCOLN Elector in 1860;
and served as Sergeant-at-Arms Of the last
United States House of Representatives,
having been elected to that position by the
Republican members. He has held many
other positions Of trust and responsibility,
and has always discharged his public duties
creditably and satisfactorily. Henow comes
out for MCCLELLAN and takes the stump for
him. Read his letter:
GENERAL BALLS LETTER.
EVANSVILLE, Sept. 20, 1864.
j. 7. SHRYoCK-Deu Sir-My attention
has just now been directed to the following
paragraph in The Daily Courier of yester-
day:
"WILL NOT CoNsENT.-The Ohio Signal
contains a list of appointments for McClel-
Ian meetings, at which, it says, Hon. Charles
Follett and Hon. Ed. Ball will speak. We
are able to announce that these appoint
ments have been made without the consent
of Gen. Ball, and that he will not address
the meetings. The announcement of his
name in connection with these meetings is
one OF those acts of desperation which the
conscious weakness of party, now in its last
agones, impels the corrupt leaders who
have brought it down apparently to the
pangs of dissolution, to act as they do"
l have never been ambitious to have my
name paraded in the public prints under
any circumstances, and it is especially un-
pleasant to me to see it thrust before
the public when it is done without my au-
thority or consent, as has been the case in
every instance where it has recently appear
ed in any newspaper. | certainly did not
authorize you to speak for me in the para
graph in question. Indeed have not even
had the pleasure of meeting you and speak
ing with you for the last month or two, if
my memory serves me correctly. Neither
did | authorize the insertion of my name in
the bills announcing the Democratic meet
ing at the Market House on Saturday last,
nor in the bills for Mr.. Follett's meetings.
| was not spoken to on the subject.
Whatever | agree to do | am responsible
for. What others may do without my
knowledge or consent am not willing to
be held responsible for.
do not know that my opinions are
matter of much interest to others, but for
myself, am somewhat solicitous to be cor
rectly understood, and inasmuch as you and
Others have undertaken to assign positions
for me, trust you will not deem it amiss,
if ask the use of column in your paper
to enable me to define briefly my own posi-
tion.
For the information of "whom it may
concern" will say that have not changed
my political principles. have not changed
my views in regard to the terrible insurrec-
tion now unhappily raging in our once
happy and peaceful country, spreading des
olatian and death in its track, and bringing
woe to almost every hearthstone and anguish
to every heart. .....--.-... ..-...,.
believed in the beginning, and still be-
lieve, there never was any adequate cause
for it. "
l believed from the first and believe
now that it was not only right, but the i'm
perative duty of the government to put
forth all its energies, and to use all the
powers which the Constitution had con-
terred upon it to suppress this gigantic in
surrection, and to maintain the Constitu-
tion and enforce the laws throughout the
whole extent of the country, and also to
cause the old Flag which was baptised in
the blood of the Revolution of 1776 to be
respected all over the land. -i ,.
The Constitution makes it the duty OF the
President to "preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution" and to "see that the |
laws shall be faithfully executed.n 1t is
also his duty, as the head of the nation, to |
guarantee to each State republican form
of government" This he is required to
take solemn oath to do before he is quali- |
fled to discharge any official function.
In my Judgment the Constitution confers
ample power for the preservation of the |
national life, and there is no good reason
for the violation of its plain provisions un-
der the pretence of saving the country.
The "Constitution is the supreme law of |
the land" and our high officials who are |
charged with the duty of enforcing the |
laws on others should be very careful not |
to set the pernicious example Of violating |
it themselves. -.,.
have ever entertained the opinion that |
1t is the duty of the people to stand by who
ever may be the Presidentfor the time being |
in such emergencies as that through which |
we are now passing, and to furnish all the |
means necessary for the prosecution of. the |
war, so long as its object Is the preservation
Of the linton. Indeed, inasmuch as it is on
ly through him that the nation can act upon |
the rebellion, believe it is our duty to fur
nlsh him the men and the money, even |
though he may not in all cases make the best |
use Of them according to our Judgments
But surely, because we vote him supplies,
we should not be expected to deprive our
selves of the right to canvass his conduct or |
call In question his policy when he presents |
himself as candidate for reelection. On1
the contrary, it is our duty to hold him to |
account for the acknowledgement of the |
means and the misapplication Of the power
entrusted to him. ''''" siV
There are many persons, doubt not, who |
entertain the opinion that |
the present policy, of Mr.. Lincoln is the
wisest and safest, and is best calculated to |
bring speedy and permanent peace to the
country--all such ought TO vote for his re- |
election.ei ia Ir9g lsai T1eIqomsQ 4 II
There are others who just as honestly |