The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1864-10-12
LETTER FROM GEN. BALL
EEe Comes Out for Gen. Mcclellan
and Takes the stump for him.

II
We find the following letter from Gen.
Ball in a 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 Democracy
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 Repub-
lcan members He has held many other po-
sitions Of trust and responsibility, and has
always discharged his public duties credita-
for Mcclellan and takes the stump for him.
Read his letter. Statesman.
GENERAL BALLS LETTER.
ZANEsvILLE, Sept. 90, 1864.
j. T. SHYRocK-Dear Sn:-My atten-
ton has just now been directed to the fol-
lowing paragraph in The Daily Courier of
yesterday: ~ '."t-.
"WILL NOT CONSENT. Tile Ohio Signal
contains list of appointments for McClel
Ian meetings, atwhich, it says, Hon. Charles
Follett and Hon. Ed. Ball will speak We
are able to announce that these appointments
have been made without the consent of Gen.
Ball, and that he will not address the meet
ings. The announcement Of his name in
connection witha these meetings iss one Of
those acts Of desperation which the con-
scious weakness of party, now in its last ag-
onies, impels the corrupt leaders who have
brought it down apparently to the pangs OF
dissolution, to act as they do
! have never been ambitious to have my
name paraded in the public prints under any
circumstances, and it is especially unpleas
| ant to me to see it thrust before the public
when it is done without my authority or CON
sent, as has been the case in every instance
where it has recently appeared in any news
paper. | certainly did not authorize you to
speak for me in the paragraph in question
Indeed | have not even had the pleasure OF
meeting you and speaking with you for the
last month or two, if my memory serves me
correctly. Neither did | authorize the in
sertion of my name in the bills announcing
the Democratic meetings at the Market
House on Saturdy last, nor in the bills for
Mr.. Follett's meetings was not spoken
to on the subject
Whatever | agree to do I 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 mat
lCE VI HuCll lHIclcSG W OtlletS, uIu lof IHy
self, am somewhat solictous to be correct
ly understood, and inasmuch as you and 9th
ers have undertaken to assign positions for
me, [ trust you will not deem it arniss, if |
ask the use of a column in your paper to en-
able me to define briefly my own position.
For the information of whom it may con-
Germ" I will say that have not changed my
political principles. | have not changed my
,.auor1 fo thu a,,,ibla Ipc,1 nt,
now unhappily raging in our once happy
and peaceful country, spreading desolation
and death in its track, and bringing woe to
almost every heartstone and anguish to eve
ry heart.
believe in the beginning, and | still be-
| lieve, there never was any adequate cause
forit
believe from the first and / believe now
that it was not only right but the impera-
| tive duty of the government to put forth all
its energies, and to use all the powers which
| the Constitution had conferred upon it to
| suppress this gigantic insurrection, and to
maintain the Constitution 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 l776, to be respected all over the land.
| The Constitution makes it the duty of
the President to preserve, protect and de-
fend the Constitution, and to see, that
the laws shall be faithfully executed. y 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 a solemn oath to do before he is quail
| fed to discharge any official function.
In my Judgment the Constitution confers
! ,1,,,,1o bo of tha
national life, and there is no good reason for
the pletense of saving the country. The
land" and our high officials who are charg-
ed with the duty of enforcing the laws on
| others should be very careful not to set the
pernicious example Of violating it them
selves.
I have ever attained the opinion that it is
the dury Of the people to stand by whoever
may be the President for 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 Union. Indeed, inasmuch as it is
only through him that the nation can act
upon the rebellion, | believe it is our duty
to furnish him the men and the money,
even though he may not in all cases make
| the best use of them according to our judg-
ment. But surely, because we vote him
supplies, we should not be expected to de-
prive ourselves of the right to canvass his
conduct or call in question his policy when
he presents himself as candidate for re-
election On the contrary, it is our duty
to hold him to account for the mismanage-
mcnt of the means and the misapplication
Of the power entrusted to him. 4.. +. ggg
There are many persons, doubt not
I who conscientiously entertain the opinion
that the present policy of Mr.. Lincoln is
| the wisest and safest, and is best calculated
to bring a speedy and permanent peace to
the country--all such ought to vote for his
reelection. gat.imy .sgiyasa9 -hf mft ja@
| j. There are others who Just as honestly and
eonscientiously believe that he has unneces.
/ sarily done violence to the Constitution and
trampled upon the laws, and that he has
needlessly attempted to subyert State Gov
ernments--establishing precedents for the
4 future highly dangerousto liberty Such
persons oughtnot to beexpected TO give him
theirvotes If SOME ether candidate Gamble
found whose policy more nearly aceords with
their own ideas of what is expedient. H
have myself supported Mr. Lincoln all
through his administration, while at the
same time I have strongly disapprobated
some Of bis measures, as you, DIR. Editor,