American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-08-24
New York Peace Convention.
SYRACusE. n. Y. August Is.


Vallandigham, Ex-Governor Weller, Of
California, Fernando Wood and Judge
ODderdonk are present, and are going tc
speak this evening. Several Western pol
iticians are here. At meeting held last
evening a serious of resolutions were az.
greed upon more moderate than suited the
views of some, and it was determined tc
appoint full delegation to Chicago, adyis-
ory in its character, and not to seek seats
in the Convention, but this morning the
question is in some doubt, and considera.
bic opposition is being manifested.
SECOND DISPATCH.
SYRACUSE, August 1S.-There were
two mass meetings to-day; one on Frank
lin street and the other near the Syracuse
House. The largest was on Franklin
Square, Vallandigham and Fernando
Wood being announced to speak there.
In response to loud and enthusiastic calls,
Vallandigham stepped forward and ad-
dressed the multitude foran hour or more,
holding their closest attention, except
when interrupted by applause. He said
he was not here to parade his private
griefs, nor to speak Of what he had borne
and suffered in the cause. All such
things were indeed insignificant in COM
parison to the great national interests that
are at stake. He would not say that time
had already indicated almost to the utmost
extent his views in regard to national af-
fairs. They are longer peculiar. They
are becoming most general. 1t was not
the purpose Of the convention to sow
seeds of discord in the Democratic ranks
such was not part of his mission dele
gate chosen unanimously to represent his
constituents at Chicago, he would be false
to them and to the interests Of his party
and his country were he to lend himself
to such an object. He would go there
with the single purpose of aiding in brin-
ing about the nomination Of a sound can
didate upon q sound and patriotic plat
form, and to promote harmony among the
Democrats aud conservatives Of the coun-
try.
There is now but one question before
the country, war or peace. He assumes
that it is the desire Of all who love their
country, that first their liberties shall be
made secure and then her national pros
perity be restored. There were some who
believed that these objects could be best
secured by war, whilea greatness of the
Democracy held that they could be obtain
ed only through peace A majority de-
termned to try war We were obliged to
submit Had we possessed the power,
not one drop of blood would have been
no marshallingof hosts, nohostile cannon,
no mighty debt. The President has had
all the men and all the money he deman-
ded. Never were there such an example
of submission by people. Nothing has
been wanting that Constitutional power
conceded, or that audacious usurpation
could take from the people, and what is
the result? With more battles fought
than was fought by the three greatest
conquerors of the world in any five years
of their power, is the Union restored !?
No. A single State brought back No.
Is the Constitution maintained or obsery-
ed? No. Are our liberties respected !?
No. Have we had free press, free as
semblies, the right of habeas corpus, or
arrests by due process of law? No. How
is it, in a material point of view. A debt
of nearly five millions, and currency
worth about thirty-cight cents on the dol
lar, which two months ago was worth one
hundred per cent, and which two months
hence will be worth one hundred per cent
less. Ruin is impending and now in the
fourth year of the war what better is the
prospect of success? The war failed in
1861 and 1S62-not for want of courage
for no braver men ever went to battle
The campaign of 1868 opened under more
auspicious circumstances, and we were
told that the rebellion would be immedi-
ately crushed by the force of arms, but
the end of that year found us but little
advanced The campaign of 1864 open
ed with the largest armies the war has yet
seen. These were composed largely of
three year veterans and were concentra-
ted for attack upon two or three vital
points and with what result? Let the
record of carnage and blood answer.
Having tried war so long, shall we now
try some other means?
He was for trying Cancellation and COM
promise. We submitted to a necessity.
You have had your trial You have tried
war for four years Now let us try our
plan. Our forefathers made our Consti-
tuition in convention with pen, ink, and
paper, afSer debate, by free speech, COM
ing from the hearts of freemen, and for
seventy-three years we prospered under it
as no other people ever prospered. Yet
we had our differences during that period
More than once the Union was endanger.
ed, the difference of 1920 were reconciled
by compromise, and by the same instru-
the calamity was avoided in
1854. Clay, Webster, Benton, Cass and
Douglas were there then, and compromise
prevailed through their advice and efforts
Sumner, Chase and Hale, the leaders of
the party now in power and which has
brought the country so near to iTetrieya-
BILE ruin, we're there too, and then, as now,
they were against compromise. With a
form of Government it is i'm
possible to keep States together by force
Of arms. 1t is contrary to the spirit of
free institutions but if it were otherwise,
the war has been utterly perverted by the
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