The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-09-22
Address of the Union State Cen.
trail Committee.

recent election on the amendment to the
Constitution of the State, allowing soldiers
IN the field to vote, is gratifying, inasmuch
as it shows that the grea. heart of the
Commonwealth is right, in the fearful and
bloody struggle going On to preserve the
great republic, and that these brave men
are worthy to help govern the country for
which they make SO many sacrifices and
suffer so many privations.
The friends of the Union have brought
about this result, while the opposition
have used their powerful organization to
prevent it, with the evident object oe
weakening the Union armies by disfran-
chising the soldier, and thereby strength
enins themselves at the approaching
Presidential election; anG in connection
with this election let us reason together.
The campaign of 1864 is now fairly
opened The issue upon which the cam
paign is to be made is clearly indicated.
The enemies of the government have
publicly and authoritatively declared their
purpose in the contest. That declaration
places the duty of patriots in a light as
broad and clear as that of noon. There
Is no mistaking either the spirit or the
object of our opponents; it is the same that
lmpelled the chiefs of armed treason to
attempt the overthrow Of free government
on this continent in 1S60-6I. Neither
time nor reflection, nor regard for the
peace of society in the loyal States, nor
the desolations which have devoured the
prosperity of the South in the grip of war,
have wrought any modification of their
hatred for government founded upon
opinions of the people expressed through
the ballot-box.
1t is the part of wisdom to anticipate
evil, aud to prepare TO destroy 1t before it
grows too formidable to overthrow. The
attitude of .he parties to the Presidential
contest gives rise to serious question
the most serious of any which can engage
the attention Of the true patriot and good
citizen. That question is briefly stated :
Shall we have lasting peace, through
vigorous prosecution of this war for na-
tional life, or interminable war, through
a peace based upon disunion
The ISSUE is sharply defined. The
utterances of the Baltimore Convection
decisively declare for peace through effec-
tive war; the utteTaDces of the Chicago
Convention as decisively pronounce for
the alternative presented in the question
stated They mean that, or they are
without meaning. The opposition to Mr..
Lincoln cOntemplates disunion as cure
for the ills under which we lie. His
defeat would divide the continent into
factious States. Nor is this mere asser-
ton. The political history of the country
for the last four years is a mass of over
whelming evidence iu support of its entire,
its disgrace:ul truth.
And first, in evidence of its truth, we
have the declaration Informal but not less
weighty because reiterated and unvary
ing) of the rebel chiefs, that the South
will not treat for peace save upon the basis
of a recognition of its independence. The
press of the South omits no opportunity
to impress upon us and the world that
peace can only come through recognition.
Recognition is but another name for sep
aration. And finally, every European
nation has come to regard the result of
this war as certain to be one of two things
either subjugation or disunion. 1t is
the clear conviction which truth brings to
every rational, enlightened mind 1t is,
therefore, entitled to great weight, second
only to the resultant fact.
1t is due to the opponents of Mr.. Lin
coin to state that they pretend to believe
in the probability of peace and Union
through some compromise, the terms of
which are not clearly stated.
1t will be easy to show the futility of
such hopes, if it has not already been
DONE 1t will not be a difficult task to
show that such belief does not take root.
in conviction. The leaders of the oppo.
sition are men Of great ability and more
than ordinary sagacity. They cannot,
be ignorant of the facts which
are of public record These facts cffectu-
ally preclude the possibility of peace and
Union through any compromise, unless
the terms involve recognition; and that
would be disunion.
But let us thoroughly consider this
question of peace through compromise
It is reasonable to suppose that the chiefs
If the rebellion would have accepted terms
1t the outset, if at ALL 1t is alleged by
opponents that Mr.. Lincoln hurried the
,ation into war, not only without consti
,utional warrant, but even against the
wishes of the rebel chiefs themselves
They reproach the Congress then in ses-
'iou with having refused to adopt the
1rIttenden Comnromiso measure and J