The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-09-06
John Wentworth ON ValIandig-
ham.
From the Chicago Tribune. Aug. 30

From the Chicago Tribune, Aug. % 'i-fI 81
The following report of the reply of
John Wentworth to Vallandigham,
made at the gathering in the Court
House square, on Friday evening, was
inadvertently omitted from our report
in Saturdays issue. hs31ea .al1ri4
On the retirement of Vallandigham
from the steps, the crowd called for
'Long John" Wentworth"-th two
names being synonymous in Chicago
for our last appointed Police Com
missioner. Mr.. Wentworth appear
ed on the stand, amid much cheering
and said;
l am pleased with the opportunity
which your call me to lay my own views
of public policy and public affairs be-
fore you; and in so doing / trust shall
not be deemed an intruder, for / would
not thrust myself before you nor press
my views upon unwilling ears. "
1t has long been part of my politi-
cal ethics that the true method Of dis
cussing public affairs was for the pros
and cons TO go together before the
people. In every public address for
the past years of my life / have en-
forced the correctness of this under
standing. .i4o .,f...
therefore request the attention of
all, for ] am not a party man. l am
chained to the partizan car ofno class
no interest, no organization to my
country alone do owe fealty and rem
der homage. / love that country. 1t
nurtured me i'll my youth and honored
me in my manhood and now when /
have passed the meridian of life / love
to respond to any call to plead in her
behalf. (Applause.) AS we cast our
eyes over the land and witness the
tears that everywhere prevail, and the
dangers that now environ the republic
the heart of the patriot sinks with
doubt and dread. War, with all its
dread calamities following in its train
is convulsing the nation. The art of
arms has succeeded the pursuits of
peace, and nearly million nf men con-
front each other in battle array. Amid
the horrors Of war we naturally look
and long for peace. The fathers and
mothers of Chicago, whose sons are
Drawing the hazards of battle and the
perils of disease, long for peace. The
wives of Illinois, whose husbands have
perished and are pershing in the ter
rible struggle, send up their daily pray
ers for the cessation of the strife
My own wish and hope is for peace
My regret when the maddened traitors
ofSouth Carolina fired upon the N alton
al ensign and forced the'Federal author
ity into conflict, was not more keen
and poignent than my joy will be deep
and sweet when they lay down their
arms and cease the warfare they then
so wickedly, foolishly and devilishly
inaugurated. This is the peace for
which we hope, for which we pray, for
which we fght. This struggle we must
conquer. The road to victory is the
road to peace. 1t is to this alterna-
tive that we are driven-;I siIanIcnii
surrender, or certain, triumphant,
lasting, glorious victory, and conse-
quently peace.
/ have listened with great interest to
the eloquent and well considered re-
marks of that peculiarly democratic
champion who has just addressed you
from the stand. l have heard bewail
in feeling, touching terms, the existence
and continuance of this 'accursed war"
In terms of Indignation he has invoked
against the Federal Administration for
the part it has had to act in the bloody
drama. But while he was thus dep
ricating war and violence, listened in
vain for one single breath of censure,
one word Of reproof from his lips, of
those who first unclaimed the ugly de-
mon, and let loose the storm of deadly
hate. Why was not the vials of his
wrath poured upon the head of the in
famous Beauregard, and the insurgeant
government at Montgomery, who base
ly trained their cannon upon a citidel
floating the national flag. and shed the
first blood in this fraternal fight? Not
Federal gun had been fired, not an
act of hos 'ility committed when rebel
lious chief acting as Secretary of War
for rebel government telegraphed the
fatal order "Open fire upon Fort Sum-
pter'' Thus the strife began. But
this denunciator of war, this deprecator
Of strife, this messenger ofpeace, in his
speech to night, running through near
ly an hour and half, had not one
word of denunciation and reproof for
those who before God and man are
guilty of its commencement. 4s6
Why this omission, why this stud
led silence on the part Of MIR. Vallan-
digham? Why are his invections di-
rected solely to the General Govern
ment which when assailed only then
attacked? Does Mr.. Vallandigham
wish to be understood that the act of
the traitors in opening the strife is not
worthy of censure, while the act OF the
Government in opposing force to force
is entitled to an hours temperate de-
nunciation?o QT 1oiiol - WotiHifod
Idraw no unchaitable differences my
self. arraign not the purity or bon
esty of his motives, but submit that
these things are worthy of remembran-
&C. If YOU, my friend, are quietly
marching along the street, and are
brutally assaulted and fight back as be-,
comes a man, would you not say to the
man who deuounces you for striking
back, but had no word of censure for
your assailant-would you not say to
him, ask "that he was your enemy
and would have tossed up his hat at
your defeat.v Nor would the inferen-
ce be unjust. My peace friends, if the
gathering here tonight and fire on your
assemblage would you be responsible