The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-10-17
@Esr11reSTT -
Hon. c. L. Vallandigham
At i,ossville. Butler County, OHIO,
Ociober f 1866.

October {, 1866.
ncportrl for the cline 'nnalt Commercial by
"MArk."l
FELLOW CIrl2ENs OF BUTLn,--lam ohlig-
ed to request, although accustomed to adj
dressing cNcilHble audiences. tMit there
shall be to-n night ~ much quiet MS is possible.
Having spoken to-day tu very large
Democratic meeting for sulne two hours
and a half nnd bcing. M you are wen
aware, not In my usual condition of health
come here ill-prcpargd to speak as
would desire on such an OcCasiou Bat !
will cudraVor to gather so much strength
ns will cnablc inr 10 perform the duty
undertaken according TO the bust Of my
ability.
I'm thc first place, to the end that may
not be questioned. as repeatedly / have been
ON the subject. desire to say that although
began 10 speak in public mruty years ago,
it has never bvcu my custom to discuss, at
any considerable length, at least the claims
Of candidates. either friends or opponents.
aim tn deai with principles, policies, and
great pullic questions tathcr than person.
alities. whether they be dCumciatury or
nulogistic. You who have known me for
fourteen years, and heard me- often, vii
remember that. even in Presidential cant
paigns such has been my custom. ] nm
not therefore here Tonight to consider the
respective personal claims and qualiica-
ticket. Democratic or Republican, or the
district ticket or the county ticket. |
assume that rs ! will do myselC every
Democrat will vote the entire Dcmocrdtle
ticket uhscratclIcd. ! should be surprised
that question could be raised In Butler
County as TO the duty OF Democrats upon
that subject This explanation J make
because do not propose, as have said, to
enter into the direct question of the cluinis
ct the ffNal cAnlidaics but rather to dis
cuss the great issues of tie day, ami 10 !
succeed in establishing that the Democratic
party is right that its policy tends most h the
real Interests uf the country. To- the speedy
restoration OF the Union, and the maintc-
uaurr Of the Constitution. asSlulc that all
Nyho roncur with me will, OF course. vote
for the Democratic candidates, and need
not name any one of them.
trust that there are ia this asScmblaEe
some extreme Radical Republicans. do
not quarrel with them because they call
themselves or are called. Radicals. In so
far indeed, as their Radcnlism tends to lay
the aN ut the root OF the fundamental
principles OF our form of government, orto
subvcrt that form ITSELF or To delay the
restoration of the Union, or to change sub
stantially the Constitution which our
fathers made, | am their sworn foe. In SO
far as by that word is meant Carnestncss oi
purpose, determination To carry out logiti-
mate ends by all Legitimate and honorable
means, ! have no controversy with them.
In that sense of the word am, as ! have
ever been. u Radical Democrat. No, VI Is
not with Radlcaism itself that | have any
quarrel. The true rule. as loumprcilen1 H.
Is to he thoroughly conserNAtNc-Ind II
there was any other word In the English
language to express the idea, would use
it-upon all questions of fundamental prin-
ciple and organic law; but radical or pro-
gressivc--I care not which you choose--hl
AL matters of policy and in the manner OF
carving ont the purposes ana objects ora
party. For example, SO far rs the ConStitu-
tion of the United States is concerned, or
the fundamental policy established by oul
fathers, am thoroughly yconservatiyc--aye
am, II you please, an "Old iogy' | woulc
neither cross u { nor dot an to make il
differ from that which they have set down
in the instrument | would retain IL pre-
cscly as it is. Thus though abolishinl
slavery by State constitution in all I'll,
Southern States, just rs 1t was abolished ol
prohibited in all the Northern and North
western States, / would not even retain ia,
amendment to the Constitution of th,
|, United States, recently claimedto be adopt
ed by the National Union mon, with Mr.
Seward assuming 20 be Mt their head, bu
which can not be part Of the organic law
4 ifthe theory of the Radicals Is true, tha
those States, by the adoption OF which i
. was carried, are out of the Union. | woult
not have It in the Constitution, because
regard it rs u violation of u fundancn
tai principle Of that instruments namely
IL That every State shall retain the right L
II control It's domestic institutions and th
+ regulation of lis Internal police. That I
my reason for obiecting to the amendmcn
!. not because ii purports TO do what pre-
yiously had IN fact, been tlOne---abolish thi
institution of slavery. That institution j
dead, for good orcyil, tn the black race an,
to the white race. Let IL so remain. /
4 4. .t,1 4 Nknp Ia
purpose of any considerable number o
men in the South or elsewhere, to resusei
& tate It. 1t Is among the things belonging
III 10 the dead mast but It's abolition has lci
behind il a question of far greater Import
lnce than that OF African servilude--th'
question of the honr-tie momentous qnes
ion involving the porpclnily of the GOV
,rnment--thc question of the condition u
'hc African now freed. H. then, there ar
Radical Republicans here, and they com
an the spirit of honest inquiry after truth
aud will listen with impartial minds, the,
hall 20 hence with far less of prejudice
roth against the Democratic cause and hin
Who now advocates il.
hope, too, there are here some who cal
themselves National Union mcu-,lohnsOl
republicans. | mean thc earnest, SINGER
Importers of the policy of the President
not those who render lip service, who, il
fhe presence of Democrats and other ap
lain that they are With him. and yet meal
% vote for candidates for Congress wu
&c resolved, undcr the pretensc of i'm
cachmcnt to rcmoyc him from Office; il
ny event, mt least, TO defeat the settle,
.nrposc of his policy. IL Is not that elias
f men whom / would address tonight
either that other class, who, rcaSy TO aC
apt Office from amy party, claim now I
the supporters OF the President and 50
, not hesitate TO assail Democrats as the
~. i In years past, and especially the gen
~ ,mau who addresses you That sort {
hnsonism, or National Unionism, sof th
nd ofpicty described in the Apocalypse b
q Evangelist who, writing to the ang,
the church Of the laodccans, declare
will spuc thee out of my mouth" Bu
'rc are supporters of the President {
other sort--eamest sincere and homes
IN, who having been Union men throug
g war, believing that war would rcstol
Union, are still Uniou men, and are r,
yed that by the ballot 1t shall now |
ored. II Is to this class of men woul
nress myself and know that they and
sd upon precisely the same platform
differ not one lota. ! am for IL
Sident because l believe that he
q 4 a. 4. 4 ~