The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-10-16
SPmMCH OF
Hon. @. L. Vallandigham
At tOssville, Butler County, Ohio,
october 4, 1866.
Uepoitod for the Cincinnati Commercial by
MACK. ~

Reportcd for the Cincinnati Commercial by
"Mack.'D
[coNTINUED.l
| am not here Tonight 10 enter into any
personal ,lefense but SO far as these ques-
tions are connected with public affairs
pardon me VI say u word. You will re-
momber that before the war, with all my
might with nll my soul, with all my
strength. | opposed the inception of the
war. had been taught from the lessons
OF the Washington, Madison, JEFF
ferson, jackson, Clay, Webster and Calhoun
that this Union could only be preserved
in the way IN which it was founded.
Buildcd upon consent, supported and main
tanned by consent founded in spirit of
amity. and cemcnted by Cancellation and
compromise. so only could IL be perpctu-
atcd. | had learned from Andrew Jackson
not only that tile Federal Union must be
preserved, but that, IN his own language,
IN n note, dated at ! o'clock at night on the
lth Of December, 1882, IN the midst Of the
South Carolina notification controversy,
that "the Union must be preserved toith-
out blood, If possble;" and to that end |
laborcd night and day, along with Critten-
den, that gallant old man whose memory
went back to the early days of the Repub-
lie; who, born before the founding of the
Government, fingered still the sole survivor
of that giant race of statesmen who once
adorned the republic of America, In his
footsteps followed, and--along with every
old-line Wing In the Senate and House Of
Representatives, every Southern Demo-
crat, eXccpto one and every Northern Demo-
crat and Western Democrat, without cX-
ceptiOn--I voted for the Crittenden prOpo-
sitions IN order that war might be
averted. did all that my humble
cupacity--all that my strength and
influence could aocomplish-to achieve the
great purpose, and did declare in New
York, November. 1860, that as a Represent
alive, would not vote dollar whereby a
drop of American blood should be shed in
II civil war. And now, &c am only enabled
to make good that declaration to the last
hour ofmy life, shall have that consula-
tion which upheld the great Fox In his dy-
ing moments, when. lifting up his eyes,
just before they closed on all mortal scenes,
he exclaimed. II thank God, as | pass
away from earth, that, In a service of forty
years In Parliament have never uttered
II word, or given vote. which has caused
the shedding of one drop of British blood"
But this was before the war-before the
Presidential eection---I was seeking to
avert the choice of Abraham Lincoln, who
had united with William ii. Seward in
proclaiming the doctrine of the irrepress
bic conflict. which knew must result in
bloodshed. After the war Lad broken out,
though did not changn my opinions, my
course of conduct necessarily was changed.
War was liked fact. 4 could not avert it,
neither could arrest it, ard IN the only
speech. except ore, that delivered, until
] the end of tlie second campaign. | pro-
| claimed that Il was fixed fact, and that,
like a wise man.. | would not struggle
against what was inevitable and accom-
plshed. Having been reared in the Den-
ocratic school. | said that | believed, inas-
mnnh "A had camp-. the (.nVnrnmput
was entitled to demand rs much money
| and men as the President might call for,
without opposition of any kind, until an
appeal could be made 10 the people to de-
terInine the question. And upon that doe
trine acted throughout. ] could not sup
port the war. If had believed as you who
went into it--believed that il was cOnstitu-
tiOnal, that IL was consistent with the theo-
| ry of our system of government or with
| the stability of any system of free Republi-
can government, aud was waged for the
restoration of the Union, and not the abOli-
tiOn of slavery, l would have shOuldered u
musket aud gone into the front ranks. But
not so believing. 1 could do no otherwise
than act as did without doing violence to
myconsciemce. made no active OppOst or,
believing that the President had right to
men and money until the people decided
otherwise. But with regard TO the soldiers
il was totally different. Upon every spe-
cial pension and pay. bill was not only not
silent, but gave an active support to il. Ii
was who made the first little speech in
support of the appropriation of six millions
of dollars. on the day alter the Tlirty-sev-
enth Congress met, To pay the three months
Volunteers the men who went out with
hearts full Of patriotism, without bounty,
without even pay secured by Congress.
such was my position during the war. But
| | did not change INV opinions, ! have not
changed them yet. / have nOthinL TO take
back-neither vote nor wOld spoken
during the last live years. Why did OPP
pose the inception OF this war? Because.
first believed that coercion, war. could
not restore the Union. Who was right, and
who wrong? How stands the case? Is
the Union rcstorcdg II so, | dismiss this
meeting, | adjourn the election, and de-
nounce the President fOr, under false pre-
lenses, raising II clamor throughout the
country. Why has lac a policy of restora-
| tiOn; why has Congress policy of recon
structiOn, il the Union Is restored? L. the
war over? A yoice-''No.'l
The late war is over; the next Is to come
Shall digrcss moment 10 tell you how?
"ris easily told. They have proclaimed 1.
already-Bingham, Wilson, Wade, Ste
vens-the leaders Of the Republican party
everywhere. Under pretense of impeach-
ment, they mean to depose the President
Impeachment, say that is a mild, gentle,
a constitutional wOrd-though II Is absurd
in the extreme 20 talk of impeaching a
President for supporting the Constitution
and maintaining the Union. They will
depose him by Violence, though under the
pretended form of law and let me here
say very emphatIcally that, upon the
fundamental maxim Of Iincoln's admins
| tratiOn, they have perfect right to do so.
What was itY He boldly and repeatedly
proclaimed, and mercilcssly he acted upon
Il from the beginning 10 the end, and sus-
tained all his undeTlings everywhere In
executing Il, that he had a right, and that
Il was his uuty TO remove every obstacle,
of whatever Kind, human or material
men, things, or hlstitutions--whichh he be
licved stood IN the way of the successful
achievement of what he called his patriotic
purposes. And In this monstrous claim he
was supported In the beginning by the
grest mnss of the people of the States
North and West, and throughout by ma
iority of them with recklessness aud
bitterness, and servility, too, never be-
fore exhibited by a free people, Ia any
country or In any age.
Now, upon precisely this same maxim,
thus vigorously practiced, tho Radicals