Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-12-26
Hon. C. L. vallandigha m.

III
can read it without saying it contains the
words of truth and soberness? Read it.:
l have said to you, fellow-citizens, that
could not speak the language or sentiments
or maintain the doctrines of the Democrats
Party without defending the Constitution
and advocating the Union, and hence am
the firm, earnest and determined supporter
still, as from the time it was finally declared
about one year ago, of the policy of the
President go nc further back / do not
now assume to discuss the question whether
IN the beginning that policy was properly
proclaimed. have an earnest and decided
opinion about it. As elsewhere | have said,
and believe, it would have been far wiser and
better every way, for the whole country and
infinitely better especially for the peace of
the country, now and hereafter had the
President approved of the terms agreed
upon between Generals Sherman and John
son, IN North Carolina in April 1865. But
the explanation is satisfactory, at least
to myself The President had but for few
days been in the office of the Chief Magis-
trate. He ewas surrounded by men of whom
he was almost, even personally ignorant
men who had he dared to place himself IN
their pathway, as since, thank God, he has
had the courage to do, might have disposed
| of him as summarily as they did the body
not to quarrel with him for this mistake
and mistake think it to have been. for
had those terms been accepted they would
have accomplished what General Sherman
declared IN his order to the army accompa-
nylng the annOuncement-ma peace in
four and twenty hours with Union from the
Potomac to the Rio Grande They were
terms OF ofimmedlate restoration of the Union.
They required only what the Crittenden
resolution demanded-the surrender of the
Southern armies, the laying down of their
arms, submission to the Constitution, and
obedience to the laws and the Federal au-
thority, and with that the return, also to the
exercise of all rights under the Constitution.
And this was statesmanship-high noble
craftsmanship; and more than that, the
highest and noblest patriotism.
l have said that the President has now
policy which every Democrat endorses. 1t
Is our duty to support him earnestly and cor
daily In carrying out that policy-the policy
OF immediate restoration to full Federal re-
| lations OF all the States so that we shall
have Union, not of six and twenty, but of
thirty-six States. Now it so happens that
the very issue of tonight was the issue six
years ago. When last addressed you from
this very spot, in 1860, what was the ques-
ton? Mr.. Lincoln expressed it In his inau-
! gural-'the terms of intercourse between
the North and the South. - 1t differs now
only IN so far as the status of the question
! has been changed by the long and bloody
civil war which has intervened We then
debated In public assemblages upon what
terms of intercourse the North and South
should live together. AT that time the ex-
treme men of the South were claiming that
they could not remain in the same Union
with the North and West, unless they had
guarantees to protect them in the enjoyment
of their slave property over and above what
the old Constitution had given them and
now after this long period of bloody and
devastating warfare, what is the question?
The terms of intercourse still, and Q party
of extreme men here in the North, CON
troled by Congress, are claiming that they
cannot live with the people of the South
lest one OF these days they rise up and con-
quer the North.
Hear Lincoln in his inaugural:
Suppose you go to war. You cannot
fight always; and when after much loss on
both sides and no gain on either, you cease
fighting, the identical old questions as to
terms of intercourse are again upon you
! Now, / heard that. / remember that
! especial sentence. Standing in the eastern
portion of the Capitol, under that magnii-
! cent statue of Christopher Columbus CHS
1
an American, but an Italian artist, listened
to those words, as they fell from his lips,
and they but confirmed me in the course of
public conduct which | had prescribed for
myself-because it was the profound and
solemn conviction of my innost soul that if
the war could settle nothing, if at the end of
the fight, the identical old questions were
to remain for adjustment, then reason, and
religion, and humanity, and every material,
moral and political interest of the country,
required that they should be adjusted with
out war at all.
The Democracy of the whole country in
1861 and 1862 endorsed VALLANDIGHAM
and BENJAsIIN mot Fernandez WooD );
and to-day, they stand in the front ranks of
the Democratic party in their respective dis
tricts The position taken and advocated
by these men during the war was the correct
one, and events show that had the Demo
cratic party continued to present bold
and fearless front, met the issues sauarely,
and exhibited no timidity, the country and
the party would both be at present a thou
sand times better situated
|
Our SCHooLDAY VISITOR The January
number of this young peoples periodical
has been received. This Magazine bids fair
to become one of the most elegant, enter
tanning. and clevating periodicals published.
1t contains thirty-two large octave, double
column pages, handsomely Illustrated with
new attractive designs, and has an array of
contributors of which the publishers may
well be proud, among whom are Mrs. c. II.
Gildersleeye, Alice Carey, Rev John Todd,
Emily Huntington Miller, James Barron
Hope, Luella Clark, Virginia f. Townsend,
Nellia Eyster, Sophie May, Edward Eggle-
ston, &c.
/ ILL., c,IIo..z:-. IL: q