The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-08-16
THE ONO STATE UNION CENTRAL
COMMITTEE TO UNION VOTERS.
STATE UNION Ex. CoMMITrEE. |
COLUMBUS, g., july II, 1866, |

----
STATE UNION Ex. CoMMIPTEE. !
COLUMBUS, O, Julyl7, 1866. I
In view Of the great Importance of
the issues involved in the approaching
political campaign. we desire to i'm
press upon you the necessity for care
ful and thorough organization Of the
Union Partyin your county, at the
earliest moment possible.
Our enemies are as active and vigi-
liant as they are cunning and unscru-
pulous Defeated at every pointin the
field, and compelled to lay down their
arms, they seek to transfer the contest
to the Halls of Congress, and hope to
accomplish there what they could not
upon the battlefield, by compelling the
admission of rebels into onr legislative
councils, without any guarantees for
their loyalty and good behavior.
During the war it was the pride and
boast of the Union Party, that it was
lsboring to sustain the gallant men at
the front, whose brave hearts were the
sure bulwark Of our National unity
These men are no longer in the field,
but the contest is changed, and we have
another gallant band at the front, bat
Ting for our cause, in the Halls Of
Congress. f 4t..
They must be SuStdinedi Their ef-
forts are in our behalf in behalf of our
children, and the dearest interests of
our country. They seek to secure 10
pcrpetuity the precious boon for which
twenty. eight thousand citizens Of Ohio
died They say all this precious blood
of our brave soldiers has not been wan.
tonly spilled; that all the glorious vic.
tories won by our noble armies shall
not go for naught that all the battle
fields which have been sown with dead
heroes during the rebellion, shall not
have been made memorable in vain
They say that all this carnage and de-
vastation was, that treason might be
put down and traitors punished that
traitors shall now take back seat in
the work of restoration; that they
have ceased to be citizens, and in join
ing the rebellion became public enc
mics; that they forfeited their rightto
vote with loyal men when they renoun-
ced their citizenship and sought to de-
stroy the government, and that they
shall be subjected to severe ordeal,
and be made to bring forth fruits of
repentance, before they are trusted or
restored to citizenship! yru1.
What true Union man can fail TO en-
dorse these doctrines? They are the
doctrines for which we fought through
five bloody years By the memory Of
two hundred and fifty thousand heroes
who fellin the fight, we coniure you to
continue the contest until the fruits OF
the dearly bought victory are Sc
cured ..ra.fsy,
You have been brave in battle, be
wie5 also in council, or your bravery
will avail you nothing This question
of reconstruction is the only vital issue
in the campaign. Study it carefully
See who oppose us in our positions !
Every man who opposed the war, and
denounced the soldiers every one who
refused to contribute q dollar or man
to support the government; every
rebel who bore arms against us; every
"Son Of Liberty" and knight of the
Golden Circle;' every member of the
Democratic party; all these under the
leadership of Yallandigham, Ga name
synonymous with treason)1 constitute
the party that is arrayed in opposition
to us. Ir
Are not these facts sufficient to excite
your rene we'd vigilance and determin-
alton to continue the fight? Remem-
Der there are but two parties in this
canvass--one is the party that lras car
rcd the Government safely through
the war, the other is the party thai
has sought by every means in theil
power, and with all the desperation Of
baflled criminals, to break down the
government. Keep these facts steadi'
ly before the people Organize thor
oughly Get out our full strength and
we will carry the State by majorities
like those which rebuked the opposi-
tion in 1868, and thus render treason
odious, and the abettors of treason in
famous. .. ...
Very respectfully, .
B. r. COWEN, Ch' mn,
JAS. WILLIAMS, Seey. 9H