Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-08-02
rFrom tho DAYTON EmplreI


Letter from Nir. YaIIandigham.
70 ne Democratic Central Committees Of the
Third Congressional DfstriS Of Ohio:
GENrLEMlsN- Assured BY competent au-
thOrlty, that ftis 10 part Of the secret, as 1t
certainly Is not of the ayowed and public
purpose of the Philadelphia National Con-
vention of August IA, to propose any meas
ure looking to the present or ultimate dis
banding of the Democratic party, accept
the appointment as one OF the deleg ties to
that Convention from this District; aid,
accepting, desire to add word of explana-
tion. tilbSI 5f
am we'll aware that by the great mass
of the Democratic party, here and else
where, the Convention is regarded with ex-
treme jealousy and distrust. Nothing
could be more natural; nothing more just.
They who stand forth TO the world as the
managing agents OF the movement, were
among the chief supporters of the late Mr..
Lincoln and OF the party by which he was
a first and second time chosen President.
There Is not one act Of wrong, oppression
or outrage committed during the last five
years, upon the Democratic party or the
Individual members who compose it. for
which they are not directly or remotely re-
spOnsible. Some among them spent
a lifetime In raising the storm OF
civil war which for so long ragged
with the fury of the hurricane all over the
land-that storm whose lashings threaten
yet to engulph whatever is left ofthe orig
inal form of our Federal system, the rights
of the States and the liberties of the people,
Through the agency Of these men, and of
Others with them, reign of terror, scarce
surpassed even in the darkest periods of the
French Revolution of f'89,f snlOte the land
~ In
destroying, in its course, not only political
and personal liberty, but the peace, the
quiet and the security of every hearthstone,
those only excepted where dwelt the sycO-
plants or minions of despotic power. Not
q Democratic household in Ohio, perhaps
any where, escaped without injury to
person or property, or, at least, without
insult and wrong to name, to family, and
to reputation. Dispersal of public meet
ings, suppression of newspapers, proscrip-
tion in all the social, religious and busi-
ness relations Of life, calumnies, persecu-
tions, mobbings, stripes, stonings, arrests,
Imprisonment, military commissions, exile,
death+4these were the bitter fruits of the
teachings and policy of the men who now
invite Democrats to sit In friendly council
with them in tie Philadelphia Convention.
That such an invitation from such quar-
distrust, if not with keener, stronger emo
tions, is but an instinct of nature; and
whoever consents, offers up a high and holy,
sacrifice to magnanimity and patriotism,
But wise men do not hearken to the voice
of passion, and true patriots never sacrifice
the being and welfare of their country to
the impulses Of revenge. Providence has
made possible, in spite of the evil policies
of the past five years, the restoration of the
Constitution and the Union, and with them,
of free Federal Government, and public and
personal liberty. The tide In the affairs OF
men which leads to fortune, is now setting
in, and it must be taken at the flood. AS
to all who In good faith accept the situa
tion," and would even yetavert thenatural
and legitimate fruits, North and South, of
civil war, the past must be forgotten, ante
cedents ignored, and, the great issue of the
hour be made the sole test of present fell
lowship and corporation. Save the ship
first: Strive then for the mastery. He who
cannot attain to the hight of this great ar
gument, is too much of a partisan to be
anything of patriot. ~ nau
On every side dangers encompass US. The
late war, indeed, is over; but the evils of
which all wars, and civil wars especially,
are the prolific parents, just now begin TO
be felt. In good faith and earnestly, as /
believe, the President labors day and night,
to avert or to mitigate these evils. His is
the rare, but wise, healing, exalted policy
OF eonciliation, magnanimity- policy of
the Christian and the Statesman. That of
the Republican party represented by the
Congress, may be summed up in two words,
Vde oicttS, "WOe 70 the coDquered"-th
unwise, narrow, irritating, peace-destroy-
ing policy of the barbarian aud the pirate.
Dat ftrrfN afrxy r,a1n
choose, and the life Of the Republic hangs
upon the choice. 90 rr1D 10 l #Ea 81
am not unaware that handful of mis-
chievOus and evil-dispOsed persons of the
Republican party, now among the profess
ed friends of the President, but themselves
of peculiarly Odious and unpatri0tic record
and antecedents, pretend to set up tests for
admission TO the Philadelphia Convention,
as against certain Inen-in fact all men-of
the Democratic party. The combined in
deeency, presumption, aud folly of this
pretense, together with the mingled treach-
cry and hypocrisy of the motives which
prompt 1t, render it too contemplate for
further notice. If the Philadelphia Con-
vention is to apply any other test than the
present status and principles of the dele
gates upon the one great question of the
day, as set forth in the call--above all, If it
is to be perverted to an ihquisition, on
either side, into the record and antecedents
of the men who shall present themselves
with the ordinary credentials of member
ship, then appropriately it should be as
sembled in the Temple oil Discord; or, far
better, it had not be assembled atall. Upon
the heads Of those, Of either party, who
shall first stir these fountains Of bitterness,
be the evil which shall follow. n
--IlH.I at @. l.. L.fVALLANDIGHAM. j..
N. vro,r OuYn Inlu IN 1868 g y .,.li ~ q