Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-08-17
THE OHIO STATE UNION CENTRAL COMMITTEE
TO UNION VOTERS.
STATE UNION Ex.. Committee. !
COLUMBUS, o., July II, 1866. I


In view Of the great importance of the
issues involved in the approaching polit
ical campaign, we desire to impress upon
you the necessity for careful and thor
ough organization of the Union Party in
your county at the earliest moment pos
sible.
Our enemies are as active and vigilant
as they are cunning and unscrupulous.
Defeated at every point in the field, and
compelled to lay down their arms, they
seek to transfer the contest into the Halls
of Congress, and hope to accomplish there
what they did not upon the battlefield, by
compelling the admission of rebels into
our legislative councils, without any guar
antees for their loyalty and good be
havior.
During the war, it was the pride and
boast of the Union Party, that it was la
boring to sustain the gallant men at the
front, whose brave hearts we're 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, battling for our
cause, in the Halls of Congress.
They n1ltst be sustained Their efforts
are in our behalf, in behalf of our chill
dren, and the dearest interests of the coun-
try They seek to secure in perpetuity
the precious boon for which twenty-eight
thousand citizens Of Ohio died They
say that all this precious blood Of our
brave soldiers has not been Wantonly
spilled that all the glorious victories
won by our noble army shall not 90 for
naught; that all the battle fields which
have been sowR with dead heroes during
the rebellion, shall not have been made
memorable in vain. They say that all
this carnage and devastation 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 joining the rebellion they have become
public enemies that they forfeited their
right to vote with loyal men when they
renOunced their citizenship and sought to
destroy the government, and that they
shall be subjected to a severe ordeal, and
be made to bring forth fruits for repent
ance, before they are trusted or restored
to citizenship
What true Union man can fail to en-
dorse these doctrines? They are doc
trines for which we fought through for
five bloody years By the memory of the
two hundred and fifty thousand heroes
who fell In the fight, we coniure you to
continue the contest until the fruits of
/ the dearly bought victory are securedl
Y Ou have been brave in battle be wise
also In council, or your bravery will avail
/ you nothing This question of recon
struction Is the ouly vital issue In the
campaign. Study it carefully See who
! oppose US in our positions Every man
who opposed the war and denounced the
soldier; every man who refused to contri-
/ butte a dollar or a 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
those under the leadership of Vallandig
! ham, Ga name Synonymous with treason
constitute the party that is arrayed in op-
/ position to US.
Are not these facts sufficient to excite
your renewed vigilance and determination
to continue the fight? Remember there
are but two parties in this canvass-one
/ is the party that has carried the Govern
ment safely through the war; the other is
/ the party that sought by every means In
their power, and with all the desperation
of baffied criminals, to break down the
/ Government. Keep these facts steadily
! before the peoplei Organize thoroughly
Get out our full strength, and we will
carry the State by majorities like those
which rebuked the opposition in 1868
and thus render treason Odious, and the
abettors of treason infamous.
Very Respectfully,
B. r. COwEN, Chairman.
! JAS WILLIAMS, Secretary.