The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1867-09-19
pOlihtal.
THE ISSUES OF THE DAYl
SPEECH OF
RICHARD SMITH ,
DELIVERED AT
Harrison, Hamilton County Ohio
Monday Evening, Sept. 0, 1861.
PARTIES IN THE wan.

The late war separated the people
ofthis country, virtually, into two
parties-patriots and traitors. Those
who supported the Government were
called patriots; those who opposed it
were called traitors. In these remarks
you will observe, have used the
words of Douglas. The classified.
tion undoubtedly does injustice to
many people who co. operated with
tho Democratic party, partly through
ignorance of the real principles aud
objects of that organization aud part.
ly from tho force of partisan associa
tions. How strong these latter are
most of us know. But this was the
misfortune of the class to which | re
fer. 1t was plain that there could be
but two parties in the war-one for
the country, and the other against it.
Neutral ground there was none
could be none; and the man who pro
fessed to be neutral in the fierce aud
bloody contest for the life of tho ma.
ton must have been knave or O
fool. Those therefore, who main
tanned their connection with tho
Democratic party, and voted with it,
to that extent, whatever may have
been their motives, gave aid and
comfort TO the enemy.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WAR.
The rebellion was actually rebell.
ion of the Democratic party, which,
when it lost the power to rule, sough
an opportunity to ruin. The South
ern branch of tho organization tool
the lead when hostilities we're deter
mined upon, and the leaders of thu
Northern branch gave the rebels tn,
full benefit Of their sympathies Oh
the 23d of January. 1861, the Demo
Gratis of Ohio assembled in conven
ton at Columbus, not to nominate (
ticket, but to speak as party on tho
state of the country. At that timt
the work Of secession was in progress
and the Southern leaders were rapid
ly preparing to break up the Govern
ment. In that critical hour the 0hit
Democracy met aud passed the fol
lowing resolutions
"Resolred, That the two hundrct
thousand Democrats of Ohio send (,
the people of the United States, boil
/ North and South, greeting; aud whel
the people of the North shall hav,
fulfilled their duties to the Constitu
ton and the South, then and not til
then, will it be proper for them t,
take into consideration the right an,
propriety Of fcocrcion.'
This resolution was drawn b.
Judge Thurman who is now tn
Democratic candidate for Goyeruo
Of Ohio, who supported it,in a speech
Among other things he said: "Wh,
is authorized to say that 100000
} people in the free States will combiu
to conquer the South2 Who can sa,
if the whole South secedes, the fre
States will remain together? Blu
suppose they do, and suppose the.
join in crusade against the South
can they subiugate aud hold herr
Nercr, siJ NeUeri The teachings o
all history say no. You may invad
her; gain battles aud infict injuries
you may harm her more than she cal
/, harm you; all this is possible; bu
, conquer, subjugate and hold her, b
! force of arms, you never can"
The Cincinnati Enquirer, one of tn
| nd Loaf oroanc af tho norfv in Tho ooun
try,said of this resolution;
"The above has the ring of the tru
metal, and should be heartily inaorse
: by every Democrat and national mani
. Ohio. 1t is mauifestly right, just an
E proper, and commends itself to tn
4 judgement and discretion ofeyery rea
soning and rejecting man, All hon
/ or to the Democracy of Ohio for th
manly aud honest declaration
: Vallandigham, Pendleton, and 9th
er leaders of the Democratic party /
Ohio, took the same ground Th
I first named person, on the 18th {
e April, 1861, defined his position in
2 card published over his own signatur,
!, He said, should Ohio, to which h
!: owed his FIRST allegiance, be invaded
he would fight to defend her, bu
otherwise he would give neither al
y nor comfort to the supporters of tn
Government. Thus if the people {
the free States had followed the exam
pie of Vallandigham, she rebels, uni
ted as they were, might have broke
up the Government, and taken posses
e sion of the free States, one by on
:, for as this peace man would not eros
i the borders of Ohio to defend his Gol
ernment or help his neighbors, h
. could not expect his neighbors to eros
o their borders to help him, and theI
. would, of course, have been no Gov
ernment to help anybody.
Then again, in Middletown Lot
! ter, dated November 18th, 1856
when the country was in blaze {
7 excitement, and patriots were rushin
to arms to meet the rebel hosts wh
were striking at the life of the nj
ton, Vallandigham wrote as follow
X X "Milllons for defense
not man nor dollar for aggressi,
and offensive civil war. The war hi
\, had many motives for its commenc,
K ment; il can have bnt one resul
. whether it last one year or ifty yeal
-fnal, eternal separation, disunion
On the Goth OF August, 1861, Il
}, same person, in his seat in Congress
in a speech against the war said;
q repeat with Chatham, MY Lords
> You cannot conquer America,
Nd That vuas vrnh.b1v hfs opinion