Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-09-12
MASS MEETING
GALIIPOLIS, G A
Saturday, Oct, 5, 1867
S P E A K E r S:
Hon. SAMUEL MCKEE.
Hon. SAMUEL GALLOWAY.
The Record.

The three most prominent repre-
sentative men of Ohio Democracy at
the present day are Judge Thurman,
C. L. svallandigham and Geo. 81.
Pendlesen. They control its policy
and are the expenents of its princi-
Piles. In view of this fact, the war
record of these men becomes of
no little Importance, especially at q
time when one of them is presented
to the people of Ohio as candidate
for the highest Office within their gift,
while another is prominently before
the country as the probable Demo
cratic candidate for the Presidency
in 1868. We consider their war
record important, because we are
Of the opinion that the loyal men Of
the country are not yet ready to
transfer the control Of the govern
ment to any men or class Of men,
who were opposed to the war for the
suppression of the reb elliou and the
preservation Of the Union. Their
war record is plain and decisive
They were all prominently before
the public at the outbreak Of the war
in 1861, and took occasion then at
various times to give public express
sion to their sentiments. And their
sentiments as thus and then express
ed prove them beyond question to
have been at that early day in favor
of secession. In q Democratic Con-
vention held in 1861, Judge Thur
man proposed and advocated the
following resolution:
"Resolved-That the two hundred
thousand Democrats of Ohio send to
the United States, both North and
South, greeting. And when the
people of the North shall have full
filed their duty to the Constitution
and the South, then and not until
then, will it be proper for them to
take into consideration the right and
power of coercion"
This spoken at time when the
Confederate Government had already
been organized, and ten Southern
States had severed their connection
with the Union, meant nothing more
nor less than this-"That in Judge
Thurman's opinion, the aggressions
of the North justified the secession
of the South, and that he and Ohio
Democracy would oppose every at
tempt to coerce the South back into
obedience to the laws and Constitu-
ton of the land"
c.. L. Vallandigham, in speech
delivered at Dayton on the I'd of
August 1861, boasted "that he had
not voted for any army bill, or navy
bill, or army or navy appropriation
bill, since the meeting of Congress
on the 4th of July 1861" At this
early day Mr.: Vallandigham sound
ed the keynote of that bitter oppo-
sition to the war, which has charac.
terized him throughout. Rather
than vote a single dollar or single
man for the suppression of the re-
bellion, he would stand by and see
the government of his fathers tram
pied beneath the feet of traitors.
Mr.. Pendleton, from his seat in
the Congress of the United States,
in January, 1861, gave expression to
the following views:
"What force of arms can compel
State. to refrain from doing that
which her State Government, sup
ported by the sentiments of her peo-
pie, is determined to persist in do.
ing2 Sir, the whole scheme of coer-
eion is impractlcable. 1t is contra
ry to the spirit and genius of the
Constitution.
"If these Southern States can not
be conciliated; fyou, gentlemen, can
not find it in your hearts to grant
their demands; if they must leave
the family mansion, 1 would signal
ize their departure with tokens of
love-"
Such were the views of these men
in 1861, and such they continued
throughout the whole war. They
were ready to submit to dissolu.
ton of the Union, rather than use
force to preserve it. They were
against the government, never for
it. Can we trust these men to- day?
The course of President johnson in
removing Secretary Stanton, Gems. |
Sickles and every loyal
man, at the beck of Southern rebels,
warns us that political power should
be intrustfd to none but safe hands.
What change in the character or
views of these men has taken place
that renders them more worthy OF
the confidence of loyal men to-day
than they were during the war;
None whatever. They boast that
their principles are the same. They
cannot be trusted. Our only safety
les in retaining the administration of
.he government in loyal hands,
Let the people see to it, that none
but loyal men receive their votes.
WHAT NExT?-The Ohio Statesman
hat great control light of Ohio cop
'erheadism, appeared on the 9th, fly
ng at its mast head, in large letters.
he following:
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