The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1868-09-18
To "The Unpledged Voters"

ter of the Hon. THOMAS EWING, Oh OnO,
published in the Cincinnati CONNER
cial, addressed to "unpledged voters"
We present the introduction and con-
clusion, regrctting that we are not able
to give it entire: ......
LANCASTER, Ono, Sept. ITO those
of my fellow-citizens who are sworn to
no party allegiance, and whose leading |
object in the coming election is the full |
restoration and preservation of our free |
institutions. desire to give my views
of the condition of our country as at
present governed, and the probable con-
sequence of the success of each of the
great parties at the coming election. /
do this the more willingly, as am con-
fident, from recent observation, that
success is in the hands of neither of
those parties, unaided and alone, but
rests in the hands of unplcdgcd men,
who are free to act, on full considera-
ton, for the sole good of the nation
In order to do this wisely and well, it is
necessary to understand fully the pre-
sent condition of the two great parties
what degree of success is possible to
each, and what will be the probable eff
| lCCb Oll tllC uutlOh, vi oiiC SVSCOco VI
either at the coming elections? 1t is
my wish to present the recently past
and present condition of things with
fairness and candor, as they will be
handed down by the impartial histo-
rian, and judged of by enlightened
statesmen when existing combinations
shall have been broken, and their pas
sions and prejudices shall have passed
away and / feel myself in a state of
mind adapted to the task SO far as my
capacity, aided by carful observation.
gives me competence to perform it. |
belong to no party ; the last to which |
was attached, that which in 1861 rallied
in defense of the Union, and to which
| devoted all the powers of my intellect,
and whatever of social and family in
fluence, I was possessed, has been sun
dered and dissolved and the old Demo
cratic party to which never adhered,
? and the Radical or Republican party
which know only by its acts, are the
sole contestants for political power in
the coming elections.
-
An effort is making to bring Congress
together in adjourned session in order
to manipulate and control the elections
i'm the Southern States. Those whom
Congress and the military have appoint
ed to represent those States in the two
Houses are alarmed at the prospect be-
fore them, and call loudly for assist
ance. They want troops and they want
arms. to coerce votes and keep imprac-
ticable voters from the polls and when
Congress meets they will want money,
either in the way of appropriations to
the Frecdmen's Bureau or i'll some 9TH
er available form, to buy votes-such
if there be any, as can not be secured
by military coercion. If Congress
. meets in time, their demands will be
!. complied with by an unwilling MAORI
ty, who will lack manhood to resis
:, them. From this may probably result
armed collision. 1t were better for thu
country, better for the party, that yol
: do not hold this adjourned session.
Your boldest and ablest leader, VIII,
while he lived never spared, in his dy
ing moments, almost with his las
: breath, expressed hope that it nigh
, not be found necessary to hold it. III
u saw, as all must see, that it would prob
. ably lead to disastrous consequences
J. You can not safely trust yourselves
/ when assembled and under party dri
for legislation. A great majority c
YOU are driven forward by bold, ba
Q men, not retaining the power to judS
= of the prudence or justice OF your act
u If YOU meet before the elections in tn
a Southern States, you can not, unle'
~ greatly changed for the better by fe'
~ months intercourse with the pcopl
you can not fail to interfere by force
fraud, or the application of public m,
ney to control them. Your pride wi
u at once be appealed to. What did W
a. meet for? Certainly for some impor
- ant object and nothing requires di
~ patch except timely interposition
~ control the elections. Avoid it, l prs
~ you, and with it its probable cons
~ quences. The appeal is now made
:. the paramount sovereign, the peopl
v and neither fraud nor force can be su
. fered to prevent or falsify or overru
their decision. If you attempt to /
tain your power over the governme
. by fraud, against a clear majority, "
% will fail, unless you use, also, force.
10 If you attempt it by force and it is L
~ sisted by force, we have civil war, /
~ bcllion. treason but who are the rebe
III and traitors? You who arm to sci
the power unlawfully, and destroy o.
es constitutional government, or tho
TO who arm to defend it? 1t is true tn
:, in questions involving national COVER
=, ment, success in the conflict general
III terminates the question of right; al
st let it not be forgotten that in this co
fiict strong public opinion does mu
to aid and arm him "who hath his qua
he rel lust" 1t were therefore well f
b. the party now in power, whose legi
n mate power dies so soon, to inquire, b
~ fore they compel or provoke resort
" force, as to the probable result
which side, they being the aggresso1
,o will the physical and mental power
nc the nation liep In the first place, til
D. public opinion, which, in the late co
n test with secession, was worth myril
ad of armed men fighting in defense of t
Constitution, will be arrayed again
its defense against whose will attack
a against you, if YOU attempt to sci
| t,s, 80 l. mi ri