Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-01-31
lFrom the Dayton Ledger (Mr. Vallandighams
= home organ).
The First Fruits of IS Policy - So.
Called

= home 0rgan)1
The First Fruits of IS Policy - So.
Called.
Colonel Barnabas Burns has been beat
en- for Representative in Congress from the
Eighth District, by majority of S29, a
Republican gain since October of $50.
This is the first gun Of the Presidential cam
pdi0n of 1868. and indicates q Republican ma
jority neat fall, in Ohio, OF. from t,oelUe to-
t,oenty thousand. Deploring the causes which1
arrested the tide of Democratic victory in
this State, and trusting that the day may
some some time. when politicians will
learn that the people ,oiU have their own
| way somehow or other in this country; and
that they demand strong and honest and
earnest men and measures; and that the
true secret of political success is direct an
tagonisn and not fighting shy" common
| ly called policy" we shall labor zealously
to avert the calamity.
/ The result in the Eighth District has, too,
| a most important bearing on the Presiden-
tial nomination in the Democratic party.
In the above several aspects it is sugges-
tive, and we propose to comment upon 1T
accordingly, in plain but well considered
terms.
After the disastrous "policy" defeat of
1866, campaign in which the exclusion of
Vallandigham was to be the sure pledge of
victory-we go no further back at present
1.-The true men of the Ohio Democracy, de-
termined to start afresh on the old Demo-
cratic line and begin by holding the State
| Convention on the time-honored Eighth Of
January. This proposition met with bitter
hostility from the ''policy" men ofthat day,
i and they came to Columbus on the Sth OF
November, 1856, and into the conference,
fully organized and determined to defeat
it. Yet after long and excited debate,
one by one they retired, leaving the field to
the sound and bold men of the party only
| no O st q In Of ha Ei,rhf III
chat by gentleman who is now delegate
at large to the Presidential Convention.
The State Convention met on the Eighth
OF January, 1867; perhaps the soundest
| Convention ever assembled in Ohio; out Of
the three hundred and odd Estate Sow
ereignty" or ''Corry men, so-called, sixty
seven were members of it. Mr.. CORY was
himself delegate from Hamilton county,
land Vallandigham the sOdious," was chair
man of the committee on Resolutions. Of
t"Cary men" there were none, that animal
being as yet only ''tn posse as the lawyers
say, and very few of those who composed
the recent State Convention, were present.
Many believed the Democratic party
to be dead" and were not even willing
to- contribute. to the expenses of its
funeral, nor to- attend it, nor. even
to partake of the funeral baked meats.
One of them, now also a delegate
at large, acted, no doubt, upon his declara-
ing the war, that tit was no time to be
holding Democratic Conventions" But
there were many who thought that the.
party was not dead, but only slept; that
i cowardice aud want of energy in the
leaders" so-called, had affected it with a
polite syncope OF the heart; and that all
it needed for vitality and victory was the
,tenergizing influence of the honesty and
courage of the Democratic masses, and ac-
cordingly upon principle, to larger ex-
tent than ever before, if indeed, not fully,
the Democratic party went into the cam
paisn. The organization and committees
| we're in the hands Ofthose who then made a
1 boast that they were among the sound men
of the party, and efficient work was done
accordingly. Tue Democratic masses were
stirred up; and the .'Odious" Vallandigham
went every where, with immense audiences,
largely Republican, to greet him, and ''in-
ljured the party" by contributing his full
share to the large Democratic gains wher-
ever he went,and we'll understood by all
to be a candidate for United States Senator
After most enthusiastic, straight-haired,
straight-forward, honest, -''square-toed'
4 fight, the Republican majority in the
-policy year 1866, of $4,000, was reduced
to 29O0 on Governor, and Democratic
J Legislature elected. s---N
1t was emphatically a victory of the Dem
!, ocratic masses, because the hearts of the
people were in it. But no sooner was the
election over, than for particular purpose
} the cry went forth from q certain class O
> men all over the State, 1--WE must now loOt
. to spolicy;' we must be careful to consult
the rejudices OF the Republicans and Con.
servatives;' , we must not drive of the new
converts; we need more Republican votes
{ the election of Vallandigham as Senator
will .injure the party;' We must take som,
less obnoxious man." Through the ma
: chinery of the State Central and Executiv.
s Committees the work was accordingly
4 done. The Democratic members OF tn
Legislature were industriously stuffed will
the idea Of policy" and that the entir
\ success of the Democracy in Ohio and else
( where, in 1868, depended on the defeat o
a that "pesJiferous" fellow Vallandigham.;
The Convention OF the Eighth of Jan
uary, 1868, was attended by men some o
u whom never before met in Democratic
t / Convention, and by others who had beer
absent during the twelve years of Demo
cratic defeat. but who now turned up lik
: vultures and cormOrants lowering over tn
spoils. s .ist;-
AT this Convention, through the bases
!, of treachery, the entire control of tn
a Democratic organization was handed owe
n bodily, upon certain conditions, relating t,
= certain nominations tor high places, to tht
men who in 1862 in the great. battle fol
8 free speech, free press and free ballot, re
u fused to support the Democratic nOmina
tion for Governor that year. From Presi
dent of the Convention down to minor Off
GERS and chairmen of committees, nearl,
y every man who figured conspicuously ir
that body, was one apparently selected
q because he had either refused to suppOr
the Democratic ticket in 1868, or hat
u been an avowed member of the Republi
!. can party during the war. The Democrat
= ic party of Ohio was thus, for certain con
:, siderations, and on condition of Am
.fx,s, hsrvt
men" delivered over to the control of thos
b who had forsaken, or betrayed us during
: the ordeal of the war, A platform, too
, emasculated of every distinctive old fash
: ioned Democratic principle, asdistinguishet as
from mere line OF policy, and, for the hrs
: time. containing a quasi siindorsementot OF rh
o late civil war as one waged ..in defense O
!: the Union" "a well known "publie false
z hood"),i was reported by one of the recu
SAINTS Of 1868, aud adopted. And Two day
after the Convention, Colonel .Barnaba
q Burns was nominated for Representative
e in Congress for the Eight District. He, too
mad refused to support The nominee TO
: Governor in 1863, and more than that, ha,
s attempted to organize a-Abolting" Stat
q Convention at Columbus on the 4th of Sep
tember of that year, to nominate Demo
{. cratic candidate in opposition to Mr.. Val
s landigham tor Governor. He was the yer,
: s.man for the times" IS,
| On the 18th OF January, 1867, Mr.. .Vallan
y digham wasdefeated in Democratic caucu
for Senator, by means alluded to above, bu
not necessary further just now to- expose
Immediately afterwards, Mr.Jewett, Col
onel McCook, Mr.. Rex aud others who, lik
N Colonel Burns, had refused to support tn
: Democratic nominee for Governor in 1885
Il along with Senator Thurman, were poste
: to ''stump" the district; and they did il
g the Senator elect doing active service
e Money, too, was sent by aspirants to hig
places and their friends, to aid aud comfOr
one of the aparties Of the second part" Tn
z result of all this was the usual fruit @