The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1873-09-05


for an imperiled country. For four
years they struggled on, through
victory and defeat, in the midst Of
suffering, and danger, and death,
until st last the rebellion was sup
pressed and the Union restored.
During all this time William Allen
remained in his princely retirement,
uttering no word Of sympathy to
cheer the soldiers on, no word of
encouragement to tighten the hearts
OF anxious and almost despairing
people, though in 1862, when the war
spirit ran so high as even to over
sweep some OF the Democratic bar
riers, he uttered . few feeble words
OF remonstranee, and then he was
silent again. The party whose action
he now recalls and defends was de-
clsring that 100000 Democrats of
Ohio would stand between the North
ern army and coercion of the South;
the leaders Of that party in the halls
Of Congress were refusing supplies
to carry on the war, and by speech
and vote were embarrassing the gov
ernment at every point IN conven-
ton they were declaring the war q
failure, and demanding that hostili-
ties should cease; they were sending
emisssries through the army lines,
bearing aid and comfort to the ene-
my; they were plotting to release
the rebel prisoners they were de-
manding ''peace on any terms, % when
the boys were conquering peace in
battle. This was "the attempt to re-
strain the uubridled fury Of the op.
position p this the ''protest" which
to-day no man dares defend who has
not been in retirement for at least
twenty-five years. Mr.. Allen asks,
"Hsd it not been for this protest on
the part of the Democracy, let me
ask you when would the war have
ended ?" / will answer the question.
But for the opposition Of the Demo
cratic party, to which VIM. Allen
and his nephew, Allen 6. Thurman
belong, but for the aid, comfort. and
encouragement which they gave the
rebellion, the war would have ended
two years earlier than it did one
half our five hundred thousand dead
soldiers would have been alive to-
day; One-half our enormous debt
would not now be weighing down
the shoulders Of our people. Mr..
Allen tells US what ought to to be
done after the war. Why, Rip Van
Winkle, as be arose from his twenty
years. sleep was not more oblivous to
what had transpired during that
slumber, than the Democratic candi.
date seems to be Of what has taken
place since the spring of 1865.
Thirty thousand men on the plains.
or psrading at the military stations
in holiday attire, is all that remains
Of our million and q half brave SOL
diers. The rest are scattered over
the land, engaged in the numberless
avocations of civil life, some of them
tilling the very soil they once en-
riched with their blood. So fsr from
an unnecessary accumulation of
public debt,"it has been reduced
with unexampled rapidity-and the
reduction goes on. When the last
hostile army laid down its arms, all
the rebel soldiers were permitted by
Gen. Grant to go lin peace to their
homes, where they have remained
unmolested to this day. Not one
drop ofrebel blood was shed i expis-
ton Of the crime Of treason, whether
committed in the field or in the reh-
ell councils. Good order now pre-
walls every where in the South. Our
unhappy struggle is passing from the
minds of men, and bitterness from
their hearts. The future Ia bright
and promising. And all this is the
result Of that wise and humane poll.
cy pursued by the Republican party.
But for such reminders and such
attempts at Justification as Mr.. Allen
gives in his Chillicothe speech, the
subject Of the war would not be dis
cussed or referred to. But when an
effort is made to revive that spirit
which we supposed the war had
crushed forever, IL is time for 10y
al people to administer rebuke. We
are not without conclusive evidence
OF the opinions entertained by Hon.
VIM. Allen during the war and since.
1t is understood that Gov. Tod in
duced Mr.. Allen to make q semi-wsr
speech in 1862, from which the Gin
cinnai Enquirer is now making ex-
tracts. This was at q time when the
war spirit was overwhelming, as you
all will remember. But later, in 1868,
after the emancipation proclamation
had been issued by President Lincoln
and after Mr.. Allen is said to have
been tutored by his nephew Allen G..
Thurman,he delivered another speech
at Hamilton, Ohio, on the 10th of
September. This was year and q
half before the close OF the war, and
while we were engaged in q death
struggle with the enemy. That I
may not misrepresent him, / quote
somewhat freely, from the speech.
Referring to the arest, trial, con-
vietion and sentence Of 8 northern
traitor, whose election for Governor Of
Ohio he was advocating, be says :
"Three years ago this county was
free the country was prosperous,and
over every acre of its soil there pre-
vsiled law and order, peace and hap
piness. And then after few more
Introductory remarks in keeping
with the first sentences uttered, he
continued Instead Of the security
which this (peace) gave, and which
was enjoyed by every citizen, we are
now endangered for no other crime
than for our opinions TO have oar
houses entered at midnight by armed
men, and our people taken Off to be
tried-not before jury, but before
military inquIsition and for the
crime of thinking, and condemned to
exile" The following will
illustrate how he justified the North
ern resort to arms when the Union
was asssiled.
ssNow what do they (the North)
want 10 do ? They want to bring the
negro back to the North, to make
room for him 10 send as many white
men of our people to the war, to be
killed. Now, my friends, / never JUS
tilted this rebellion, nor did l ever
Justify the intermeddling spirit that
gave being to this rebellion. These
aboIitionists say slavery ought to be
exterminated say it ought not.
| TCheers
''Noss nas/ friends, L tell goa that /
neUer justified his resort 10 arms, Je-
cause / hare 6eIisyed that If one more
appeal had been made 20 tie public
sense, tie Democratic party mould
hare acquired sv6fcisn. strength to
have prevented this terrible disaster"
And here we have his full justifca-
ton Of the South, and his argument
in support Of the rebellion, with
comments upon the bloodthirsty dis
position OF Abraham Lincoln and
the position Of the Democratic party.
'SThe Chicago platform was dec
laration Of war and hostility to the
people Of the South as being the
the owners Of slaves That platform
scas the true origin of this udr. When
they advanced that platform and
placed their candidate upon it, the
South saw that thsir safety cons:s ell
in resisting bis election q. Ihe polls.