Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-06-10
ALetter from Congressman W. D. HIn.

The following from Hon. w. d. Hill en-
plains itself, and forceably, too:
WAsHnoroE, d. O., June 6, 1886.
L. L. ORwIo, Esq,, Ed. Democratic North
west, Napoleon, Ohio:
Dear Sir-I find the following in the Hen
ry County Signal Of June Sd:
.'The President of the Day selected for nm
yelling the soldiers monument at Defiance
Is Hon.. w. ID. Hill, This, is one Of the
strangest anomalies thateWe have witnessed
for a long time. Mr. Hill not only denounc-
% the war from beginning 70 end, but uttraduc-
ed every body on the Union side connected
With 1t. He pronounced Lincoln a gorilla.
Grant butcher and the soldiers as Lincoln
hirelings and Lincoln dogs. He did all he
could to discourage enlistments, advised re-
sistance to the draft, and favored the plan of
raising hundred thousand Democrats to 90
to Canada and bring back Vallandigham, who
had been banished beyond our lines for his
reasonable utterances no worse than those of
Hill himself. This act was contemplated by
the knights Of the Golden Circle to inaugu-
rate civil war in Ohio, and thus create flank
movement in favor of the rebels that would
enable them to make their effort to destroy
TINS government success. Such a desecra-
ton OF the proprieties as thus honoring Hill
is seldom seen, and we are surprised that any
true soldier would have any thing to do with
such burlesque. If the Honorable GENTLE
man had ever repented and acknowledged
tnat ne was wrong, his acts might have been
condoned." ~
can easily understand why the Editor of
the Signal should desire to prejudice the sold
iers against me personally and politically,
but why he should endeavor to mar the
pleasure or success of the proposed ceremon-
les at Defiance, on the 22nd of June, j cannot
understand. I have never noticed these
stereotyped newspaper attacks on myself,
and would not now, were it not for the fact
that the uncontradicted falsehoods in the
above article, might reflect on those who
saw fit to honor me at Defiance with the posi-
tion of presiding officer of the day. In their
behalf, wish to say that every word and
line in the above article is utterly false, and
without any foundation, except the charge
that am Democrat. No such language
was ever used by me, either publicly or. priv
ately. Instead of discourageing enlistments,
encouraged them all could. / enlisted at
Springfield, Ohio, company of men, in my
law Office there, and took them to Columbus.
uniformed by money raised by subscription
in Springfield, in April 1861. was elected
Mayor of Springfield, Ohio, over one of the
ablest and most popular Republicans in the
city. during the war, in April 1862. At that
time, in that city, the Republicans ma
jority was GOO. If was the kind of man
Mr.. Fouke makes me out, why did I receive
all the Democratic votes, and nearly 400 Re-
publican votes in Springfield, Ohio, for
Mayor, right in the midst of the war.
/ was made president of the soldiers cele-
bration at Defiance, because ever since I
have been in Congress, have been their
friend by voting for every bill affecting
the interest of the private soldier, and have
attended to the adjustment of their claims in
the pension Office every day, when in Wash
ington. This the soldiers know, and any
attempt of the silly old man, who edits the |
Signal, will be treated by them with the con-
tempt it deserves.
Very Respectfully,
w. d, HILL