Year: 1863

Slde nDerty, on the other deSpotlSm. The
President, as the recognized head of his par
ty, accepts the issue. Whatever he wills
that is law. Constitutions, State and Feder-
al, are nothing acts of legislation nothing !;
the judiciary less than nothing. In time o.
war, there is but one will supreme-his will :
but one law-miltary necessity, and he the
sole judge. Military orders supercede the
Constitution and military commissions usurp
the place of the ordinary courts of justice in
the land. Nor are these mere idle claims.
two years and more by arms, they have been
enforced. 1t was the mission of the weak
but presumptuous Burnside-a name infamous
forever in the ca RS of all lovers of constitution
al liberty--to try the experiment in Ohio,
aided by Judge whom name not, because he
has brought foul dishonor upon the judiciary
of my country.-Tn your hands now, men OF
Ohio, is the final issue of the experiment. The
party of the Administration have accepted 1T.
BY pledglng support to the President they
have justified his outrages upon liberty and the
nstitution and whoever gives his vote to
the candidates of that party, commits himself
to every act ofviolence and wrong on the part
ofthe Administration which he upholds and
thus, by the law of retail alton, which is the
law Of might, would forfeit his own right to
liberty personal and political, whensoeve
other men and another party shall hold ther
power. Much more, do the candidates them
selves. Suffer them notI entreat you to
evade the issue and by the judgment Of the
people we will abide.


And now, finally, let me ask what s the
pretext for ali The monstrous acts and claims
of arbitrary power which you have so nobly
denounced military necessity" But if
indeed ,all these be demanded by military ne
cessity, then believe me your liberties are
gone, and tyranny is perpetual. For if this
civil war is to terminate only by the subju-
CATION or submission of the South to force
and arms, infants of to-day will not live to
see the end of it. No. in another way only
can it be brought to a close. Travelling a
thousand miles and more, through nearly one
half of the Confederate States, and scjourning
for time at widely differen: points, | met
not one man, woman, or child who was not
res olved to perish rather than yield to the
pressure of arms even in the most desperate
extremity. And whatever may and must be.
the varying fortune of the war, in all which
| recognize the hand of Providence pointing
visibly to the ultimate issue Of this great trial
of the States and people of America, they are
better prepared now every way to make good
their inexorabe purpose than at any period
since the beginning of the struggle. These
may indeed be unwelcome truths, but they
are addressed only to candid and honest men
Neither, however, let me add, did meet any
one, whatever his opinions or his station, poll
itical or private, who did not declare his read
incss, when the war shall have ceased and in
vading armies been withdrawn, to consider
and discuss the question Of reunion. And
who shall doubt the issue of the argument q
| return, therefore, with nay opinions and
convictions as to war or peace, and my faith
as to final results from sound policy and wise
craftsmanship, not only unchanged, but con-
firmed and strengthened. And may the
God of heaven and earth so rule the hearts
and minds of Americans everywhere, that
with Constitution maintained, Union re-
stored and liberty henceforth made secure,
grandcr and nobler destiny shall yet be ours
than that even which blessed our fathers in
tho first two ages of the Republic


C.L. VALLANDIGHAM.