Year: 1865

mine but my relations to Union men
of Ohio are such that it may become
to know who are those
with whom you are acting and for
whom you declare that hearty and
honest concurrence in the principles
which you and the other loyal people
of Ohio adopted in convention on the
21st ultimo expressly as the basis Of
united political action in the coming
State election, shall not be sufficient to
secure your votes.


Political organizations, like every
other, arc founded upon mutual waiv-
ing of some articles of personal belief
for the sake of securing united and
effective action upon Others which are
avowed as the common creed and the
bond Of union can hardly be said to be
kept in good faith when individuals of
q party PROFOUND as tests to candi-
date questions which were not acted
upon by the convention, especially
when such questions were notoriously
excluded from the list of those upon


which community of belief was de-
manded, because the opinions of loyal
and patl lotto men had not yet fully
ripened or take definite form in re-
gard to them, and the time had not
come when, in the "logic of events" !"
it was necessary to act upon them. In
the political phase Of the great conflict
we have upon us, as in the military
strife which has just ended, organiza-


tion will be found to be ofthe first i'm


portancc, and though guerilla warfare


has its attractions, am we'll convinc-
ed that results will be determined by
the snrer if slower march Of the


heavy columns.


l have always believed that an ad-


herence to party platform does not
exclude freedom of opinion or Of dis


cussion upon matters not included in


it, though il does not imply that such


discussion should be free and friend


ly interchange of views with the OBJ
ject of throwing all possible light up


on subjects which may sooner or later


become topics Of Importance, and up


on which we may have to form de-


finite policy. When the time comes


for action, all thoroughly loyal men


should agree to support that policy


which the wisdom of the majority


may agree upon, until it shall conflict


with some principle conscicntiously


held in which case those who dissent


have the undoubted right to withdraw


their connection, not from a candi-


date simply, but from the party


This wow Of political organization is


the only one have been able to find
which will sccure proper unity and
power of action, and at the same time


afford fall scope for true progress ol


opinion and that liberty of individual


thought winch, I beg you to remem'


ber, is as much the right of candidates
as of those who nominate them.


Our Convention adopted platform
of which the doctrnal part is substan.
tally embodied in two propositions
1st "That slavery and its institu
tions are irroconcilably opposed tc


freedom and free institutions" and
must be finally and completely Grad
icated. I'd. That President John
sons policy of reconstruction is 'in


dorsed" with the proviso that the
complete restoration of the rebe
, States "shall be at such timt


and upon such terms as will give
unqucstioned assurance of the peace
and security not only to the loya
people OF the rebel States, but also o
the peace and prosperity of the Fede
raj Union"


The spirit and disposition whicl
, should control us in determining th,
time and terms" of reconstruction
, and all other questions of policy accu
mulating upon us, were likewise sta
} ted in two resolutions, one, urging thu
example of our maItyred Presiden
= sin waiting for the solution of diff
Q culties to be furnished by the progress
: of time and logic of events" the othe
f declaring the necessity of "keepin,
0 steadily in view the great principle
D of our Government, as set forth in tn
f Declaration of independence"
0 To condense still more, the cssenc
: OF the position Of the party, may b
Y said to be tho determination of tn
q political results of the war by tn
o united and harmonious action of trul,
8 loyal men, actuated by spirit a
= onco cautious and controlled by al
t earnest belief in the broadest doc
trincs ofhuman rights. ,~
: To those principles have givel
!. my public and sincere adherence
e You are the only members of the Un
y ion party of the State whom | hav
: found impatient to commit you
= brethren in advance of the meeting c
r Congress, to q definite policy upon
o subject upon which the conventio


had by strongest implication declare
= it premature TO decide upon wha
r course ought to be taken. The Stat
Q election decides no such issues; tn
|, progress of events in the South wi
Q probably throw increased light upo
j. all such questions; yet you insist tina


l shall give you my views, not for th


purpose of mutual assistance in arr


wing at solution of difficulty, bu
'' under notice that the votes Of you
people will be determined for @


against me by my answer. thin


that in SO doing you wrong both your
selves and the members of the Who'll
! political organization to which W
" halonn md 10 which von nnva nledp