Year: 1863

the CIVIL authorities under the recent acts
of Congress. | certainly do not know
that Dir. Yallandigbam has specifically
and by direct language, advised against
enlistments and in favor of sdesertion and
resistance to drafting. We all know that
combinations, armed in some instances,
to resist the arrest of deserters, began
several months ago; that more recently
the like has appeared in resistance to the
enrolment preparatory to draft; and
that quite a number of assassinatiors
have occurred from the same animus.-
These had to be met By military force.
and this again has led to bloedshed and
death. And now, under a sense of re-
sponsibility more weighty and enduring
than any which is merely official. SOL
emnlv declare my belief that this him
drance of the military, including maim-
ing and murder, is due to the course in
which Mr.. Vallandigham has been en-
gagged, in greater degree than to any
other cause. and is due to him personally
in greater degree than to any other one
man. These things have been notorious.
known to all, and of course known to
Mr.. Vallandigham. Perhaps | would not
be wrong to say they originated with his
especial friends and adherents. With
perfect knowledge of them, he has fire..
quently. if not constantly, made speeches
in Congress, and before popular assem-
blies; and if it can be shown that, with
these things staring him in the face, he
has ever uttered word of rebuke or
counsel against them, it will be fact
greatly in his favor with me, and one of
which, as yet | am totally ignorant
When it is known that the whole burden
of his speeches has been to stir up mon
gainst the prosecution Of the war, and
that in the midst of resistance to it he has
not been known in any instance to counsel
against such resistance. it is next to i'm
possible to repel the inference that ne has
counseled directly in favor Of it. With
all this before their eyes, the Convention
you represent have nominated Mr.. Val
landigham for Governor of Ohio; and
both they and you have declared the pur-
pose to sustain the National Union by all
constitutional means. But of course they
and you, in common, reserve to yourselves
to decide what are constitutional means,
and, unlike the Albany meeting, you omit
to state or intimate that in Your opinion
an army is q constitutional means of saw
ing the Union against a rebellion, or even
to intimate that you are conscious of an
existing rebellion being in progress with
the avowed object of destroying that very
Union. At the same time your nominee
for Governor, in whose behalf You ap-
peal, is known to you and to the world to
declare against the use of an army to
suppress the rebellion. Your own atti-
tude, therefore, encourages desertion, re-
sistance to the draft, and the like, because
it teaches those who incline TO desert and
escape the draft, to believe it is your pur-
pose to protect them, and to hope that
you will become strong enough to do so.
After a personal intercourse with you,
gentlemen Of the committee, | cannot say
l think you desire this effect to follow
your attitude; but | assure You that both
friends and enemies of the Unionlook up
on it in this light. 1t is substantial
hope. and by consequence. real strength
to the enemy. 1t is false hope, and one
which you would willingly dispel. will
make the way exceedingly easy. l send
you duplicates of this letter. in order that
you, or majority Of you, may, if you
choose, indorse your names upon one Of
them, and return it TINS indorsed to me,
with the understanding that those signing
are thereby committed to the following
propositions. and to nothing else.


l. That there is a rebellion in the Uni
ted States, the object and tendency of
which is to destroy the national Union;
and that in your opinion an army and ma
w are constitutional means for suppress
ing the rebellion.


2. That no one of you will do anything
which, in his own Judgment, will tend to
hinder, increase or favor the decrease. or
lessen the efficiency of the army or navy
while engaged in the efforts to Suppress
that rebellion; and


3. That each of you will. in his sphere.
do all he can to have the officers. soldiers
and seamen of the ARMY and navy, while
engaged in the effort to suppress the re-
bellion, paid. fed, clad. and otherwise well
provided and supported.


And with the further understanding
that upon receiving the letter and names
thus endOrSed, i Will cause them TO De
published, which publication shall be,
within itself, revocation of the order III
relation to Mr.. Vallandigham. i.a
II will not escape observation that con-
sent to the release of Mr.. Vallandigham
upon terms not embracing any pledge
from him or from others, as to what be
will or will not do. / do this because
he is not present to speak for himself, or
to authorize others to speak for him; and
hence, shall expect that. on returning,
he would not put himself practically in
antagonism with the position of his friends.
But do it chiefly because thereby pre-
vail on other influential gentleman Of Ohio
to so define their position as to be of JIM
mense value to the army-thus more than
compensating for the consequences of any
mistaken in allowing Mr.. Vallandighnm to
return, SO that on the whole the public safe
ty will net have suffered by it. Still, in
regard to Mr.. Vallandigham and all others;
I must hereafter, as heretofore. do so mnch
as the public service may seem to require,
1 have the honor being respectfully yours.
etc. a. LINCOLN.