Year: 1863

am unable to perceive insult to Ohio


in the case of Mr.. Vallandigham. Quite sure


ly nothing of this sort was or is intended.


was wholly unaware that Mr.. ValIandigham


was, at the time of his arrest candidate foI


the Democratic nomination for Governor, un-
| til so informed by your reading to me the res


outions of the Convention 1 am grateful to


the State OF Ohio for many things. especially
| for the brave soldiers and officers she has


given in the present national trial to the ar
| mics of the Union.


| You claim, as | understand, that according


ly to my own position in the A lbany response,
| Mr.. Vallandigham should be released and this
because, as you claim, he has not damaged
the military service by discouragng enlist
| ments, encouraging desertions or otherwise :;
and that if be had he should have been turned
over to the civil authorities under the recent
| acts of Congress. | certainly do not knop


that Mr.. Yalandlgham has specifically and by
direct language, advised against enlstments,


and in favor of desertion and resistance to
drafting. We all know that combinations,


armed in some instances, to resist the arrest


of deserters, began several months ago that





tance TO the enrolment preparatory to draft;
and that quite a number OF assassinations have


occurred from the same animus. These had
TO be met by military force land this again has
led to bloodshed and death. And now under
sense Of responsibility more weighty and
enduring than any which is merely official, |
solemnly declare my belief that this hindrance
oft he innl Ind
der, is due to the course in which Mr.. Val


iandigham has been engaged, in greater de-
gree than to any other cause and is due to
him personally in greater degree than TO any
other one man. These things have been no.
torions. known to all, and of course known to
Mr. Vallandigham. Perhaps would not be
wrong to say they originated with his espe-
cial friends and adherents. With perfect
knowledge OF them he has frequently, if not
constantly made speeches in Congress and be-
fore popular assemblies; and if it can he
shown that with these things staring him in
the face he has ever uttered a word of rebuke
or counsel against them 1T will be a fact great
ly 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 men against the prosecution of
the war, and that in the midst of resistance to
il. he has not been known in any instance to
counsel against such resistance. it is next to
impossible to repel the inference that he has
counseled directly in favor of it. With all |
this before their eyes, the Convention You
represent have nominated Mr.. Vallandigham |
for Governor of Ohio; and both they and you |
have declared the purpose to sustain the Ma |
tional Union by all Constitutional means. |
But of course they and you. in common, re-
serve to yourselves TO decide what are Con-
sfitntional means and unlike the Albany meet
ing you omit to state or intimate that in y our
opinion army is Constitutional means of
saving the Union against rebellion, or even
to intimate that you are copscious of an exis-
ting rebellion being in progress with the a.
vowed object of destroy ing that very Union.
At the same time your nominee for Governor,
in whose behalf You appeal, is known to you
and to the world to declare against the use of
IN army to suppress the rebellion. Your own
attitude, therefore, encour ages desertion, re-
'istance to the draft and the like. because it
caches those who incline to desert and to es-
,ape the draft to believe it is your purpose to
protect them, and to hope that you will be-
:ome strong enough to do SO. After a per-
onal intercourse with you, gentlemen of the
committee, cannot say think you desire ,
his effect to follow y our attitude, but assure
-ou that both friends and enemies of the u ,
lion look upon it in this light. 1t is sub .
tantial hope, and by consequence, real
trength to the enemy. 1t is false hope, and ,
me which you would willingly dispel. | will
make the way exceedingly easy, send you S
duplicates of this letter, in order that you, or i
majority of you, may if you choose, indorse I
our names upon one of them, and return il c
hus indorsed to me. with the understanding q
hat those signing are thereby committed to 2
be following propositions,and to nothing else.


l. That there is now a rebellion in the Uni
ed States, the object and tendency of which
to destroy the National Union and that,
n your opinion,an Army and Navy are consti-
ntional means for suppressing that re bellion. .
2. That no one OF you will do anything which
a his own Judgment, will tend to hinder the
lcrease or favor the decrease, or lessen the s
of the Army or Navy, while engag-
d in the effort to suppress that rebellion; and
Il he can to have the officers, soldiers and I
samen of the Army and Navy while engaged
the effort TO suppress the rebellion, paid,
ID, clad, and otherwise well provided and u
lpported.


And with the further understanding that up
H.