would invade and destroy us without mercy.
Absolutely assured of these things, I am amazed that any one could
think of 'peace on any terms.'

"He who entertains the sentiment is fit only to be a slave; he who
utters it at this time is, moreover, a traitor to his country, who
deserves the scorn and contempt of all honorable men."

Rosecrans declined the nomination, and George H. Pendleton, after just
enough hesitation to impart a proper value to his consent, consented to
fill the vacant place at the head of the ticket.

Governor Hayes, aided by Senator Morton, opened the active campaign in a
speech delivered at Wilmington, August 12, devoted mainly to the
discussion of National and State finances. In the course of this speech
Governor Hayes said:

"When the rebellion broke out, what was its chance for success? It
had just one--a divided North. A divided North was its only chance.
A united North was bound to crush the rebellion within two years
after the firing on Sumter. A divided North encouraged the
aristocratic enemies of free government in every land to build
Alabamas and Shenandoahs that scourged the seas and swept away our
commerce from the ocean. A divided North encouraged the Emperor of
France to proclaim to everybody that sooner or later he proposed to
intervene. A divided North encouraged rebel leaders to believe that
sooner or later our armies must disband and come home.

"Now, I say to you that Pendleton was the selected and chosen
leader of the Peace Party of the Northwest--the leader of the party
that _made_ a divided North. They talk of the debt and the great
burden of taxation. We talked sadly of the loss of valuable lives
that went down in the storm of battle. I say to you that the fact
of a divided North doubled the debt and doubled the loss of
valuable lives."

The campaign was an important one to Mr. Pendleton. Had he been
successful he would undoubtedly have been the Democratic candidate for
the presidency. A leading journal of the State said: "The gubernatorial
contest is but a side-show. We are already entering upon the next
presidential canvass, and Ohio is the key to the position."
Nevertheless, Republican success was too certain to make the contest so
warm a one as that of two years before. The State had been organized by
townships and school districts and polled. So accurate was