Delegates assemble at Chicago to nominate an opponent for President Abraham Lincoln in the upcoming election. But the party is split over how to deal with the Confederacy.
Tag: Copperheads
A Dreadful Affair Took Place
Violence erupts in the deeply divided town of Charleston, Illinois, as Federal troops on furlough clash with local Copperheads opposed to the war.
The Case of Clement L. Vallandigham
Former Ohio Congressman Clement L. Vallandigham is arrested and tried by a military court for violating an order prohibiting citizens from speaking out against the war effort. This action inadvertently causes mass protest in the North for violating freedom of speech.
Treason Will Not be Tolerated
Calls for peace grow louder in the North, especially among Democrats known as “Copperheads.” The military responds with draconian orders against civilian protest.
Constitution-Peace-Reunion
Outgoing Democratic Congressman Clement L. Vallandigham of Ohio delivers a speech excoriating President Abraham Lincoln’s war policies and calling for peaceful coexistence with the Confederacy.