Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1852-02-27
KOssUfa SPEECH TO THE OHIO
LRGIsLATURE.

u hossnfnt W tePhSo ~ lOhVW1s
Ma. PREmDESr The General Assembly OF
Ohio having msgnaaimOusly bestowed upon me
the high honor Of this national welcome, IL Is
Siih profound VenefBion that beg leave 10 ex.
press my fefvenV gratitude for il.
Were even with tbe honor which nov en-
joy, no principles for he future connected. stll
the fact would be memorable 10 history. and not
fail 10 have beneficial influence, consciously
70 develop the spirit Of the age, Sbieh have ever
cOnHadicIed, however opposed, sill alNays
proved 70 rule, aud will prove 70 rule The desIi.
nies Of humanity. Applying The lOUch-slone
OF philosophical scrutiny 70 that inslTumeEi
which history affords, Rs cannot fail 10 remark
that almost evefy century had one predominant
idea, Shieh oil AbsOrbiBgly, ptevailed and i'm.
paired common direction 10 the ACTIVITY Of ma
lions. This predominant idea is the spirit Of
the age-invisible, yet OmniPresenIi imPregna-
Bile, yeE all pefVading scorned, abused, oPPO-
sed, and vet omnipoIent.
The spirit Of oai age is Democracy. Al iof
the people, and all BY the people. Nothing
about The people tOiihOut the people. That is
Democracy, and that is the ruling tendency Of
The spirit Of our age.
To this spirit is opposed lhe principle Of des.
poIlsm claiming sovereignty over mankind, aud
degrading nations from position Of q self-con.
scious, self-:onsislent aim, 10 the condition or
tools subservienl 10 the authority Of ambition.
One OF these principles will and must prevail,
so Far as our civilization prevails. The destiny
OF mpnkind is linked 70 q common source Of
principles, and within the boundaries Of COM
mon civilization, community Of deslines exists.
Hence. the warm interest which the condition
Of distant nations awakes nowadays in man.
ner not yet recorded 10 history, because huma-
nifty never was yet aware Of that common lie as
il now is. With this consciousness, thus devel-
oped-iwo opposite principles cannot rule with.
in the same oundarles-democracy or despo-
tism--lhere is no transaction between Heaven
and He'll. Applause.
Ia the conflict Of these two hostile principles,
until now il was the right, not justice, but only
success which was met with applause. Unsuc-
cessiul patriotism was siigmalized with The name
Of crime. Revolution not crowned BY success
was styled anarchy and revolt, and the van.
pushed patriot being dragged to the galows by
victorious despotsm il was not the consldera-
tion Dhy man died upon the gsllows, but the
fact itself that there he died, which impaired a
stain TO his name.
And though impartial history now and then
casts the halo Of martyr over an unsuccessful
patriots grave, yet even that was not always
sure. Tyrants often perverted history, stliied
by adulaIion or by fear but whatever that late
verdict might have been, for him who dared 10
struggle against despoiism when he struggled in
vain, there was no honor on earth-victOrious
tyranny Knocked the form of virtue with the
brand OF a criminal.
To have opposed existing authority, though
that authority was that Of violence, worse than
the authority OF pirate is, this opposition, when
unsuccessful, was sufficient TO exclude from ev-
cry place where authority is residing. The
people never failed 10 console the ouicast just
by It's sympathy, but authority shared not the
peoples ympaihy-regarded rather this very
sympathy as a dangerous sign Of the peoples
propensity to anarchy.
The idea of justice thus perverted-vitlue
thus deprived of It's fair Ienown, end honor thus
deprived OF its fair fenown. and honor thus al
tackled, and success; though criminal. like Louis
Napoleon's, Sail this became an obstacle Of i'm.
measurable influence to the freedom of nalions
never yet achieved but by struggle, which sue
cess raised 10 the honor Of glorious revolutions
but failure lowered TO the reputation Of crimi'
nal revolt.
Mr.. President, feel proud that my humble
self became an opportunity for the restoration
of public honors TO where they only should be
besIowed-lo righteousness and TO just cause
whereas, until now, honoFs were lavished buI
upon success. consider this as highly i'm
pOriant fact, which cannot fail to encourage the
resolution Of devoted patriots, who, though mol
afraid of death, may be excused for rscoiling
before humiliation.
Senators and Representatives ofOhio, thank
you for II in the name OF all who may yet suffer
for having done The duties OF patriot. You
may vet see many man, who, out Of the source
Of your appreciation, will draw encouragement
10 noble deeds. Because there are many on
earth ready 10 meet misfortune for noble aim,
but not so many ready 10 meet even humiliation
and Indignily. Besides, 10 honoriDg me, you
have approved what my nation has done. You
have honored my nation by it, and pledge my
word 10 YOU that it will yet do what you have
approved. Applause.] The appreciation Of
our conscience, my nation and myself we had
the sympathy OF your generous people met !;
and it is no idle ihing-that symPashy of the
people Of Ohio--il weighs heavily ike the SO.
veregu will of two millions Of freemen-pow.
erful like giant in his sIOutest youth. You
have added to il the sanction Of your authority.
Your peoples sympathy you have lrpmed into
law sacred and sure in all consequences on
which humanity may rely, because you have
resigned ii. [APplause.l
There is also u triumph of the republican
principle in This your act--h is as if yca had
said
aye Despots, who call yourselves Sotereignsi
and proclaim your arbitrary whims TO be the law
Of humanity, we, iu our legi.mate authority,
not derived from scrlegious violence, like yours
bu, from The only legitimate source of all au-
,horily--the sovereign peoples will--we de-
clare before God aud the world that there is no
justice and right where your pretext is 10 be-
We approve wha. you blame; we honor what
ye calumDiaie, and defy your ambitious AFRO.
-. Ill L.. L. - kks