The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-01-28
The Hon, r. Plumb on the 0berlin
Indicted

All true-loyers of liberty should read
and treasure up in the inmost recesses of
their hearts, the sentiments contained in
the subjoined eloquent address ofth Hon.
Ralp Plumb, delivered at the Festival
OF the Indicted" recently held in the
town Of Oberlin -
Ladies' and Geaiiemen -SinceI had the
honor to appear before this august tribunal
that is to try us in March next. and ontcr
bonds as criminal. have cudoayored to
look over my past lifo with becoming scrl.
ousnoss, that might if possible. find in what
my ctimo consists | find many things for
which ought to DO condemned, but surely
/ tho wrong things of my lio wcro not iuclu
ded in what | did on tho 18th of September
1893 My sins of that day were sins Of
omission aud not commission. did not 20
10 wellington but confess to you all (dunt t
tell any oi the witnesses what say) that
my whole being was stirred when tho news
came suddenly upon us that man had
been stolen from our midst.at midday, and
when tho uOhle band of rcscuors wrndrd
their way to Wellington. nv heart went nm
in prayer to Almighty God for the success
OF the enterprise and when tho nows came
back. that in somcway. know not how. tho
inanthcvCs had been dcspOiicd If their prev
my heart went up again to God with such
emotions of gratitude to HIM. as | homo
often to feel hereafter. This is NV crime.
You may call it treason, and the courts may
punish me if they will. they may drag mo
TO prison and from prison to death, but let
me die fUlons death. but let me do man. -
Fellow Citizons we have met to-day to feel
zach others hearts--to understand better
tho common impulse that hitherto has
moved ns. and to prepare for whatever
awaits us in the future
I For one, | would rather sit among you as I
do to day, reading US | do in your calm
countcnunces, your dignifcd bearing, the
puritan purposes Of your lives. with the
sure prospect of speedy poverty before me.
than to exchange privilege to all the gold Of
California.
MIR. President. we may well turn from the
present to a glorious future that awaits Us
/ Our country nCods dolivcrauco from tho
CALLING joke Of the Slave power. A second
Jciter9pn must soon appear. of euch quail
/ Ties OF mead and heart us shall enable him to
take command of our nObiu shin OF State
ono who by firm GGharpuCo to- tho doc.
/ trtlo OF tho Republican resolution o. 1893
will secure 10 the States their sovereign
/ rights, to the poopio tho cnjoymcnt5 Of the
| blessings OF Liberty, and keep the Federal
G"v"rn'nont and tho Federal Counts. clcarly
witiIIn tho limits prescribed BY the CoEs;itu.
ton, Iliat man is already bora, a man of
executive experience aud if | mistake not,
has moro than oHcG stood upon the soil CON
sccratod t. ircud0m BY the Ordinance of 81
and broathcd the free air oC our own Ohio.
/ who shall b,jmg tho good ship Of State cpt
from tho rocks und shoals that bcsut her.
INTO the ocean of n glorious future, which
shall bless the world. Fellow Citizens. God
reigns 1t is He, WHO speeds on their way
the ever moving tides Of population from ali
the East even beyond the broad ocean, to
our vast unoccupicd domain-to build there
new homes; and yearly, as tho swelling tide
rolls on, countless new altar5 ard iircsdns
shall b" consccratod to freedom for uuigcr
sal man. 1t is lis will. since the avarco Of
man has torn the negro from his homo and
thrust him upon American soil. 20 mako The
npEros presence hero. tho occasion urou
which tho problem Of personal freedom, that
| second revolution, moro important than the
tirst. shall hc worked out by tho American
! people for the good Of the world"