The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-08-17
From the GieveiandsN ationa1 Democrat
The Pronunciamento of the Chairman
of the Republican State Central Gem
mittee to Thomas Corwin.

Oh the 0GaC6 GIT OCAl-
mittee to Thomas Corwin.
On yesterday we published an extract from
a letter written BY Joshua r. Giddings to
lRaiphePlumb, one ofsthe indicted for resisting
the law relative to fugitives from labor, which
advised the murder Of men, who were seeking
their slaves in Ohio
The AsAta6xts Sentiaef of yesterday brings
us a letter from Giddings, addressed to Tbom-
as Corwin, from which We make some lengthy
extracts. The same bold denunciation and
reckless falsehood-the same blood-thirsty Bit
terness, runs threugh:tfe one that shows itself
in the other, and We give it to our readers as a
sample of what Republicans would do, if the
leaders could fndehough Of the rank and
file of that party to aid them.
Had the Government officers been murdered
when performing their duty under the law, Mr.
Gidaings gloats over the fact that the assassins
uOafd have been tried "uMder State law and
by State Judges. and by a Judge Of the coun-
ty, who would haxe determined both law and
fact" thus leaving it to be inferred that the
State judges of5STCuyahoga. County, before
whom the murderers would have been arraign-
ed, would have so.peryerted law and falsified
their official oaths as to hold the murderer
.blameless, thus rendering them accessory after
the fact. Such aa6 insinnation is a deliberate
Libel upon Judges Foote, Bishop and Bolton,
without a single act of theirlives to justify, OF
to give eonntenance TO- it, and the hoary-headed
slanderer who gave it birth, supposing others
as deeply sunk in political depravity as himself,
gives to the world, backed by his position as
the head of the Central Committee of a party,
that has for the last Eve years governed Ohio.
Mr.. Giddings, addressiL g Mr., Corwin, says:
Gin one respectJ was more fortunate than
yourself. / had been taught from stern meces-
sity to. examine the constitutional powers of
Congress. / was constrained to scrutinize the
course of public, men. You cannot have for
gotten the conversation between us when you
were about to enter. the Cabinet of Mr.. Fill
more. l then gave it as my opinion that Mr..
Webster would be the ruling spirit of that
Administration, and / statedt to you, in emphat-
ic language, that has subseruiency to the slaUe-
poecer acoud ruin any Administration l told
you what I hneac, when 1 stated that you were
selected expressly for the purpose of giving
popularity to Mr.. Webster's subserviency. l
speak of these things in sorrow, and not in
anger You were a favorite son of my own
State. We had stood together in many a hard
fought battle. This fugitive law however, I'M
der threats and intimidation, passed Congress,
by the aid of the previous question, which cut
off debate and prevented exposure.
81 opposed it to the extent of nay powers,
and denounced it unconstitutional, ~despotic,
barbarous and disgraceful. You, as a men,
Der of the Cabinet, officially approved and sus-
tanned it, and used the army and navy of the
United States to enforce 1t. at that tiaae zee
separated. Ten.years had passed away. Dir.
Webster has departed, the stigma of approving
law, rests upon his memory. From Rus
sia you hear the voice of her imperialsts boast
ing that no act so barbarous as that law ever
insulted her-people. From philosophio Ger
many you have listened to the voice of her
greatest philosopher, her purest patriot and
most exalted philanthropist, Humboldt, de-
that1he hated Mr.. Webster on account
Of his completely nth that laW. And he
spoke the voice of Christendom. Pardon me
when say you can not rell back the tide of re-
which is so rapidly obliterating MEM
DRY of New England's most talented statesman.
l had hoped that yoa would seize upon the first
opportunity, declare your conviction of thein-
fanny of the measure, and place yourself on
the side of freedom.
stIn yonr late speech at Xenia you say it is
the sacred duty Of every good citizen to obey
la ac6eQ the Legislature and Judiciary hare
IL sach. This doctrine of submission
is unsuited to our age. 1t condemns Jefferson, |
Franklin, Washington, Adams, and their asso-
ciates. who refused to obey the stamp act al
the Legislature and Judiciary had de-
cided it to be constitutional. So also of the
VI lCN1 lhS VII OCa. me CfC Inv hlu-
ions of Government who attempted to enforce
hose unconstitutional laws. Republicans hold
t tie sacred duty of every good citizen to re-
tst .despotism in. every shape, although APP
proved by the legislature and the Judiciary
look upon that man as already enslaved
who fears to speak and act his own enlightened
Submission to despotic power has
become the disgrace of our nation. The doc
rine has become offensive to every friend of
liberty.
"You further say, if men disobey the law
,ou scould bring their heads to tie bLock-pro-
the law, should require it. This deciara-
ion to Republicans generally was unnecessary
nd unkind. Had it come from a stakeholder
,r servile Democrat it would have excited no
~ttention. The Republicansof Lorain County
rampled upon that law, rescued a fellow-being
rom slavery and set him at liberty. They in
licted the men who recaptured him and would
ave sent. them to the Penitentiary, had not
he administration receded from it's attempts to
,unish the rescuers and permitted the fugitive
o enjoy his freedom. Yon poutd bring their
RAIDS to the 6tock. IF you speak Republican
entiments we are not a united party. You
would hang the men who now import slaves
rom Africa; but when the same slave escapes
O Ohio, YOU y ,uld clothe the slave-hunter with
IL the power Of an army or navy capture him
nd take him back to bondage. Republicans
iould hang the slave-hunter.
"When Federal officers recently attempted
o punish the citizens of Oherlin, for rescu-
ng a man from the hands of the miscreants
Tho had re-captured, and was attempting to
him, public attention was attracted
o the subject. People regarded those who en-
cited the law, those who retained Office and
hus voluntarily sought to enforce it, and the
who under it attempted to enslave
Innocent men, as equally guilty. The popular
mind was for a time dissuaded from executing
etributive justice but I give it as my opin-
On that, if the prosecution had been continued
. the spirit previously manifested, those off
ers ,couid hare been hanged before their Oaon
You would say, that such an act
7ould have been civil war; 1t would have
cen resistance to a war commenced by those
rho passed the fugitive act, (for it is no law
war upon human nature a war carried on
" those who uphold that act and by those who