The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-03-21
Gov Kirkwood Insulted.

Ito an account for his conduct TO the Governor
of Virginia. His conduct, in the instance re-
ferred to, has nothing to do with the fugitive
slave law. The reauisition from the Governor
of Virginia did not demand the rendition of a
fugitive from labor, but was an authentic
mandate for the return of a fugitive from 5ns-
tice-a culprit VIGOROUSLY and undenlably
/ guilty of three of the worst crimes known to
our laws. Not only did Governor Kirkwood
refuse to surrender the guilty individual, but
the fact is abSndantly established that, IN Or
der to defeat the ends CT public justice, he
furnished Coppic with such information as
would enable him to escape. To this COM
plexion hath it come at lasti Not only may
the peaceful Inhabitants of a sister State be
murdered in cold blood by deluded victims
of political fanaticism, but the perpetrators OF
such enormities must be saved from apprehen-
sion and punishment by the iaterposition OF
their brother fanatics who are MOVED to pros
titute high official positions.
From the Davenport Democrat.
Gov. Kirkwood feels himself grossly insult
ed and outraged by sixteen Republicans and
eighteen Democratic Senators who voted some
days since for the passage of a resolution call
ing upon his Excellency for some further in
formation with regard to Gov. Letcher's re-
ouisition for the young man Coppic. Here
we give the resolution which drew forth the
wrath of the Governor:
WHEREAS, The fact of a requisition from
the Executive of Virginia upon the Executive
of this State for the rendition of one Coppic
as a fugitive from justice, and of the refusal
of such demand, has become a matter of pub
lie notoriety, and whereas, it appears from pub
lie papers that the Governor of Virginia had
sent a special communication to the Legisla-
ture of this State on the subject Therefore
be it
Resolced, That the Governor of this State
be requested to con municate to this House
the facts touching said demand, and his reason
for the refusal therefor, including a copy of
the requisition and accompanying papers of
the Governor of Virginia, and also correspon-
dence with Coppic or any other person in ref
erence to said requisition.
Also to inform the senate by what means
Coppic obtained the information that there
was a requisition from the Governor of Vir-
ginia upon the Governor of Iowa for the sur
render of said Coppic.
And, if the fact of said requisition being
made, was communicated to any person, or
made public before the answer was given by
the Governor of Iowa to tie Governor of Vir-
ginia.
This was a poser to the Governor. His rage
aud chagrin at being thus Intercepted and
thus directly implicated and accused while
setting in the Gubernatorial Chair and by
members OF his own party may be we'll ina
gined. These charges coming directly from
home Were rather unkind-the more so per-
hairs because of their being founded in truth.
But we proceed to give the Governors an
swer which came back to the senate in due
time, and which filled with CONSERVATION the
hearts of those Republicans who had dared to
ask for a full explanation of the Coppic mat
ter. Here it is:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Feb. %, 1860.
Gentlemen Of the Senate:
I have received the resolution Iassed by
your body on yesterday, asking certain infor-
by the Governor of Virginia, for the arrest
and surrender of one Barclay Coppic, as a fu-
gitive from justice.
I have examined that resolution with much
care, and have very reluctantly arrived at the
conclusion that [ ought not to answer it. l
readily admit the propricty of giving to the
public full information on this subject, and
shall promptly communicate the facts within
my knowledge in any way connected Herewith,
whenever I can do so consistent with my self
respect, and with the respect and consideration
which in my Judgment are due to the depart
ment Of our government, which for the time
being, I have the honor to represent. l cam
not, however, do so in response to a resolution
which assumes that in this matter, 1 have done
acts which the common Judgment of your
body would pronounce to be improper in any
person holding my official position.
This assumption, utterly unfounded in fact
as it is, I cannot either respond to or deny
without admitting by implication that the sug-
gestion thereof was authorized by the facts Of
the case.
I cannot believe it was the well considered
intention of your body to embrace such as
sumption, but nm satisfied that your action in
this matter took its present Objectionable form
through oversight and inadvertence.
For these reasons l very respectfully return
said resolution, that you may have the oppor-
tunity of giving it further consideration.
S.. j. HARDWOOD.
The Governors "self.respect" will not allow
him, it appears, to let his people into the secret
of the affair. That is rich. His "self respect"
did not debar him from conniving at Coppic's
or from trumping up foolish excuses
for not receiving Gov. Letcher's requisition.-
His refusal to answer the interrogatories is a
sure indication of guilt. The Governor may
get his dander up and fume over it as much as
he may, the facts are against him, and not only
Is it known and believed among Democrats,
but among Republicans also.
The motion to print the usual number of
copies of the message, to be distributed among
the people in order to give them the reasons
actuating the Governor in refusing to comply
with the request of his Republican friends was
negatiyed-every Democra. voting in tie at
frmatiye, and every republican in the negative,
which made a tie, which the Chair united by
prompt "No." Thus our poor Governor has
been insulted and snubbed on all sides, and by
none so severely as by his own party. Really
The Governor is a badly used man.
The Atlantic and Great Western Rail
Road.
5 The Ravenna Democrat of Thursday thus
80 .b;s Do,J.