Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-02-15
Speech Of Mr., Cox, Of TrumbuU, on the
"Sedative BIZ in the Ohio Senate.

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vent the setting on foot Of military cxpe-
ditions IN Ohio against the territory or
people of any Of these Uu;tcd States" Mr..
Cox said:
thought. Mr.. President. when the Sem
ator from Madison began his remark. that
it was hardly proper to enter so fully into
the merits Of this measure upon a motion
to commit; but as he proceeded | became
satisfied that the sooner We know each 9TH
ers' views, the better, and that We NAV as
well give a test of our final action on the
bill. distinctly accept the Issue rendered
by the gentleman. ard for myself declare
that Whether with or without preamble, |
shall vote against the bill.
The measure processes to provide against
the danger that evil disposed persons may
plot an invasion of ~neighboring States for
the purpose of murder and arson. and all
the other horrors which malice may devise.
| No such statute has been found Necessary
in this State hit erto, and the pertinent
question arises whether 1t IS needed how.
From the hot haste with which it is intco-
duccd. one would imagine that organized
invasion was rampant in our midst. The
very first day Of the session. and as the
vely first bill for the action Of the Senate.
this measure was introduced, as if the ext
gcney brOoked no delay, and this panic Of
hurry is witnessed in every stage of the pro
codurc, not even delays for the purpose Of
consideration heing secured except at the
cost of determined struggle with the author
and supporters o. the bill.
When It's champion is asked what pc>u-
liar necessity now exists for su:h action.
which has not existed these sixty years or
or State existence. w get no reply. When
the question is put. DO you believe that
in past tine any c;tizens aul lie iients of
Ohio have upon her soil plottcl or prepared
any su!h i~ngtSiOl as is here deseri,er he
says, No. When lie is asked. DO You be-
iieye any su h plot or preparation n1w ex-
iss' he still says, No. When asked, Do You
believe there is any danger OF sIch acts in
the future? he still says. No. Where then
is the necessity for such legislation
Why not be content with the provisions for
the general safety which tie laws already
provide?
But. Sir. were there a call for protection
Of our neighbors. this bill is Objectionable
Oh account of its provisions for that pro
lection. Max. this is not a bill to pun
ISL an offence committed. bat to prevent the
commission. 1t is analogous to our laws
to preserve the peace. What, then. are
the provisions of our statutes in regard %
to our own protection? \ man or a CON-
pany of men may plot thc burning Of our
houses, and the killing of our children,
and our laws interfere to prevent the ac-
compliShment of the design, but how BY
impriSoning the designer in the feniten-
tiary. as is proposed by this bill? BY no
means. We bind him over t. keep the
peace. under bonds not greater. in the first
instance, than FIVE hundred dollars. Now.
Sir, I put it to the advocates of this meas
ure, whether the provisions of law which
are sufficient to protect their wives and
children from anticipated murder, and to
protect their homes from the incenlIIry.
would not he suhi tent t. protect Vir.inia
and Kentucky? l ask them what they
will say to their constituents when they
demand why the laws whi;h protect their
lives and their roofs are not as severe as
those we are asked to enact, t. protect the
lives AMI the roofs Of NifsiniIns or Ken
tuekians.
If the bill had provided for 4 similarity
of provisions to those of the peace statute
of Ohio, there might have been some justice
and truth in the assertions reiterIte with
such painful industry, that here is no
trucking to the South: but when there Is
90 great a d~isproportion between the penal
ties imposed upon tue same class of mali
ciOus intentions, according as the design IA
leveled against our own citizens, OF the
citizens Of another State, the unitel voices
of sensible men in ali parts of the country
will denounce it, and justly denounce it as
trucking. 1t viii be the servile crawlin.
of slaves to their masters. admitting that
the dignity and value Of the masters safety
50 far overbllances that of ourselves. his
humble SERVANTS, that We viii punish with
tenfold more severity a plot against his
peace than We would a plot against our
owni
The Senator read TO US a passage from
the last message of the Ex-Governor. de-
claring that the peolle IF Ohio sill conn
tenance no invasion of the territory of 9th
er States, and urged this authority for the
TINS bill: but it certainly was sin !ullr that
Republican Senator could have omitted
from his quotation the next paragraph Of
that message, without which the view given
of the reciprocal duties # States would be
so incomplete as to be false in effect. Our ,
territory. the Governor inf T ps rs. has been &,
clandestinely entered. aid citizens of OH, I
have been kidnapped; our citizens have p,
been refused the privileges and ilnmunities :
tn: Federal Constitution processes to SECURE s
to them in other States, For no offence, s
and for no cause except the unfounded fears !
If panic-striken men. they have been hunt- +
ii out of States where they had settled as q
Immigrants. The logic | draw
rom the Governor message is. that it VIII 4
Dc time enough to increase the provisions +
or the safety of our neighbors. when they 8
protect our citizens in the simple fundl- 5
rights of the enjoyment Of life. li5- \
and property in their midst. f
Sir, | confess to some little feeling on y
his last topic. One of the little ON any O.
driven from Kentu1ky was an arly !,
of mine. As a college class-m tie, n
like other young men in su h circum- +
tances, formed a fir en- ship alnost as clio e ;,
8 ties of blood relationship. 1 knew tn =
of his heart, and he refinement of W
is mind, and when lie determined to GO =,
a loung and delicate wife to a back "
TOods settlement of Kentucky. To shut .,
hemse YES out from all the S ciIl AMI in- n
e~llectual reinements they had heen accus- in
omed to. | kneN that he We t with the II
oble purity of purpo e OF a Christian mis- hc
that the religious, the moral t e n
EDUCATIONAL good of the people he settled III
mOngst was the object of his labor; that of
c deliberately determined to avoid all d. 70
ct interference with their peculi r insti- AZ
atoms. trusting that the spread of moral ri,
y and enlightenment among the masses, m.
ould there in good time root out opnress-