The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-07-05
SPEECH Of HON.J. M. ASHLEY
Eei OF OHIO,
5,s In the House Of Representatives,
@,a- MAY 29TH, 1860.
The HoYse being in tie Committee Of The
Whole on the state of the Union.
Nr. ASHLEY said:

nj odluj
Mr.. CHAIRMAN; Respect for legislative,
executive, and judicial authority is Pc
cuiar characteristic Of the constituency l
have the honor to represent. Indeed re-
spect for all constitutional obligations,and
for the laws passed in pursuance Of the
Constitution, as well as for all authorita-
tive judicial decisions, may with proprie-
ty be said to be leading traitin the char
acter Of the American people. Especial
ly is this respect habitual with the great
body of the people Of the free States;
Trained in the school of loyalty, taught
to venerate the teachings of the fathers,
guided in their daily walk and in all their
public and private intercourse with ,hcir
fellow man by tia stern principles Of that
wise Christian morality which has made
Now England at once the hope and glory
Of our country, it could not be that Il C
citizens educated within her jurisdiction
and the States founded by her wisdom
and enterprise, should be otherwise than
loyal to the Constitution and the Union.
Asking for themselves nothing that they
would not concedc to the humblest, they
mako the community of interest iudenti-
cal, aud the loyalty Of every inhabiant
Of the State necessity.
This grand consummation has been
practically achieved in eighteen States of
tho American Union. The system Of
government adopted by them, in my
Judgement, is the best system known to
man. 1t is the best, because it rests up
on labor and is created and controlled by
the free and untramcled will of the labor
er. 1t is the best, because experience has
demonstrated that 1t is the only foundation
upon which States and governments can
safely and securely rest In such gov
crnment the labors must not only be free,
but they must be citizens; having rights
which the government and all classes OF
citizens are bound TO respect anddctend-
the poorest and humblest inhabitOnt be-
ing equal, before the law, with the richest
and most powerful; sharing in its Burdens
enjoying its protection, and feeling iEdi-
vdually responsible for it's good OR bad
management. This theory is daily grow
ing stronger among all civilized nations
and "thc world beginning to understand
that injuring one class for the immediate
benefit of another, is ultimately injurious
to that other; and that, to secure prosper
ity to a community, all Interests must bC
consulted" This truly republican idci
of consulting the interests and obeyine
the wishes and wants Of the people, wa
recently acquiesCed in to an extent before
unknown, by the leading Powers OF Eu
rope, when they recognized the right o
the people Of the Roman States to dGClar
by ballot, whether they desired separate
governments, or united Italy, with Vic
tor Emanual as their chief: The state @
society necessary to form such govern
ments as we have in eighteen States ofthi
Union, can only be secured whero an un
trameled press and free speech arc guar
antics, and public schools and a fre
church is secured to every inhabitant /
tho Commonwealth These institution
the free States have to an extent unknow
to any government or people on earll
and to them, more than to any othsr caus
are they indebted for their unsurpasse
development, and for that prosperity an
growth which have been the wonder an
admiration of the world. 1t is impose
bic that such people, living under cue
government as is secured by tho laws all
constitutions ofthe free States, no matte
what their former nationality may ha,
boon. should be otherwise than loyal cit
zens, or that they should be otherwi
than the frmest defenders of the prime
pies which lie at the foundation Of the
States, and the jealous guardians of III
Constitution and Union which our fithc