Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1861-09-13
To the People of Ohio,

me, and IN the acceptance oil the same, II IS |
meet that should express to you my sense
of the obligation which this high honor
confers. Language fails me in this attempt,
as / can conceive Of no more distinguished |
mark of your confidence at this critical
juncture, through so intelligent and patri-
otic a Convention Of representatives assem-
bled from all parts of the State, rejecting
tho sentiments of all political parties, as
well as Of the highest interests and most
important concerns involves in what NAV
with truth be termed struggle for our
national existence.
Believe me when | assure you l fully
appreciate the vast responsibility attached
to the position of Chief Magistrate of our
State at this critical period in its affairs,
and am duly sensible of my own dement's,
and were it not that rely upon your gen
erous forbearance l should hesitate to ac-
cept what your distinguished impartitiality
with such unparalleled unanimity have as
signed me.
Without going into discussion of the
circumstances and events which have brot
about the present alarming and unhappy
condition of our national affairs, as these
must now be apparent to all, will content
mysely by saying that the issue presented
to us as people in the sanguinary strug
gle forced upon us by the ambitious and
designing leaders of the Southern rebellion,
is, that of mans capacity for selfgovern-
ment. The whole question to be tried and
settled-settled in such a way that nothing
in human power can every disturb or change
it again, is, then, "Whether men is capable
of governing himself" Should it not be
shown when every resource and sacrifice has
been made-and l would exhaust every
means in our power first ere yielding-then
in order that we might have our rights pro-
tected and our liberties preserved in some
degree approaching the perfection of our
hitherto supposed impregnablo system of
free government, l would consent to be ta-
ken under the protection of our once So
called Mother Country, or Of any other
power capable of maintaing for us the re-
spect of the nations of the globe.
That we shall eventually succeed in set
tling this question to the satisfaction of all
the world beyond the hitherto expressed
doubts and suspicious of foreign potentates,
statesman and presses / have not the re.
motest doubt; but that we shall be required
to exercise all of those higher attributes of
which man is capable; patient and perse-
vering purpose, inhexible will, uDshaken for
titude and unshrinking courage, the already
written experience of the past few months
have indicated. And it is the source of
the heartiest congratulation that we can al
ready point to the brave deeds and daring
and glorious actions Of our noble volunteers
thus early, and feel within our hearts that
the number of these invincible soldiers have
only to be increased and their welfare and
comfort considered and cared for to the ut
most of our resources, to have abundant evil
dence of the success which, though it may
be temporarily interrupted, must eventually
perch upon our banners.
1t is the duty of every man who can bear
arms at this iuucture, imperative necessity
alone preventng,-when bis efforts should
be given in another direction towards
Strengthening the cause and aiding the
Government,-to rally to the standard oi
his country, and be counted among the he
roes Of the greatest as it will be the most
extraordinary revolution since the world be-
gan. The struggle of our ancestors was
for selfgovernment, our struggle is to main
tain it, and under the blessing of the same
God who smiled upon Washington and his
barefooted and half-starved comrades, zoe
aCiH do IL!
Those who cannot aid the cause in the
field may yet do much while pursuing their
ordinary avocations; the sinews of war are
needed, and these they may help to con.
tribure, every man as far as his means will
warrant, and there should scarcely be a
limit to this when it is considered that il
our government is destroyed, property will
have lost whatever value its free institutions
and enlightened laws conferred. In this
view, the National Loan, based upon such
security as underlies the existence of the
Federal Government and the value of al
property, and to which no other species o
security can at all approximate in value
should be as liberslIy subscribed to as Sc
much of lien on life, for what is life wortt
without liberty9 And is not liberty to bt
purchased and secured at every costl The
character Of the National Loan is such tha
nearly all classes may participate in its sub
scription, and it is better that ten meI
should subscribe to 1000 of its notes
than that the honor and profit should fal
to one.
Our system of taxation may require re-
vision; as it now operates some escape who
/ should be found, while others suffer whose
t burthens should be lightened. Equality
that, like the dews of heaven, each may
bear, in proportion, his just share, is wha
: is required, and what it should be our ain
/ to secure.
The unprepared state in which the opeE
} ing Of the war found our State Government
naturally created many obstacles, no liulr
, confusion, much delay, and many trying
and peculiarly annoying difficulties to botf
the executive and the people. l am hap
to believe that these obstacles are now
mainly removed.
1t shall DC my aim to give the utmost
, support TO tho national Government, con
ceiving the doctrine of Secession to be en-
tirely destructive Of our national existence
without which it will be impossible to gov
ern ourselves, regarding the original com
pact of the Federal Union not one Of States
} but of the people, and adhering to Tho
: never TO be shaken belief that they-tht
people-and by this l mean the people o
all the States, or their representatives fair