Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-05-02

that on short notice there was held in the
Court House in Aillersburg on The evening
of Saturday, April 20, a large aud enthusi.
astic Public Meeting, composed of men Of
all parties. A number of excellent speech
es were made on the occasion, among them
that by C. F. VoRHEs, Esq. which we are
permitted to publish. 1t puts the blame
of the present difficulties of our country on
the right shoulders, and as 1t is facts that
are wanted just now, we publish it with
pleasure.
Ny FEEtow CITIZENS & CorSrKYNES. II is
said that we ate IN the midst of war. No, with
foreign enemy to our government and our peo.
| pie, but a war with those whom We have re-
garded as of our own household. This display
of Union banners, and the uncomfortable en-
thusiasm now apparent 10 You all, is the work
ing only of a part of the machinery of our gov
ernment. and clearly indicates the loyalty, ol
! our people. and the vigor and energy with which
they wiz respond TO the call of the government
when daages to be apprehended from enemies
shall arise.
A war between the people Of the North and
the people ofthe South; or in other words, a
war, against the Administration, the Consiition
aad the Laws of cur Country, waged by fanati-
cism engendered in the South. This is sad. a
solelm announcement, TO an American audience.
One that calls upon every citizen to consider
well and fully, his duty TO his country and to
himself, before shouldering his muskct and ta-
king his position in the ranks of either side.
The duty of q citizen is well discharged TO
his country and himself when he has rendered a
cheerful obedience to all her Laws, legally en-
acted and Constltutioaaily Proclaimed. Are
both or either of the parties, now embroiing the
people in war yielding that obedience to the
Constitution and the Laws ofthe country, which
would acknow ledge the sovereignty necessary
to distinguish a government from state of an
archy and misrule?
The Constitution under which we have been
created, lived, moved and had our being as Ma
tional Political body fol three quarters of cen
tury provides that the executive power of the
government shall be vested in President to be
chosen once in every four years by the people in
the manner pointed out in that instrument
Since the 3Oth day of April 1883, when the
oath of Office was first administered to the i'm
mortal Washington as the first President of the
United States. there has been no other way
Of selecting. and obtaining for this government,
t.
have aspirants to that position submitted their
claims. their merits and their past political re-
cord 10 the ordeal ofthe intelligence of the pco-
pie, and in eighteen instances the defeated can
di.ates pcaceably retired to the ranks of pr
vatc citizens. without the slightest whisper that
the government could not survive the decision,
or that the minority would not or could not
submit to The voice and government of the ma
jority. That the political economy and theory
of the different administrations of the govern
ment were different; and announced to the world
different constructions of the Constitution,
Claiming different extent of powers to be
grounded on that instrument, is now part of
the written history Of IL e nation, and give evi
denec of the plan and wisdom ofour whole po-
liiical structure, teaching us that the triumph
of one political theory and of one party over all
other, has been no cause for disturbing the pub
lie tranquility or for marching the vanquished
party out OF the Union.
The triumph of the present chief executive
over his competitors to the dignity of President,
is no greater cause for secession than has oc-
cured for nineteen successive times under our
Constitution, and which must be repeated once
in every four years, so long as that instrument,
emenating from The joint wisdom of the North
and the South. shall be administered Just as it
was designed to be by its authors and by every
State. that has come into the Union under lis
provisions.
To say that there is cause for secession or for
marching and eountermarching TO war by rea-
son of the laws and action of the present admin
istraton is too premature, for yet no laws have
been enacted and no actions have been perform
ed, but such as flow in one clear broad channel
from the constitution through every administra-
tion from Washington down to the sage of
Wheatland. The Constitution declares the
President to be commander-in-cbiefof of the ar
my and navy of the United States and Of the
Militia of the several States, and the same in
strument imposes upon the President the obli-
CATION to see that the Laws are faithfully exc
eutcd. By the one clause there is power confer
red and by the other duty enjoined, the same
has been conferred upon every President from
Washington to Lincoln and by no legal inter-
probation can President accept the office and
refuse the power or neglect the duty without
being followed by the femorse of a violated
oath and disregard to the interests of the
people. In 1894 under the first President and
second administration, the Congress of the Uni
ted States passed an act'for the defence of GER
tain ports and harbors in the United States,
wherein it is provided that the following ports
and harbors be fortified under the direction of
the President of the United States at such
times as he may judge necessary, 10 wit: Port
land, In Maine Portsmouth, New Hampshire;
Gloucester, Salem, Marblehead and Boston, in
Mass; Newport, Rhode Island New Lon
don, Connecticct New York, Philadelphia,
Pa; Wilmington, Delaware Baltimore, Md
Norfolk and Alexandria, Va; Cape Fear Riv-
er and Acraeock inlet, N. Carolina Charleston
and Georgetown, South Carolina; Savapnah
and ST. Marys Georgia. In any of which fort
ificaiions the President shall have power to
garrison such of the troops of the military es-
tablishments of the United States as he may
deem necessary and to provide the same with