Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-02-23
ch Hspatislsm y The Ohio Iesislaturc
Mf, rlanls' Speech ~
i il n the hhih Ho,,sa " r aDresenta,

AntFc ~ ~ tne Jnic noHRe ~ heNesentas
iises B Nj. TIA. P1aNrs. editor and pfopie.
sor Of tho Msigs County Telegraph. This Mr..
.R1Angs madgNspeech on Friday February ~, /
on the bill "to punish the assisting or giving
aid to fugitive slaves" This blli seems to
have aroused the indignation Of Mr.. PLANTS to
thshighestpl,eh. He did sbiect 70 itsprosi-.
sions, bptto she principle IN which 1t iabassd.
That pihciplei Is u facilitate the carrying into
practical effect the provision of the Federal
Constitution for the recovery Of fugitive slaves
This Constitutional provision, Mr.. PLANTS will
acknowledge, II he agrees with Ex-Governor
CHASE and other leadipg Reppblicanssis bind
Ing upoa tie State Govsfhmbnt. M PlksTs
has taken an oath to support the Constitution
Of the United States, containing this provision.
Yet when that principle is Incorporated into q
sbill, he denounces it as tyranny, and abhors it
co leading, to -despotism. He declares there
might be"a ajahliieslin Helr' over the enforca
u.ent Of an act based upon such a principle.
But Mr.. PLANTS is an "irrepressibls conflict"
man, deeply "dyed in 1ho Fool."J He agrees
with "Old Abe" and his Premier, SEWARD, that
this conflict on the slavery question must go on
But M. PLAsTs' language iisi stronger than
theirs. He says: "It is a conflict between right
and wrong. God has so constituted US that VIC
cannot rspressitH Andso, as the conflict is in
eyissble, under the Divine ordinations the Re
] publican party are bound, according TO Mr.
PLANTS, to take their side apd carry 10 fprNsrs
with destructive energy, rivaling the bitter re
ligiOus prosecutions Of the olden time. For, thu
House reporter telsns, THAT 80 the question
what win the Republicans do, he said, we vii
show you, after the 4th of March, whether W
]. must use the powder. deprecated 90 mueh,y o
E Kentucky hemp" Probably, If Mr.. PLANTS ha
. any say In the business, they will use both,
Mr.. PLANTS isalso . 'higher law" man. 1
his speech che combatted the idea that we mus
obey all human enactments." Legislation, ac
cordiDg to him, must be In accordsncs with th
"higher law" Or it Is only nuisance. Q
course, then, slavery being wrong, that previ
i sion in the Constitution which Mr.. PLANTS ha
sworn to suppoft, for the return of fueitiv
slaves, is a nuisance, and every State law en-
acted to givegit practical effecsis also snui'
: sance. Blu. where was that "higher law" whel
Mr.. PLANTS, as a member elect to the House o
: Representatives, took the oath to support th
y Constitution ef the United Statess Was /
e not, then, In force, or was IL for the time beDl
Q In allegiance, that he might take'his seat In th
. Ohio Legislature, draw his four dollars adsy
and make and print iucendisry and disunioi
speeches 70 pecipitste the downfall Of the Re
Q public, which, under God, our fathers -estab
o tlished with unheard of sacrifices of blood ant
e treasure? EHT Tz0go7 TcN o1 Ce
Itis high time that the people Of Meigs coun
:: ty had dispensed with the services Of this miser
\ able hypOcrite and pretender, who Ia On enem,
to the unity and peace Of our country, the foe o
Q our Institutions as our fathers made them, I
. tdemsgogus Of the first water, and 9 specimen
'briok" of the class of Northern farstics whc
have brought the country to the brink Of destruc
sion, and who, II they are not put down and
! banished from the public councils, will destroy
. the country, and break up the government. : 6