Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1861-07-26
h.ORE TELEGRAPHIc BLCEDERs--
Mfz. HORTON.

ME. HORTON
Week before last, we gave an impor-
tant vote in Congress, in which our Rep
resentative was classed with the few
Southern Secession;sts and their North
ern allies. We assumed that the tele-
graphic operator had made a blunder.-
We did so on the supposition that no
man representing the l1th CongtSes
sional District Of Ohio could give such
vote. 1t will be remembered that the
resolution was in these words:
'Resolvcd, That in the judgment Of this
House, 1t is no part of the duty Of soldiers
Of the United States to capture or return
fugitive slaves.'
1t will be observed that the resolution
does not forbid the capture Of fugitives
by all whose instincts lead them to the
business. 1t simply declares that it is
''no part Of the duty Of United States SOL
diersi" And, judging from what we
know of the feelings of our peopls, we
suppose they agree with the resolution
and the large majority Of the Members
of Congress by whom it was passed.
Suppose the call for volunteers had
been iu this form: "Seventy five thou
sand volunteers are wanted Immediately
to enter the United States service, aotose
DUTY it riN be, in part to capture and
return .tugitire slures." How many of
our noble Buckeye boys would have re-
sponded? We leave that question un-
answered. Congress, by most en-
phatic vote, declared that it was "no
part OF soldiers duty" to catch slaves
we have nothing to take back, or 9TH
ing to explain.
Some days later, Mr., McClernand: of
Illinois, offered in the House the follow
ing preamble and resolution:
"WHEREAs, \ portion Of the people of
the United States, in violation Of their
constitutional obligations, have taken
up arms against the National Govern
ment, and are now striving, by an ag
gressive and iniquitous war, to overthrow
it and break up the Union, therefore
'.ReSolccd, That this House pledges
itself to vote for any amount of money
and any number of men which may be
necessary to insure the speedy aud effec-
tual suppression Of said rebellion, and
the permanent restoration Of the Fed
eral authority everywhere within the
limits and jurisdiction Of the United
States.
Now, this is resolution which we do
not believe five men in Meigs County
can be found to oppose. OF all the
Members Of Congress from all the States,
and of all parties, there were but .fue
found to vote in the negative. The
Cincinnati Con, merciaI says, on the au-
thority of its correspondent, that those
five were, Barnet, Grider, HORTON,
Reid and lFood--even Vallandig ham
lodged, not being willing to place him
self ON the record. against the propo
sition.
Now, we say here, however much We
may have been mistaken in our supposi-
tion that the report of the first vote was
a mistake, that ice do not Leliere Mr..
Horton is correctly rcportcd as ono Of the
Immortal ,fec, voting in the negative on
the above resolution. We believe, this
time, in solemn earnest, that his is q
blunder Of the reporter. We have ven
tured, to say, in reply to the Indignation
of our citizens, that this must be mtstuke!
And we feel confident it will turn out So
We have no means Of settling the ques
ton, and think it due to Mr. Horton
and his constituents to enter this dis
claimer, until the vote is officially ascer-
tanned