Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-03-09


between them A husband and wife may be
divorced and 90 o0t Of The presencs Of and be-
you'd the reach Of each other, but the diherent
parts Of our county cannot do this. 1hey
cannot but remain face TO face, aud intercourse,
either amicable or hostile, must continue be-
tween them. Is it possible, then, TO make that
intercourse more advantageous or more salts
factory after separation than before Can
aliens make treaties better than niriends can make
laws I Gao treaties be more faithfully eniorc-
ed between aliens than laws can among fliendsf
Suppose you go to war, you caunot fight al
wavs and when after much loss on both sides,
and no gain on either, you cease fighting the
identical questions as TO the terms of intercourse
are again upon you This country with It's in
sltutions belongs TO the people who nhabit IL.
Whenever they shall grow weary Of the exist
ing government they can exercise their rights
in amending, or their revolutionary right TO dis
member or overthrow it, | cannot be ignorant
of the fact that many worthy and patriotic citi-
zens are desirous Of having the national consti.
tuition amended. While make no recommend.
ation of amendment, fully recognize the full
authority Of the people over the whole subject,
to be exercised in either Of the modes prescrib.
ed in the instrument itself, and should under
existing circumstances favor rather than oppose
a fair opportunity being afforded the people to
act upon il. will venture TO add, that to me
the convention mode seems preferable, 10 that
it deems in amendments TO originate with the
people themselves, instead Of only permitting
them to take or reject propositions originated
by others not especially chosen for the purpose,
and which might not precisely suit as they would
wish others TO accept or refuse.
understand proposed amendment TO the
constitution (which amendment, however, have
not seen) has passed Congress 10 the effect that
~.
with the domestic institutions OF States, in.
cluding that of persons held in service. TO
avoid msconstruciion Of what have said
depart from my purpose, not to speak Of par
tcular amendments so far as to say that hold
ing such o provision to now be implied consti-
tutioual law. have no objection to its being
! made express and rrevocable. The Chief
Magistrate derives all his authority from the
people, aud they have conferred none upon him
TO FIX the terms for the separation OF the states.
| The people themselves also eau do this il they
| choose, but the executive as such has nothing
| to do with it. His duty is to administer the
present government as It came TO his hands,
and 10 transmit it unimpaired by him to his
successor. Why should there not be patient
confidence in the ultimate justice Of the people?
Is there any better or equal hope in the werld ?
| In our preseut difficulties is either party with
out faith Of being in the right II the Al
mighty ruler Of nations with this eternal truth
! and Justice be on the side Of the North or on
yours Of the South the truth and justice will
surely prevail by the judgment OF this great
| tribunal The great American people by the
| frame OF tho government under which we live,
this same peo ,le have wisely given their public
servants but little power for mischief, and have
with equal wisdom provided for the return 2.
that little TO their hands at very short iDtervals
While the people retain their virtue and ,isi
lance, no Administration by any extreme wick
edness or folly can yery seriously injure The
Government in tie short space OF four years
My couni:ymen, sne aud ell, think calmly anC
well upon ..uis subject Nothing valuable car
be lo.,-oy taking time. II there be an objec
to hurry any of you in hot haste TO o steI
: which you would never take deliberately, tha
object will be frustrated by taking time. Blu
no good object can be frustrated by it. Such
of you as are now dissatisfied, still have the ole
Constitution unimpAired, aud on the sensitive
point of laws of your own framing under it, by
the new Administration, will have no immediate
cause 10 change either. If it were admitted
that you who are dissatisfied hold the righ
side Of dispute there still is no single reason fo
precipi,ate action. Intelligence, patriotism
. christianity and 6rm reliance on Hin who ha
never yet lorsaken this favored laud are still CON
pelent 10 aoJuSI IN lhe pest way h'l out PIesou
s. difficulties. In your hands, my dissatisfied lel
low.countymen, and not 10 mine, is the moment
l. Gus issue Of civil war. The government vii
not sssail you. You can have no conflict with
u out being yourselves the oggressors. You have
! no oath registered in Heayeo TO destroy tht
: Government, while | shall have the most sol
emn one to preserve, protect and defend It.
am 10th to close. We are not enemies, bu
friends We must rot be enemies. Thougl
passion may have strained, /. must not breal
our bonds Of action. The mystic chords o
: memory stretched from every battlefield ant
r patriot grave to every loving heart and hearth
. stone all over this broad land, will yet swell tn
/ chorus of the Union when sgain touched a
. they surely will be by the better angels of ou
~ naturp