Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-12-04
From the Statesman.
DR.. Edison -. Olds.

The following comes to us from Cuya.
hoga county, and was written by Dem
ocrat of standing and inhuence
EDIToRs STATEsMAN: | would like to
inquire through the columns of your val
liable and widely circulated paper, where
Dr. E. b. Olds, of Lancaster, is; and
whether he has been dealt with according
to law? IL he has not, isn't it about time
he had chance for his life, as also many
others who are in the same fix Il?
Very respectfully, yours,
VIC.
We cannot better answer these inqui
ries OF our friend, than by printing the
following letter from DR.. Olds to Major
Turner, United States Judge Advocate,
which has just been given to the public.
1t will be seen that the Doctor was still at
Fort Lafayette on the 10Th, and that he
had not yet been granted trial.
This letter is manly and dignifed, and
will commend itself to every reader:
CELL No. 2, FoRT LArAYErrE,)
November 10Th, 1862.
To Major L. G. Turner:
Sri am this morning in receipt of q
letter from r. Sargent, informing INC
that if ! will take the OATH that you will
see to it that | am released
| must confess that this letter puts an
end to all expectations of being released
if rightfully understand what is meant
by "taking the oath" If it is an oath
to support the Constitution of the United
States, or the Constitution of the State
Of Ohio, it would be altogether work
of supererogation, as l have already,
many time, taken such an oath, and con-
slider it as binding upon me to-day as it
was the hour it was administered. But
if, as | suppose, it is an oath to support
the Constitution and tie administration,
l cannot, conscience usl y take such an
oath, as fully believe the one to be in,
compatible with the other.
All the most sacred safeguards Of the
Constitution have been violated in my
arrest and Imprisonment. If. then, my
arrest and Imprisonment have been by Or
der of the Administration how can | sup
port the one without violating the other?
If the Administration has any charges
to make against me, let it make them at
once and put me on trial. am ready to
meet them. Justice, and not mercy, is
all | ask or expect of this administration
If it has no charges to make, what
right has it to impose upon me any oath
that is not imposed upon all other loyal
citizens? Because | am in prison, and
consequently in the power of the Admin
istration, does that give any right to i'm
pose degrading conditions upon me? You
may as well say that the highwayman,
who, with his revolver at your head de-
mands "your life or your money has
the right, because he has the power to
take them.
| cannot and will not do any act that
even by implication can be construed in
to an admission, on my part, that | am
rightiully charged with any oflense. E,
ther put me upon trial, for any and all
alleged oiienses, or give me an "honora-
BILE discharge" l am entitled, as an
American citizen, to demand this. My
honor as man and citizen forbids my
acceptance OF any thing less. The Ad
minstration may prosecute me even un =
to death am in its power, but it can
not take from me my honor or self res.
pect.
am, sir, very respectfully, yours, etc,
EDISON B. OLDS.