The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-10-01

ming.
On Wednesday evening Of last week, according
W previous announcement, our Union nominee for
Congress, the Hon. James VI. Ashley, addressed a
respectable audience Of ladies and gentleman at
the Court House in this place upon the all absorb
ing issues Of the present campaign. Mr.. W. V.
Way having been called 10 the Chair, requested
the assemblage to come to order, whereupon Mr..
Ashley arose and enchained the attention Of his
audience for over an hour with one Of the best
speeches it has been our province to hear for long
time one Of those we-timcd and we'll delivered
appeals such as only Mr.. A. can give utteranee to-.
His remarks were introduced by reference to
the Emancipation edict of the President A glori-
ous morn had dawned and illumed our national
horizon a new era has arisen a bright morning
star is ut length throwing forth its respendeut
beams upon our disaffected country. The voice
of the President has spoken, and has flashed over
the telegraphc wires to every nook and corner of
our Union The voice of the people will respond
a loud and hearty "Amen to the proclamation of
their President. am now more hopeful, and feel
better than have done at any period during this
war.
The President has done his best 30 crush this
wicked rebellion. ! urged him to issue this proca-
nation on the Fourth of July last, that that day
might be made douby memorable in the history of
our beloved country. Our President is a man who
intends to do his duty without regard TO party
ties. do not find fault with the President for his
delay, though thought such proclamation might
have been issued earlier. He may have been right,
and may have been wrong. I win not say that I
was right, but think ! was. When first saw it
my heart thrilled with joy, and fancied that the
bells from every steeple all over our land would
peal forth the glad tidings to all people.
Mr.. A. then entered into brief history Of the
10Th and 23d of August Congressional Conventions,
held at Toledo, and after relating the causes and
results attending them, already familiar to our
readers, he continued:
Mr.. Waite, as a man, stands high both morally
and socially, and as member of the bar in Toledo
he is not exceed. have never yet descended to
the plane of the sreak, to the plane of the black
guard to the plane of the coward, and with Gods
help never shall. This has never been my
trade. meet the man in the eye, and tell him to
the face. what l wonld say behind his back. !
will never sandcr any of my fellow-citzens. He
said the trckery of those who nominated Mr..
Waite is well knowI.
Mr.. A. declared himself to be the regular Union
candidate fer Congress. He was nominated by
the Regular L ion Convention which met in Toledo
on the 23d of August. If he had not received the
nomination from that Convention, from no other
Convention would he have accepted nomination.
1t seems to be a mootcd question as to who was
the author of this Congressional call. 1t so hap
pened that aid iot write it. | have written every
call in the District but two, and this one did not
write. have never yet deceived you, and trust to
God never shall. The men who signed that call
are the peers Of any who have ever attacked it.
Another Convention was held on the 10th of this
month"; 1t seems these gentlemen never become
tired of Conventions. "Now you see it-now
you don't" They always backing down -
md they will continue to back down - and will be
most cffectually backed dowk either backwards or
forwards, at the polls.
There are three candidates in the field - one
representing the radical or war feeling of the Dis
trct - another says whatever the President says"
The President is as liable to err as the generality
of mankind. But when he commits an error, and
sees it, he is honest enough to acknowledges. When
the President says Yes" Mr.. Waite says " Yes"
49, when the President says "No," Mr.. Waite says
No" When the President says Yes" and
believe that he is right, | will say Ycs;" but
when the President says NO." and believe him
to be wrong, will still say Yes" | have never
yet fawned at the foSt of power, and shall not do it
now.
He referred to the anxiety expressed by some
that he would go to the penitentiary, and to the
publication of his private letters. His opponents
seem to wish that he were in the pcntcntiary and
would make his constituents believe that he had
been guilty of the grossest frauds. He referred
his hearers to his reply in the Toledo Commercial.
Andif after reading that reply, any man to the
conclusion that he wished to rob the Government
he asked that man to vote against him. | would
like to be elected. wish to be there when the great
drama closes. But ask no man to vote for me il
he thinks wish to rob the Government of dol
lar. Vote against me- if have done anything de-
rogatory to the character of man or Il Rcprcscn-
tative. Shall man represent you in the halls of
your National Capital who will sustain the policy
of the Presidents or one who is opposed to it E; or
one who is indifferent ? scom to creep to place
or power by concealing sentiment dare not cx-
press, or giving utterance TO that which do not
feel. And | trust that man shall ever regret
that he aided in sending me there.
! But would invite your attention to matters of
far greater moment. Thanks to the President, he
has relieved me of much that would have to say
to justify the position in which stand. He has
given notice that on the LIST day of january 1868
all slaves of those States parts of States, which
are then in rebellion shall be then, henccforward
and forever free He has issued this proclamation
! l,pit
pose. He has asked himself the cause of this
gigantic rebellion. WHAT the handspring whicl
moves it? What is the motive power that feeds
its terrible vitality? Slavery is the answer.
Where slavery is blacklist, rebellion is rampant
and treason runs riot. And as slavery fades away
rebellion is less although much of it may be found
in TenEessec aud kentucky, and many sympathi
1'rs north of the Ohio. II is this that has mad,
eight millions of your brethren and mine encme:
70 their country, and who are conspiring to
gether for the destruction of liberty's fair temple
and the establishment upon its ruins of a mlitar,
despotsm. And for more than thirty years ha
this monster conspiracy been gatherrgits strength
Less than forty years ago the Presbyterian Churcl
in South Carolina denounced slavery as a sii
against God. Later they began tamperng with
by excuslng it, and finally uublushingly declare,
it n be right, and Of divine authority according t
the Bible. When man once begins to compro
mise with the devil, he a sure to go to perdition
Slavery separated the churches long before tn
disruption in our political history.
Mr.. A. next referred to the resolution adopted q
IA Democratic Convention held in Columbus Obi
in ls4S, and which is in substance as follows:
ResolccR, That the Democratic party now, a
they always have done, look upon the institution G
slavery IN any part Of The Inion rs an unmidgate
evil aud unlavOrabe to the full development OF tn
spirit and practical benefits of free institutions, an
that entertaining these sentiments, they will at a
times feel it to BE- their duty all power clearl
given by the terms of the national compact II pr,
vent IFS increase, to mitigate, and finally srddica
the srR.
BY what legerdemaiu have you forsaken thcs
tenetS Ii WAS because the nation was becomin