Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-02-22

confess that cannot read the lion heart of tbi
old veteran in Democracy, If he can, with i'm
punity, be trampled under the iron heel of des
potism.
Will gentlemen pause In their mad and reck
less career long enough TO read over the griev
ances against George the Third, of England
which our fathers In 1776 published to thu
world in their Declaration OF Independence
Why, cir, these grievances dWindle into insig
niAcance when compared with the tyranny and
despotism we are made to suffer under the
reign of Abraham Lincoln.
beg leave, sir, In this connection, to read O
portion Of the preamble to some resolutions
which are now pending In the Kentucky Legis.
lature. This preamble 80 graphically describes
our present and past grievances, that cannot
forbear to recommend 1t to the careful consld-
GRAFTON of every true patriot in the country:
In times Of war, as in peace, the Constitution OF the
United states the supreme law OF the land. It pre-.
scrbes the powers Of the Government In s Executive,
less than In Its other depar and II 10 the only
legal bond Of Union between the States.
The Federal Government, az defined by the Oonstitu
on when exercising the powers granted to It. 10 entitled
to the allegiance .; the people, but loyalty TO the Gov
eminent dses not impose upon the citizen any obligation
to support Administration In the enforcement OF 0
policy unauthorized by the Constitution forbidden by
It's provsions but II the duty Of all good citizens to
the Constitution OF their country from violence. He
who upholds the Executive any other department Of
the Government In the violation OF Its provisions, 10
dsoyal to the Constitution and an enemy to the free
dom OF his country.
The Federal Government, deriving all its legitimate
powers from the Constitution h therefore, the creature
Of the Constitution, and has no power In any depart
ment to suspend any Of ito provisions, or throw Oh Its
restrictions under any pretense whatever.
The maxim that rGovernments derive their lust
powers from the consent Of the governed one which
we ought never to forget. It involves fundamental
principle Of freedom-one asserted by our ancestors,
add for which they fought and won our independence OF
the British crown, and which we never can surrender
It should also be borne In mind that Governments were
inSut for the protection Of ife liberty and proper
y, and that such fail to perform this duty WILL
ey or later, be overthrow by an intelligent vrtuouS
and courageous people.
The history OF the present Administration OF the
Federal Government 10 history Of repeated injuries
and usurpatons tending directly to the overthrow Of
State authority and State institutions, and consoda
ton in the Federal Government Of all political power and
the erection upon their ruins Of great military des'
potsm as yrannical and despotic the worst Govern
ment Of Europe; to prove which we refer to the follow
Ing facts:
The President has, without authority of Congress,
suspended the writ Of hd6eds corpus, thus striking
deadly blow at the liberties Of the people,
He has caused citizens to be arrested transported to
distant States and incarcerated In loahsome PRISONS
without charge or accusation against them.
He has deied to citizens thus arrested and imprlson
ed trial by Jury, indeed any trial. and has withheld
from them ali knowledge or information to their
cuners or the cause Of their arrest.
He has subjected his prisoners thus held TO barbaTous
aud inhuman treatment, endangering both life ana
health and has required hundreds Of them held,
condition upon which they might be released to take
illegal oaths arbitrarily prescribed by himself OF his
agents.
He has attempted to destroy freedom Of the press by
the forcbe suppression OF newspapers because they
proper to crcise the measures Of his Admnstra-
ton; and such have escaped suppression have been
subjected to censorship wholly Incompatible with free.
dom Of thought, or expression Of opinion.
He has attempted to destroy the freedom Of speech,
by arIestng citizens who animadvered upon the meas
ures Of his Administration.
He has caused to be arrested persons engaged in cir
cuatng petitions for the signatures Of the peopethus
with the right Of petition.
He has wholly disregarded the right OF the people 10
be secure in their person, houaes, papers, and effects,
against unreasonable searches and seizures"
He has nterfered with the administration Ct justice
in the State Courts by violently forcing the judges
to adjourn, and dispeIsing their grand juries and
by breaking open jals and releasing prisoners con
6ned under regular judicial process for feonies and
other crimes.
He has permitted his officers and soldiers with mpu.
nifty to murder peaceable citizens.
He has given his assent and approval to acts OF Con-
gres approprating and proposing to appropriate enor
nous sums Of the public money to purchase the freedom
Of slaves.
He has set aside the Constitution Of the United States
by giving his official sanction to act Of Congress
atng State within the territory Of Virginia with
out her consent.
He has, without Constitutional authority, aided in
freeing the slaves Of the District Of Columbia.
He has, In violation Of the Constitution, by proc
nation declared free all the slaves In many Of the States
invited them to vindcate their freedom by force and
sought alliance with them In war waged against the
monstrous and iniquitous act sanctioned b.
law human or divine, finding parallel in atrecity
In the history Of barbarous nations.
lie is spending large sums Of money, appropriated BY
Congress for the support Of the army, In feeding ant
clothing slaves stolen FROM their masters.
Sir, these grievances are felt by the people
of Ohio as we'll as the people of Kentucky
Their wrongs are our wrongs; their interest il
our interest, and their remedy, If o remedy car
be found, will be our remedy.
Gentlemen ask, ain Gods name what ia t
be done?"
Let me fret tell you cir, what we should no
have done: We should not have permitted tht
beginning of this war; we should have called
to our minds the warnings of Washington ani
jackson, and the Fathers, before we suffered
the first gun to be fired; we should have sound
ed the alarm to the American people, in tn,
emphatic and positive language of Judge
Douglas, that "War 10 disunion, certain, ineui.
table, final and irTsuocable."
Sir, although neither by word or action hav,
| discouraged enlistments, or couuseled resist
ance to any act Of the Administration, yet
thank my God to day, that not one drop of th,
oceans of blood that hss been split in this mos
unnatural and unholy war, stains my gar
ments.
Hundreds OF thousands of loved husband
and fond fathers have been sacrificed upon th,
battle. felds to appeaee the black god of Adolf
tlonlsm; but the Widows means and orphan
cry (though they have my deepest sympathy)
come not home to me to disturb my dreams b,
night, and haunt my visions by day; for I neve
enIiced their husbands and fathers into thi
abolition war. No, sir, for I we'll remembe
that at a spontaneous gathering Of the peopl,
of my county, irrespective of party, at the Cit,
Hall In Lancaster, on the 4sh of January, 1861
at the time that we had just received by tele.
graph the startling intelligence that the gum
Of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie were turnet
against each other, and that the soldiers stoot
with burning matches In their hands, ready q
the word OF command, to light up the fres o
civil war; when called upon to address tha
vast assemblsge, proclaimed, that when th
first gun was fired, when the first drop Of bloc,
was split, we might bid an eternal farewell h
all hopes of peace; that in that hour, the Amer
loan Union would be struck down to rise n
more; that In that hour we should witness th
end OF our unrivaled prosperity, and the disai
patton Of all cur expectations Of future great
nees and glory. then proclaimed that we ha,
not q moment to lose; that unless they coul,
make themselves heard through their represen
tatives In the Peace Congress, then In session
In Washing ton City, all would be lost
Oh! Mr.. Speaker, when we learned, tha
through the ,rickery of such men as Ch,ndle
and Wade, the Peace Congress had failed Il
settling our difficulties, you will remember wit
what breathless anxiety We watched the opera