Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-07-10

but fora few extracts. He announced that ever
until now, he had stood with the Democratic
party. But, in a crises like the present every
mans Democracy should lead him to the de-
Tense Of the country. He did not vote for Pres
idcnt Lincoln, but, as President, be was his
commander-in n-chef and Il was his duty TO
obey orders without questioning his policy. He
said: e8r
ut is true that have differed with Mr.. Lin
coin on many questions, but they are minor
ones, and this is no time to cavil. IL Is not
whether this or that mans rights have been in
fringed upon, or whether some cannon-wbeel
has been run over corner OF the Constitution;
but the question now is, what is the duty Of ev-
cry man to his Government in this contestf Let
us first settle with these rebels, and when we
have done that, we can begin TO take matters at
home in hand, aud have no doubt we win be
fully equal TO them"
He said that many public speakers were sem
sitive about the subject Of slavery, but be had
no more delcscy in approaching that topic than
any other. He had no care 10 regard to 1t. He
had always been willing that the South should
hug the curse of slavery TO its bosom, choose,
but he would fight against the idea that slavery
was to be made the balance Of political power
in the country. With regard to the part which
slavery had in bringing on this rebellion, he
said that the election ofMr. Lincoln was no more
the cause Of it than would have been an act of
the Emperor of China. The Southerners found
out, what the world could have told them much
sooner, that civilization aud national prosperity
could not go hand in hand with slavery:
"What was 10 be done2 Then came up the
dogma that slavery must be the balance wheel
in the Government, and regulate the admission
of free States in the Union. They therefore
said to the North, you must adopt the rule that
slavery shall go hand in hand with freedom, in
order to preserve the equilibrium Of power
Well, the Democratic party had shonldered
many things, in its time, till to use steamboat
expression, we used to employ under such cir
cumstances, they literally loaded us down to the
guards--they gave US, as Virginian would say,
more than We could tote. What was the resultT
We struggled under it as long as we could but
when they piled on this additional amount, the
Democratic resolution staggered at it. They Of
the South said, it is either that will secede
and dissolve the Union. ] stood upon the pave
ment in Cincinnati when Buchanan was nomin-
ated, and every five minutes heard that threat
from some Southern nahob: You are bound TO
take this thing, or we will secede."
Reviewing, then, the election of Lincoln and
the Inauguration of war, Mr.. Brough said:
"Why do we argue these points, and why do
the Union people gather together in mass meet
ings of this kind to strain their lungs and reason
upon this question: One would think the whole
people would be Of one mind on this subject
and that there could be no necessity for any
gument or appeal to the people of the land
Why do we do itH Because the sad and humil-
iating truth is, there is party, as there always
has been, when our country was engaged in a
contest that takes the side of the enemy against
fIp cOunfrV ADnlauap I IN m r.rn IN
denounce or abuse any man who holds an Opn-
ion contrary to my own. But let us reason to-
gether. Why are you, my democrat friends, op-
posing the contest? You say III carried ON by
a Wing Administration which you don't like
Is that sufficient reason? Suppose YOU had
man in Jail convicted Of burglary, would you
say, this man shall not go to the Penitentiary
because Wing sheriff is going TO take him
there, or because a majority Of the iurymen
who convicted him were Whigsf Upon this
principle you would not help TO enforce any of
the laws Of the State because Of the Governor
unreasonable and unjust in one case as the 9TH
er."
ofthe employment of the negroes, he says:
"The question that comes up at this time is,
should the Government employ theslaves of the
South in putting down this rebellion? If you
call this policy aboliionizing the war, it is a
species of Aboltionism which have not learned
heretofore Does any man put himself on the
ground that it is unconstitutional to use every
means either in the hands of the enemy or our
own, to put down the rebelion2 If the army,
marching through the enemy's country, finds
hundred horses mules, and need them, he
takes them and drives them away. That is all
right; and the doctrine of slavery is, that the
slave man is but chattel, mere animal But
put it upon the broader ground, that every
slave working upon plantation of the enemy
is al %,
in shooting down the men in the Union army.
Every negro is raising produce to feed the South
ern army, and yielding taxes to pay them The
negro on the plantation, who hoes his corn, is
just as effective man as II he were in the army,
and more So, for although he fights well in our
army, doubt whether he would in theirs"
We have space for but one more extract, in
which he refers to the complaints of arbitrary
arrests" and unconstitutional usurpaton:'
"There is no doubt of the power of the Gov
ernment TO protect itself. under any circumstan-
ces II you saw an incendiary apply the torch
to your house, would you wait until he was
caught and convicted, or would you take club
and KNOCK him down? What the individual
may do, Government may do. 1t may say to its
Citizens, "You are preventing the enlistment Of
soldiers in the army; you are sowing dssensions
among the people; you are affording aid and
comfort to the enemy; therefore we propose to
put Jou il SohsS pldCc "Htfc you can TO
yourself for time" Ifths power is not in
herent in the Government, it is not worth a rope
nf sand; and the man who has the power, and
does not exercise it, is not worthy of the place as
ruler. lApplause.1
Suppose we admit that the Constitution has
been strained little; il is not strained any more
than old jackson strained il, down in New Or
leans, when he arrested Judge Hall: and how we
gloried over that act; how we cheered, and what
bonfires we burned, when a tardy Government
paid back the unjust fine which the old hero had
paid. (Cheers1 Now, my Democratic friend,
do not take that all back. ] can not do it; upon
my word can not. CVoices-no, no; you are
rghtJ Let us either say this Government is ali
right, in taking away these elements of diseord
from among us, or let us do the other thing
postpone the discussion of the question till bv
and by, Is this time to be fighting the Gov.
ernment, when il is fighting the hosts Of the re-
bellionf is this an appropriate work in the day
Of our trialP Would you tear down the temple
because some unbelever comes among the faith
fulY Would you destroy the enlighfens insti.
tutions of Christianity. because some hypocrite
may do deeds of darkness aud crimef Would
you abolish all the institntinns of learning in
the land. because abuses have crept in? Arc
you going to stop the progress of t6s war, be-
cause some internal c6pperhead has been un-
masked and putt dungeon2 rApplause and
cries of mo, no. i lfyou would, you are not
the people took you 10 be- Then if you do
not like TO endorse the policy Of the Administra-