The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-02-06

ary members Of the State"
Pardon me, sir, but | beg TO know
whether this conviction of the President
and his Secretary, is not the philosophy
of the persistent and most vigorous eff.
forts made by this Administration, and
first of all through this same Secretary.
the moment war broke out and ever
since till the late elections, to convert
the United States into an imperial or
despolic Government But Mr.. Seward
adds, and agree with him:
"This Federal Republican system of
ours is, of all forms of government, the
very one which is most unified for such
a labor" ....
This, sir, was on the 10th of April,
and yet that very day the fleet was un,
der sail for Charleston. The policy of
peace had been abandoned. Collision
followed; the militia were ordered out;
civil wsr began. ........ ...
Now, sir, on the 18th of April, l be-
lieved that coercion would bring on war,
and war disunion. More than that, |
believed, what you all in your hearts be.
lieve to>day, that the South could never
be conquered-never. And not that
only, but Twas sats6ed-and you of the
Abolition party have now proved it TO
the world-that the secret but real pur-
pose of the war was TO abolish slavery
in the States. Iu any event, did not
doubt that whatever might be the mo-
mentary impulses of those in power, and
whatever pledges they might make in the
midst OF the fury Of the Constitution, the
Union, and the flag, yet the natural and
inexorable logic of revolutions would,
sooner or later, drive them into that
policy, and with it to its final but nevis
table result, the change of our present
democratical form of government into an
imperial despotism.
These were my convictions on the
l4th of April. Had | changed them on
, the 18th, when | read the President S
, proclamation, and become convinced
that l had been wrong all my life, and
, that all history was a fable, and all
human nature false in its development
from the beginning of time; | would
Q have changed my public conduct also.
\ But nv convictions did not change. |
, thought that if war was dsunion on the
: l4th of April, it was equally disunion on
, the 10Th, and at all times. Believing
p this, | could not, as an honest man, a
; Union man and patriot, lend an active
, support to the war; and | did not.
a had rather my right arm were plucked
t from its socket, and cast into eterna
e burnings, than, with my convictions, tc
t have thus deiiled my soul with the gull
5 of moral perjury. Sir, was not taugh
Y in that school which proclaims that "al
# is fair in politics" | loathe, abhor, ant
/, detest the execrabe maxim. stamI
!. upon it. No state can endure singl
d generation whose public men practc
: it. Whoever teaches it is a corrupter Il
n youth. What we most want in lhes
d times, and at all times, is honest AM
l. independent public men. That maj
d who is dishonest in politics is not honest
!. at heart, in anything; and sometime
Q moral cowardice is dishonesty. D
,. right; and trust to God, and Truth, an,
10 the People. Perish office, peris
4, honors, perish life ITSELF but do tn
Il thing that is right, and do it like mar
1t | did it. Certainly, sir, could not dout
,e what he must suffer who dare defy tn
| opinions and the passions, not to say til
ST madness, of twenty million people,
ID Had not read history? Did not kno'
!, human nature? But | appealed
Is TINE, and right nobly hath the Avengt
st answered me.
ic did not support the war; and to>da
I'd bless God that not the smell ofso muc
III as one drop of blood is on my garm ent
e. Sir, censure no brave man who rushe
is patrioticalIy into this war; neither will
8 quarrel with any one, here or elsewher
n who gave to it an honest support. Hs
C. their convictions been mine, |, to
e. would doubtless have done as they di
n> With my convictions | could not, But
,st was a Representative. War existed.
ne by whose act no matter.-not min
We The President, the Senate, the Hous
he and the country, all said that the
its should be war-war for the Union;
CT, union of consent and good will. o
EST Southern brethren were to be whipp
a back into love and fellowship at I
Ia. point of the bayonet. Oh. monstro
- delusion! II can comprehend war
m. compel people TO accept master;
he change a form Of government; to give
lis territory; to abolish domestic inslit
nal tion-in short, war of conquest a
inc subjugation; but War for Union! W
of the Union thus made! Was it ever tn
he preserved! Sir, history will recO
that after nearly six thousand years
ess folly and wickedness in every form a
vas administration ofgovernment, theocrat
lev democratic, monarchic, oligarchc, dc
ed. potic, and mixed, il was reserved
its American craftsmanship in the mir
nd teenth century Of the Christian era
ion try the grand experiment on scale I
vas most costly and gigantic in its prop,
re. tions, of creating love by force, a
his developing lraternal affection by W
er, and history will record, too, on the sal
,er page, the utter, disastrous, and m,
led bloody failure Of the experiment.
The But to return; the country was
of war; and | belonged to that school
for politics which teaches shat when we,
an at war, the Government do not me
re. the Executive alone, but the Cover
ent ment-is entitled to demand and hai
ay, without resistance, such number Of m,