Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-09-16

revenge wrong. Revenge finds no sanction
in the laws, and awalkes no responsive throb
in the bosom Of humanity. II the prodigal re-
turns, let a nation rejoicel The nearest and
dearest relations Of Life have been rudely sew
cred by the rebellion. Ifreturn to duty By
submission to the laws with penitence for the
past, and amnesty judieiously proclaimed has
balm fas our many yr0hnda, lesig bs-ap41iad ;
let US be healed Of this great woei
When the rebellion is suppressed, and the
national authority restored, We viii have the
same constitution, the same government, the
same nationality we had before our peace was
broken, our prosperity checked, and our secu-
Erity endangered by rebellion. We win have
had painful, but it may not be an unpro6t-
able, lesson. Wewill have learned to observe
constitutional faith, and that to respect the
rights of each other is essential to the peace
and security Of an. We shall have learned
that life, liberty, property, and the pursuit
Of happiness are the common right Of all
each holding It BY equal constitutional sane
tity Chat this pertains as much to him who
sleeps in cottage home as to him who dweIIs
in palatial halls; that free government knows
no distinctions in right, but assaes all alike;
that no consequence is given to one species Of
property above that Of another; that all lives
and all consaences are equally protected by
free government.
Kentuckians, we have suffered much This
rebellion has invaded the sanctities, and dis
rupted the ties ofthe holiest and dearest re-
lationships. Ithas pierced with anguish the
throbbing hearts of our people We have
been invaded BY hostile armies, and harassed
with rebel marauders. Our life, liberty,
property and happiness" have been bufetted
by rebellion. And to fll our cup Of bitter
ness, we have been misunderstood and dis
trusted by people Of other loyal States and
misconstrued by rebels at home and abroad
Because we insist upon the observance Of
what we regard as constitutional faith, and
upon respect being had to personal and pro-
perty rights, we have been held, on the one
hand, to be Of doubtful loyalty, and claimed,
on the other as in sympathy with, and ready
TO join, the rebellion. 0urrecent elections, It
to be hoped, win forever put to rest and
quiet this question Kentucky has been, now
is, and always viii remain, loyal to the Gov
lernment of our fathers.
The loyalty of Kentucky does not rest up
on attachment to, or dislike Of, any species Of
property but is founded upon the immova-
bic devotion Of her people to the principles Of
constitutional liberty.
Kentucky can not be shaken in her fidelity
to the constitutional unity Of our Government
We cherish cordial, habitual and immoYa-
bic attachment to it accustoming ourselves
to think aud speak of It as a palladium of our
liberties; watching for its preservation with
Jealous anxiety And while she retains res
pect for the memory, and confidence in the
virtue and wisdom Of its founders, she VIII
cling to that Constitution and that Union as
the only place Of safety and rest, on earth or
among men, for her faith and hope Of hee
Government.
But when measures are adopted to crush
rebellion, which we deem unwise or unjust,
we viii not approve, but viii exercise our
right to oppose and correct in a legitimate
way. Because we furnish the means, we do
not commit ourselves in favor Of the modes Of
applying them. 1t is our duty to supply the
means; the duty Of others to apply them.
Those charged with the application are res
ponsible for any misdirectiou or abuse Of the
means. We are responsible for the means i;
they for the expenditure We arm and equip
the soldier, but do not approve when he plum
ders or robs. We will not sanction acts vio-
lative Of constitutional right, but we viii not
therefore neglect tie use of every necessary
means to project the Constitution against reb-
el efforts to destroy it, merely because some
body does not understand or regard its pro-
visions as we do.
The recent elections clearly and unmiStak-
able defpc the popular viii and public iudg-
ment Of Kentucky. It is settled that Ken
lucky viii with unwavering faith and un-
swerving purpose, stand by and support the
Government in, every effort to suppress the
rebellion aud maintain the Union. For this
purpose, she will f" devote the whole resour-
ees of our Government to crush the present
causeless and wicked rebellion, and restore the
national authority oyer the revolted States"
But while so devoting our whole resources
to uphold and maintain the Government
against rebellion, the same devotion to con-
stitstonal liberty will equally impel her to
oppose her viii to all unconstitutional, to all
wicked, unwise, or hurtful measures of policy,
which may be suggested or adopted in the
prosecution of our defensive war. This she
viii do through the peaceful medium Of the
baIlot-boH, by the persuations Of argument,
and the legitimate force of our constituted tri-
bunals.
We will make no faciious opposition; will
adopt no mode of opposition which can in any
manner check or retard those charged with
the administration of the Government, in any
legitimate effort to suppress the rebellion and
restore the national authority over the revolt
ed States.
Kentucky viii not affiliate with those at
home, or in other States, whose manifest OBJ
ject, under pretense of opposition to war meas
ures, to cover their real purpose Of Gripping
the energies of our Government paralyzing
its arm Of just defense, and forwarding the
aims Of the rebellion