Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-01-06
A GRAND DEM0NsTRATIoN.
Dr. Olds Rsosyted 90 oolumbus ~ q
Procession or Semocrats more
than Two Miles Song.
RECEPTION SPEECH OF HON. GEORGE
L. CONVERSE.
DR. oLDs,s RRPLx,

tIonal Liberty was honored and vindicated In
the person of DR.. 0LDs. An immense procea-
sion Of the Democratic men and women Of
+" Old Fairfield" and adjacent counties, left
Lancaster, OF half past eight O'Clock, with the
Doctor, arriving at 0BETz's, ak miles south Of
this city, at two in the afternoon, where the
splendid cavalcade from Columbus and Frank
lin county awaited them. The procession from
that point hither was between two and
three miles long II wasfour pollock when this
immense army Of feemen, with music and
banners, reached the city. After passing
through some of the principal streets, aud 60.
ing around the State House, Il filled up the
space about the "Goodale" for more than o
square, while many were unable to get within
hearing distance Dr.. oLDs was then conduct.
ed by committee Of Democrats from bis car.
rage 10 the balcony Of the Hotel. His appear
anoe there was signalized BY such an outburat
of enthusiasm as 10 seldom witnessed In q lifs-
time. When quiet was restored, Hon. GEoReE
L. CosvERsE, one Of the able Representatives
Of franklin county, who had been selected for
the purpose, came forward and delivered the
following able, pungent and eloquent reception
speech: o
arcEPrioN SPEECH or HON. gro L. CONVERSE.
Docroa oLps: The Democracy Of this city
and county have desired me to bid you and the
gallant men OF Old Fairfield who accompany
You on this occasion, In their nance, o cordial
welcome to the Capital Of our noble State.
The professions to-day, the loud huzsshs Of
triumph that greeted you on the way, the way
Ing Of handkerchiefs, the banners, the music,
the thousands Of men who now stand before
YOU eager to get sight of your person, and hear
the words that may fall from your lips, ere o
more touching and eloquent welcome than any.
| thing ] can say.
No member elect OF the legislature was ever
before publicly received here by the masses of
| the people, and no one ever before escorted BY
so grand delegation Of his constituents to
| the Capital of the State. You are no stranger,
These men have seen and heard you speak
thousand times before. Ysu have held higher
and more responsible trusts by the sufftages Of
the people Then why this demone trs tion7
Why this restless, this deep and determined
feeling you see depicted on the countensnces of
This yast multltude7 What has caused this
throbbIDg of the great popular hearth
Itis not mere personal demonstration, but
one Tor principle. It Is because an usurper Of
suthorfty,- Notwithstanding bic oath Of office,
has eeen at, In your arrest and Imprisonment,
20 violate the express provision, Of the funda.
mental law Of THE great nation. Il is because,
| 10 the exesoise Of hisdespotc power, he has by
,Se sarne act violated the fundamental law and
tbe statute laws ofithe great State Of ohio, Il
| IL because you had the in dependence snd the
manhood TO prefer 10 sacrifice your lie upon
the altar of.your country, 10 prefer the slow
tortures Of msrtyrdom In political Bsstile,
rsther than yield to this Abolition God your
ttutional right and constitutional liberty ss
An American citizen. In the name Of the
/ Democracy Of franklin county, and the lovera
of constitutional liberty everywhere, ! thank
you for Il. In honoring you, We honor our
selves, and pay our tribute Of respect 20 princi-
ple and TO constitutional freedom. Your cleo.
zion BY the gallant Democracy OF Fairfield
county was o tribute to principle We are the
legitimate sons Of revolutionary sires. They
| left 10 constitutional liberty as q legacy. The
present Administration and their supporters In
infamy and orime, ere the bsstsrds, and If they
| undertake to break down the sacred barriers Of
the Constitution, overturn civil liberty, and
destroy the Union, the stalwart yeomsnry OF
the Northwest will topple the throne of king
Abraham I. to the ground. The half million
Of bsyope,s that now protect him and hls oor-
rupt minions, will then become his and their
destruction.
What have the men 10 power already done 2
They have stolen our public treasure, and par.
| celed it out to gang Of thieves. They have
| been held sacred from the foundation Of the
Government. They have arrested American
oitissns for pretended ofenses, and transported
them beyond the Limits Of the State. They have
denied them o speedy public trial by jury
They have invented and inflicted on American
citisens new and unusual punishmen,s without
trial. They have attempted to destroy the
| freedom Of the press. They have attempted to
destroy the freedom Of speech. They have set
up the military over the civil authority, and the
voice of Justice In many places 10 SILENT They
have divided sovereign State without its con.
sent They have endeevored to stir up sefvile
insunection for the murder Of innocent women
and children, and have countenanced and incit.
ed moha for the destruction Of personal prop.
erty. They have degraded our best Generals
and promoted Abolition fanatics. They have,
under false pretenses, induced our young men
TO Join the army. By their incompetency and
mismanagemen hundreds Of thousands Of the
beat men OF the land have Lost their lives on
the battlefield and In camp. They have con-
verted this war from war for the restoration
of the Union and the enforcement Of the Con-
stItulion, into o war for the freedom of four
millions of slaves unified for freedom; and
now they are secretly hoping, If not inviting,
the Intervention of foreign nations in our na-
tional affairs, so that they may the more easily
and permanently disrupt the Union and perhaps
perpetuats si,sir power.
Henry Clay said twenty -four years ago In the
Senate Of the United States, speaking of this
class Of men, with them the right Of proper.
" 10 nothing; the deficiency Of the powers Of
the General Government is nothingj the 40
knowledged and ineontestihle powers Of the
States ID nothingi civil war, dissolution Of
the Union and the overthrow Of governments
In which are concentrated the fondest hopes of
the civilized world, are nothing. A single idea
has taken possession of their minds, and onward
they pursue It, overlooking ell barriers and re-.
Rardless of ell consequences" How truthful
sketch Of the Abolition party now In power
You, cir, are not the only one who has suffer
cd st the hands Of this despotism that rules the
hour. Let the crowded cells Of Forts Warren,
Lafayette, McHenry, the Bastile at Washing
ton and the military pfisons all over she North,
suesk of the hardships, the wrongs, the tyran.
M. The. priystions and degradation that have
been indicted on their inmates. Let them tell
me story Of those who have been made lunstio
By this worse than Spanish inquisiticn. Give