Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-02-21
Obio 9tntesnram
SPEECH OF
EDSON B. OLDS,

Delivered in the Ohio House of Representatives,
on Friday and Wednesday, January 23d and
2Sh, 1863, on the Cause and Conduct Of the
| War,
| lOontinued.i
The fears of the Democracy were next excit.
ed by the proclamation of General Fremont,
abolishipg slavery in the State of Missouri
This act was clear and unmistakable violation
of the Constitution, and direct stab at the
Chicago Platform, which Mr.. Lincoln had said
should be law during his Administration.
may, however, be told that il was In conse.
quence of this proclamation, that Mr.. Lincoln
removed General Fremont from his command.
Sir, did the order removing General Fremont
contain any condemnation Of his proclamation
| II It did, am yet to be informed of that fact.
| Tho truth is, there were charges of very
grave character, piled up mountain high againat
General Fremont. A committee Of Congress
"A committe composed Of the political friends
of the President-a committee acting under the
solemnity OF an oath, had charged General
Fremont and his friends with stealing untold
thousands of Government funds. We have
lust as good right 10 infer that he was re-
moved for these frauds, as that he was removed
for his proclamation. Be this as it may, Mr..
Lincoln's masters, the bitter Abolitionists,
compelled him, instead Of ordering General
Fremont to be tried by court martial, to re-
store him to q command in the army far more
important than the one which had been taken
from him
| Why, Mr.. Speaker, you and can we'll re-
member, when under Mr.. Van Buren's Admin
istration, Price and Swsrtout had stolen few
thousand dollars, the opponents of Democracy
ruug the charges upon Democratic corruption
all over the country. But under this Admins
tration, such petty larceny as that committed
by Price aud Swartout. would be laughed to
scorn; to obtain high official position under Mr..
Lincoln, we must steal at least half million
dollars, and if, per hance, IL should reach
full million, the thief will be entitled to the
Russian Embassy.
Close upon the footsteps Of General Fremont,
| followed the proclamation of General Hunter
| Having witnessed the complete triumph of
General Fremont, this man with gilt buttons
and shoulder-straps assumed the authority to
issue his proclamation abolishng slavery in
three of the sovereign States of the Union.
In this case the President did revoke the
proclamation. But did he do it in such man
ner as to restore confidence to the Union men
of the Soulh7 Did he do it in such manner
as to inspire the confidence Of the Northern
Democracy 10 his conservatism? Did he revoke G
| the PROCLAMATION because 1t was unconstituLiOn-
| al? Did he revoke IL because it WIS an open
and fragrant departure from the fourth resolu.
| ton of the Chicago Platform? Did he revoke
IL because it was calculated to incite an insur-
| rection upon the part of the slaves, and as
being contrary to all the usages of civil warfare?
No, sir, he did not. He lett the impression
upon the minds OF the Union men Of the South,
Lthat the time might come when such procls-
nation would be justiiable. He gave them to
understand that when such time should come,
he, Abraham Lincoln, and not Gen. Hunter,
was the man to do It,.
The next acc of madness end folly, wss
| the PresideDt's confscaton and emancipation
scheme Sir, such acts as those drove the
Union men of the SouH by hundreds and thous-
ands into the ranks of jeff. Davis's army
Such acts "a these not only filled the ranks Of
the Southern army, but they rendered it impos-
sible for Mr.. Lincoln to fill his own decimated
ranks. Il 80 changed the character Of the war
as to utterly disgust all the conservative men
of the North. Every one with half an eye,
could now see, what for long time had been
apparent to the more farseeing of Northern
conser ystives, that the war had ceased to be a
war for the Union anu the Constitution, and
was now in every sense Of the word, what the
Abolitionists designed 1t to be, q war to emsn-
cipate the negroes.
But one thing more was necessary 10 order to
completely demoralize the Northern army, and
drive the men almost by companies and regi.
A ments to flee from the contamination and de.
graduation about to be heaped upon them. That
was, to fill the decimated ranks Of the army
with the sooty Africans.
Sir, If the rebels themselves had been per
mitted to dictate the policy of Mr.. Lincoln,
methinks they would have recommended pre-
cisely the measures which he has adopted.
But what shall say, MIR. Speaker, with ref
erence TO Mr.. Linooln's emancipation procla-
nation Of the Let of January, 1852 1t needed
but this unconstitutional and inhuman act, to
make our degradation and humiliation com
plets. 1t is an act that must forever render ul
bye word and hHsing to the whole civilized
world. Both humanity and christianity must
etand sghast at the contemplation Of the horrid
scenes Inat this proclamation may open up tc
the gaze of the nations of the esrtn. 1t 10 O
direct bid for the slaves to rise, and, in accord
apce with the recommendations of the Helper
Book, to "cut their masters throGts." Il pledges
the whole military and naval power of the
United States to keep hands off, whilst the
lslayes debauch and murder, Unfortunately
1.-The women and children of oil the States in re-
bellion, Under this proclamation, that immac-
Iulate high priest OF Abolitonism may be made
lioyful In seeing ga servile insurrection ct the
South" now may he expect to behold "tbf
black men supplied" not "with Britieh bayorets
and commanded" not "by British officers" but
supplied With Abolition bayonets, and com.
! manded by Abolition officers, "waging wal
of determination against the whites" Now
North American savage-like, he may dance
) around the masters burning dwelling, ant
gloat over his polluted hearth stone, for thit
, proclamation is the dawn of his long delayed
8 "political millennium"
y Mr.. Scott--Will the gentleman from Fair
a field permit me TO ask him question?
Mr.. Olds-Certainly, sir, as many as yol
please.
MIR. Scott-Supposng the President thinks I
Q necessary, in order TO end this rebellion, &
). emancipate oil the slaves In the rebellion
. States, will the Democratic party abandon hin
Il in the prosecution of this war2
Mr.. Olds--I will answer the gentleman b.
}; putting q parallel case. Supposing the Presl
dent thinks it necessary, in order 10 end this re
Il bellion, to recall our entire army from the re
bellious States, and turn that army against tn
Northern Democracy, will the Democratic part
still aid him in the further prosecution Of Oh
war, after 1t shall be thus perverted from wa
: to suppress the rebellion into war to suppress
the Northern Democracy?
Sir, there il more in this proposition than ger
Of tlemen may suppose. / must confess that d
not understand the signs of the times, If they d
not stand as finger board, pointing us to the re
Q, copnition of the Southern Confederacy by tn