Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-04-04
LOYALTY TO THE GOvERNMENT.
Speech ofHon. Peter Hitchcock of Ge augn,
In the Ohio Senate, March 4, 1868, on
the 10y atty Resolutions of Mr. welsh.

in the Ohio Senate, March 4, 1863, on
the Loyalty Resolutions of Nir. welsh.
Mr. PnEsIDEST-Fearfully is the couD
try agi'ateI with the gigantic struggles
OF the Government 10 vindicaing aud sus
tanning itself against the combined attack Of
open aud covert treason. 'rIr#3 Gs!. ta .
War exists. A war, terrible in nature.
fearful in extent. desperate in The struggles
Of its conlcnding forces, fierce and desc
laling in its progress, ard appalling in he
magnitude tf the consequences involved.
1t exists not on account of conflicting
jnrisd ction with neighboring nations, notify
attacks upon the commerce Of the country,
not by invasion Of foreign foe attempting
n The fierce tribunal of nrms TO settle long
disputed questions Of international county,
bat by the act Of traitors, rebels in a. m>
against the Government. They. the prime
movers, ins,igators of this rebellion, aud
leaders in its efforts, being The represent
atives of he recipients of the richest hles
sings Of the Government, under which this
whole people has become sd great, and in
time past has Been so prosperous and hap
tpy. Not only 50, but these same men, aud
those associated with them with Ike views
i of Governmental policy, have administered
the Government OF the country almost tie
Q tie time for the past forty years. Mole
Than this, they were administering it at the
lime Of the breaking out of this rebellion,
aud more yet they continued TO administer
Iii, or tekc part in administering II for weeks
yes, months after States 10 which they
themselves belonged had seeded, and forts
arsenaIs. dock yards, minfS and other pro
petty belonging to the United States had
been taken possession of by rebels acting
under their advice, and by their direction
The Chief Executive Of the so-called
Confederate States, his Cabinet tfficers,
his foreign emisares, many Of his Generals
in the field, and OF the members of the Con.
federuie Congress, were ih is acting in the
Executive and Legislative Department of
the General Government at the same
time they were not only aiding & abetting,
but cOunsclling and directing treason One
of those genci als in hi. capacity of Vic,
President of the United Suites, adjourned
the Scnnte on the 4 h of March, 1861,
took the oath of fealiy to the Cons, ,i,utiou
as u SENATOR in the new Congress, drew his
pay and mileage, aud Immediately went out
to lake his place in he army of rcbeldom,
and war against the Government he had
,st sworn 10 support. a."3a.A
Abont two years since in anticipation OF
a contingency which might arise, the Gen.
eral Assembly of the State of Ohio, by q
vote almost quite unanimous, pass n resoIu
lion pledgng the entire resources of the
State, moral and bysieal. in aid of the
Government in sustaining the Constilu.
ton, and crushing out rebellion The an.
licipaled contingency bappens--wa war exists
-vXiss as has been before suggested, by
the rebels in aims Congress pressed reso.
luton known as The "Critlenden Resolu.
ton" The Legislature Of Ohio affirms.
and the Legislatures of other loyal States
affirm this resolution. For il, certain
cscs Of Senators profess very high regard,
although in State convention of the par
ty, with which these Senators net, holden
in this city Oh the 4th day of July, 1862,
| lLe first clause Of that resolution is omitted
and the like omission occurs in series of
resolution introduced in the House by q
member Of the same party a few days
since. Why Because the clause omitted
fixes the responsibility OF rebels where il be-.
longs. That clause of the resolution says:
"That the present deplorable civil rar
has been forced upon The country by the
drsuniOnisis Of tie Southern States, now in
a, ms against the Government, aud in arms
around tho capital" sss .asa 100
! 1t is under these circumstances of war
in the country, a war for the preservation of
It's government, in the language OF the reso,
luton quoted. forced upon the country, BY
The disuni0nists of ths Southern States, as
declared by The solemn act of Congress
aud Of State Legislaiures-a war taxing
the eutire resources of the country for ils
conduct, and 10 aid 10 which Ohio has
given her solemn pledgethat, we come 10
the consideration OF the resolutions before
| the Senate. F1ss stasiot.5sss dis syzlr
They are as follows Slai' a-is .l1i i'eli' ga
Whreas. A republican form Of government
is believed to resi- largely upon the consent oi
the 90 yerped. and can only he main,ained when
war is waged for its destruction by hearty CO.
operation Of the loyal people Of the govern
ment ~ a.. ,,s,.l- ~, t.ssi..--s
Whereas, The Constitution Of the United
States louoded by the wisdom aud patriotism
of our iathers very wisely provided lor gov.
ernmeDt OF legislative Judicial and executive de
parlmenls, with power believed TO be ample TO
defeud the rights Of the people, maintain the
authority OF the government aud execute the
laws Of the nation, and e ar2N RsE
N hsrsas, Ar unholy warfare Is now waged
by certatn States against the authority OF the
legally constituted government Of tbs couatry,
and as 90 provision IS madt by the Constitution
| for the suppressioa of u rsbellson, aud the en-
! forcemeHt or the laws. except through thsOls-
| gslly constituted puthoritias OF the country and
as the execation OF the laws ia 0 republicsn or
democratic form Of geyeansHs, dspsedsisrgsly