Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-06-16
Ohio Democratic State Convention.
SPEECH OF
Hon. GEORGE Il. PUGH,
Columbus ,June II

on motion OF DR.. Olds, the convention
proceeded to nominations.
Hon: G. L. Vallandigham and Hen
t1ugh D Jewett were put in nomination
for Governor.
On the first ballot, Mr.. vallandigham
received 354 votes; Mr.. Jewett, Z.
IN motion, the nomination Of Mr.. VAL
lahuiSham was made unanimous.
E9ud Calls were made for Hon George
y. fuSh; That gentleman, upon taking
Ine stand SAID that, for some time, he had
discharged the duty Of attorney fer the
oman who this day has received the
l'oui nation LOT Governor Of Ohio. lie had
not tgreel with bim in regard to all cues
t,chs Oh expectancy IE the prosecution Of
this war, but he was satisfied chat the oues-
tion OF war or vi peace was the highest
problem oil statesmanship, and he could not
ueeiue up n the issue raised Without sbsC-
lute freedom Of public di cussion. nor as
pohician, but as a citizen. ilIs injuries
are my injuries; outrage on him is outrape
on m. !lie exhoTtcd the convention to make
| unanimous the nomination of the faithful
honest, honorable, high minded. and frrc,
ed exile 'nto the rebel States. He desired
to say that, in all the anxious hours pa.so5
/ by that gentleman, day and night. his
cheek never b'anchCG, nor did he sve-ve
from his fundamental right as a citizen 10
speak without dic,a;i,n of military Law
On the question Of war or peace Mr.. Pueb
was not prepared to decide. [Cries of
''Peace, pesce"I
a free people cannot decide sueh an i'm
portant question until they have heard all
sides, and any man who undertook to decide
IN FAVOR on leace Or Of war, while under
the GominIon Of martial law or order No.
90 uld that which wluld DO muckery
and sham. lie did not know what char
ecter the resolutions to be brought before
the convention would be, but he was in ia.
Sor OF the adoption Of a resolution that no
Tree peei - can decide to continue this war
VI ehu u oy peace. until they have C nclud.
co mat their own liberties were safe. He
| eoui1 not say that rendering an armistice
! 70 the Confederate States for settlement
| 0, the present difficulties, as proposed by
MT. tailandlgham, was right, until he had
| he"rd his argument and his presentation of
all the facts. But when the President or
any military gentleman told him that his
ieIoW-citizen should not express his opiD-
ION, he would reply, it is ali farce and a
sham to talk of free government. The
democratic party was not RESPONSIBLE for
this unhappy rebellion, brought about by
Its adversaries in power. They were
warned and implored not to launch this
country into the miseries of civil war
They did 1t, and claimed that thew could.
| oy the sword, restore the constitution and
the Union as IT was and we hole them to
that responsibility In the face of God, the
clVll zed world and the judgment Of ages.
II they demand and require untold millions
OF treasures, and if they fall, the judgm ent
ct their country, God, and history, will be
against them. As a citizen Of the United
states, he would not submit one hour, so
help hlm God to this arbitrary and ire
! sponsItle power. The democratic rarty
uau suHefeu already more outrages than
have been conceived. III am to huIt nv
liberty. and personal property subject to
the arbitrary Whim o: Gen. Burnside, CT
any other General, this convention should
never adjourn until it has achieved the
liberty o: the people. lie said it in view
| of Order No. So. lie could die bat once
scorn your order No. SO. [Cheers |
| trample under foot the order of any mill
tary officer defining treason. They NAV
| lmpls0n me, put me to hard labor. take
! my he; but, come what will, despise Or
der No. 36. Aud if you, nv iellw.cltizens.
IRE such AFFECT slaves 10 your lives. lber-
ties, and property, at the diclation of anv
man, Colonel or Corporal, you d.serve TO
De slaves, and p0sterijy viii Gesrise YOU
lie maintained that his Cliaut, Mr.. Varau-
disAGm.w who bad dared to express his opin
ION upon the momentuoUs questions Of the
war, had That right under the constitution
|" ucI'fer them, and he exhortei the cln>
'eh'ioh % postpone every other question
IN favor OF tie great question of our own
HDerues. lie would exhurt Mr.. LincoIn
on me question Of peace or war whom he
mad the right to express bis opinion in
pnblIc, AMI he inteudcd 10 exrress that
GnInl n at the hazard Of his life. This
ques.'3n should fill their hearts every b,ur
aud day, aud be their exclusive bnsiness
until the second Tuesday 81 October. Mr.
Pugh then c0mmen.sd with mech severity
upon the acts Of military offcers in intrui-
Tag upon the houses Of private citizens, in
the presence OF their wives and children,
and bringing their victims before a mock
tribunal called military commission. He
advised hi, democratic friends NOT Ia baIlos
to-day AMI repent 10 morrow. Say il and
mean il.
Let each man take counsel with bis own
heart and come TO the resolution thnt this
usurpauOu any tyranny shall be st9ured
peaceatiy il possible, but by force If ne.
eessaTy. The hest security Of liberty is 70
maintaip it at ali hazards. S,mehodv
must make the issue. 1t tits re. CD
helping me, will meet the responsibility
1t We had an honest man in the oe6ee of
Governor, instead of a creature who has
sold himself for the name of office and
licked the dust for power, affairs would be !
different, as when the honorable President
OF this Convention had possession of the |
Executive chair. Now we have less than |
the dust Of the balance. We now have no |
Governor. We Fave a thing who had the
auuacity to say to my face that he would !
eVentua Iy crawl back into the democratic |
party and Its convention, and would mt |
such men as NallapGigbam aud ODDS 10 the |
wall. Gioansl. If God spared bis (Mr, |
Pugh's) lie, aud Gov. Tod ever presef ted !
nuns III In any dem' cratic CORY entlou. he |
would move to suspend all bus ness until |
he was expelled from the convention. He |
could pardon an honest man who was mis-
led anC desired to return 70 the f, Ids of the
democratic party, but he could not man
who sells himself for ofics, and ecome a |
creature Sd infamous that no w,rm can
describe his infamy. If before shutdown
tomorrow, Gen. Burnside should have me
arrested for violating Order No. SO. will
you act? 1--WE will" by thousands of
voices.
NJ. Pugh continued Then our liber.
ties are safe, aud at the cnst of life intend
TO maiutain my rights. When his fellow
citizen, Mr.. Vsllandigbsm, expressing his
opinion, was seized and dragged in secrecy
to Cincinnati and imprisoned, lis indigna.
ton against the military authorities knew
no bounds; but, when judicial offcor.
knowing his dry under his oath. failed to
! erform that duty from personal cowardice,
aud tram;l led under foJt the Institutional
rights of citizen, the question then passed
to that Of impeaching Fo!e al officer, and