Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-02

VI 'ub bUlVeuUy OI buB CltCulhuDR uOteblu tup
hands of the communlty0 This attempt Of the
Federal Government to break down this system
and substitute crude experimental scheme of
its own, indicates o rashness and assumption
difficult to realize If it had not beei attended
with other multiplying evidences of administra-
tive iDcapaoty. Bat that the Senate and AS
sembly Of tho State should volunteer TO become
aocomploes In this usurpati0n and outrage,
would be altogether incredible If it were not
fonud recorded In the journals of the two
Houses by the votes Of the Republican ma,
iority. ed d.gD al oLj l1 hl.ala- 10.
| This eubordination Of the rights and interests
of the State to the ecbemes of the oonsolida-
,ionists at Washington wss evlucsd' not less
painfully 10 the reluc aace to provide for the
military defense of the State and the refusal I,
perfect the organization of the militia, Whilethe
Federal Government, at the same time, prDpoaes
70 substitute forced conscripaoa for the old
reliance OF the Republic, q citizen militia and o
volunteer army! ..at,e', ',-eg.a
The cit zena Of New York may we'll look
back with pride OF the combination Of civil en-
ergy and military power uniolded by the State
In the crisis OF the civil war. The coutribu-
| tions of men and money were unconstf aimed
| and wholly voluntary; and yet the State placed
10 the field, at the service o: the Federal Gov.
ernment. over two hundred and twenty thousand
| men. No independent State, Of population
of four millions, ever displayed m re warike
energy; and yet, should occasion call for It, the
| result would show that the military resources
of the State, go far from beiog exhausted, are
ample to meet any further crisis of public dan.
ger.
| Perhaps no more conclusive testimony can be
given of the spirit which this and the o.ber
loyal States Of the North displayed. and Of the
extent Of the resources which they placed In the
hands of the Federal Government, than the
language of the Congressional committee on
the Conduct of the War--s committee whose
extreme character and views give additional
emphasis to their admissions:
"The Administration called BY the people
to the head of the Government, In this the
most critical period Of the nations history, was
more promptly and fully supported than that Of
any other government of which history has
preserved any record. The call of the Presi-
dent for money and men had been more than
complied with; no legislation which he had
deemed necessary had been denied by Congress;
and the people had most nobly and generously
supported and sustained what their representa-
tives had promised in their name. The same
Congress, fresh from their constituents, had
again met, and there could be no doubt that as
they had before acted go would they continue
to act. I. needs but to refer to the history Of
the Congress just closed, It, prompt and thor
ough action, clolhing the Executive with the
fullest power, placing at his disposal all the re.
sources of men and money which this nation
possessed, to prove that your committee Judged
| rightly that Congress needed no promptingel
from them to do its entire duty. MOI upon
those whose duty It was to provide the means
necessary 10 put down the rebellion, but upon
those whose duty It was to rightfulIy apply those
means, and the agents they employed Tor that
purpose, rests the blame, If any, that the hopes
Of the nation have not been realized, and its
expectations have been 90 long disappointed. p
The Acknowledgements here made TO Congress-
are, in truth, mainly due, to the States, which
have, thus far, by appeals TO the patriotism Of
their citizens, raised and organized the vast ar
mics which have been placed at the disposal of
the Federal Government, and which have been
used with so little effect. -'.
Despite these evidences of spontaneous pstri.
otsm and public spirit, the Federal Govern
ment refuses any longer to rely upon the militia
and volunteers Of the States; and setting aside
the executive and legislative authorities there.
Of, proposes to absorb their functions, and to Or
ganize an army by forced conscriplion, placing
money above lie, and allowing those owing
allegiance to Government to escape service
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Against measure so uDcongenial to the genius
OF our institutions, so different from the policy
of the past 80 liable to constitutional objections
In theory and to practical dangers in execution,
we protest. The ballot box, the judicial tri.
bunale, and the other organs' Of the sentimenp
of free people, will ultimately give their
decision upon this measure, and to them we
leave 1t. Y I'd
A proposition was introduced into the LegfsS
lature, aud PASSED the Senate, to allow sol iiers
while in service ont of the State to vote BY
proxy at the elections In the State, The inn
perfection, uncertainty, and unconstitutionality
of such q measure were shown In q message
from the Governor, who urged upon the Legis-
latufe, Ia case such an extensionof Abs suffrage
was designed, to give 1t the authority OF a con-
stitutional sanction, and protect the soldier 10
it's exercise from the restraint and coercion of
his superior officers. 10 pursuance of the re-
commendation, the Democrats Of the Assembly
introduced and sustained constitutional amend
ment, having these objects in view; and which,
after passing this Legislature, only will Iced
the concurrence of the next, and the sanction oi
the people, to become part OF the organic
law. The Republicans, however, insisting upon
the passage of q mere law, refused theis CO.
operation, and even went 60 far ss TO vote down
the amendments to the bill urged by Democrats,
protecting the ballot Of the soldier from scrutiny,
and shielding him from the coercion of his su-
perior officers
The auimus evinced by this refusal has had
other and grosser manifestations, not only Oh
the part of tho political rartisans, but Of the
htai OF tue Government Immediately after the
recent election in New Hampshire the following
order was made and published, and carried into
execution:
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