Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-02-12
Ohio 9tatesnram
SPEECH OBJ .
HON. OTTO DRESEL,


In the Ohio House of Representatives, Thuysday
january 29th, 1863, on the Resoiutions, by hin
introduced, relatioe to Arbitrary Arrests.
Mn. SPEAKER: Governor Tod said In pub.
lic address, delivered q short time ago, that 1
had been found necessary to arrest eleven citi.
zens Of Ohio for disloyalty, eight Of whom wer,
taken to military camps In our State, and thI
remaining three imprisoned out of the State
and that those confined within the State had Q
speedy examination and were released.
In his last annual message, the Governor
uses the following language relative 10 mill
tary arrests of citizens of Ohio:
Before Diminishing the subjects relating to the military
operations ., the Past year y may y, be proper hat re
cotooTkeTs soith, and In great measure agents Of III
authorities of the Federal Government In the raising
and organizing Of the Federal forces In view OF this
doubt not you will be glad to know, that In the dis
charge Of the various exciting and delicate duties thrown
upon by these authorities, have been able to main
tain entire harmony and friendly relations with them
Sincerely believing that the President and those who sur
round him have acted solely with view OF restoring
peace and harmony to our distracted Government and
to all it's citizens whether North or South. have
lLv and diligently. Without feeling and manifesting
such SPIRIT the power OF great State in crushing
the rebellion, would have been wasted and fritered
away. This spirit and determination led me, nosl
uheegfuy, to aoQGisscs IN As severd, orders Of III.
President denying certain 2rtpe1os heTetOJore enjo
cd BY tho people, and stL hf0hly priced By all. al
Of the writ OF habeas corpus and the order for the
Of citizens guilty Of interfering with enstments ant
temporary confinement before hearing or a"1
stv stern necessity, otu alone tolerate such orders
Tho necsss5ty IN ne aosece Of STATE tsgtslatto, t
70 ~ b ~ ~ 70 % sVo e@ N
ecution Of these orders, under the circumsapces At
tending them, would complain Of the neghbor who
shSnid break open nus mansion when on hre to save bill
state Il be- made SnoWn that bn aeVsn o. @ Oot
arrests have been made within our border 30 far a.
known to me. or these, three persons were removed
from tns state, four were confined or short time al
SSa.e boss oonaped within bs sSa tos bsys a, Vsm
set at liberty All the arrests 50 far as am advised
were made by virtue Of orders from the War Depart
ment H ama a. Gm tsSo ap9% & my recommsndaton n.
ISlegs he actio DSnarHne so@s 5a,sd ,o
Sufficient grounds, That this exercise Of military
power was necessary to enable the several State auhor
- and lssS az no aouSt whs
It Is the duty Of ali good citizens to submit 10 Spy and
all sacrifices necessary to maintain our Government;
and Ss man s gSAS tosR ooplatI Of e acts referred
is danD aoO sho,d 5S 81 has @
good ns God grant that neither, again. nav ever be
called upon to make the esacrihcel
Governor Tod seems to monopolize the attri.
butte of goodness for himself and all such who
"cheetfully approve" of the usurpation OF
power on the part of the Federal Administra.
ton. Mr. Speaker, we Democrats and the
majority Of the people of Ohio, whom we now
represent, do complain of such usurpation-
nay, We will overthrow that power and bring
the usurpers to oohdign punishment. Governor
Tod and his like will froWn upon us. Men who
mean to do what is right will always be frowned
upon by evil doers and their willing tools. My
conscience would worry me during. the day
would disturb my nights rest, If ever Governor
Tod should smile upon me, because had LEM
my arm to carry out the iniquitous designs of Q
military despotism, such as now reigns supreme
at Washington. ......
Let me, in this connection, call the attention
Of the House to the late Report of the Secreta
~ of War. If what he says be true, then all
the Provost Marshals In our State were ap
pointed on the nomination Of Governor Tod
were instructed to act under his direction, and
all arrests in Ohio we're forbidden, except au.
thorized by the Governor or the Judge Advo
cate .- ..s ....,.,...
This brings the matter right home to ou
State Executive, and 1t seems that Governor
Tod had his hands deeper in than he seem
willing to admit In his speeches and message
/ MIR. Speaker, certain fundamental, inaliena
BILE rights are guaranteed to our citizens by tn
Federal Constitution and the Constitution o
Ohio. What are these rights7 will name
few Of them: No Citizen can be arrested ant
held except upon warrant, supported by an afii
davit showing probable cause for arrest. Ever,
Citizen 10 entitled to speedy trial by o jury il
the district where he has committed the offense
No citizen shall be deprived of his life, libert
or property, without due process of law.
In lS4s took active part in q revolution il
Germany, the main object Of which was to se
cure those sacred rights to the people. W,
failed in our attempt and were punished, be
cause we had failed, because We had dared t
try to wiring the guarantees of personal liberty
from the blood-stained hands Of monarchy. -
Some OF my best friends and co-adjut0rs in the
work OF the liberation OF Germany were killed
others were doomed to pine away behind the bari
OF solitary prison cells, succeeded in making
my escape and came to the United Ststes,-
When frat tread upon American soil L fel
like man saved from shipwreck. The darl
night Of oppression was behind me, the glorious
sunny morning OF liberty dawned upon me-
Those sacred rights, to attain which we hat
vainly striven in the old country, were here Sc
cured to, and fully enjoyed by every one, ever
the humblest citizen. And more than the EDg
lisff, more than any nation on earth, the Amer
leans were sensitive with regard to their bill o
rights. Any encroachment upon the liberty O.
one individual would have been held to be aI
encroachment on the liberty Of all. And wo
TO the man In Office who would have been guilt
of any such eneroaohments! A universal up
rIajnp of the peonle. WithOut regard Tn M ~,