Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-17

4" IL was addressed to class OF citizens of The
most undoub.ed loyalty, who designed meeting
TO celebrate an anniversary Of no alight event
who also intended to improve the. occaeicn BY
urging upon the Pfeeldent the most vigorous
prosecution OF the war. Many Of them are dis
posed to believe that certain prominent Officer
is 30 prejudiced in favor Of pro-slaveFy officers
as to keep by his influence many prominent
and anti-slavery offiosrs from command.
'- "They had an undoubted right to express In
q respectful manner their opinion; the fac. oil
being in plain clothes inGtead of uniforms
does not deprive them OF their rights or entitle
their opinions to less respect. Had Il been a
meeting ofpro tlaocyg peace men, The edse iooud be
different. The natural inference from your let
ter causes Injustice to the parties to whom It is
addressed, 40 we'll ss 10 the large class Of our
fellow -citEsns associated with them I do not
beleYs you would willingly intend such iDj1s-
tice, and wish TO remind yourself and the pub
lic of tsH historical f.ols.
"At the opening of the rebellion. when the
enemies OF the Union were plotting 10 obtain
possession Of the United States Arsenal in this
city, With its important treasure of arms and
ammunition and Captain Lyon was beleagaefed
Uitbia its with, .he America born residents
with some honorable exceptions--acluated by
from active support of the Government, while
the German residents organized themselves In
60 regiment, 10 protect tho property of the Uni-
ted Sta.es and to defend ths Stars aud Snioes.
Oftbe tsn first regimen;s (lncluding the Uai-
ted States Reserve Corps) organized 10 this
oity-vhich numbered an aggregate of over Ten
thousand men-l do not think more than FIVE or
SIX hundred were native born Americans. OF
whom /. was my proud privilege TO be one; the
remainder were Germans. Members Of tbOae
regiments have nobly defended the honor aad
nag OF the Union, and many have fallen on near.
~ every battle field of the war ives. oi tle AL
legaen,es.
ut lie to those who remain here you nov deny
the right to the respectful expression Of an opin-
lon In favor Of the most vigOrou, prosecution OF
tn wax, and that IL may rot be prottituted 10
pro.slave-y PARTISAN purposes.
III boldly assert thst-had il not been for the
active end bold support these men rendered the
Government in that dark hour-M ssouri and
st. Louis rolld have been lost 10 the Union,
and the seventy thousand stand of arms in the
arsenal, with which the Northwesrern volun-
teers we're subsequently armed Eould have
fallen tnsc the possession Of Jackson and
Price.
Very little is dus to the Amer.osG-born
citizens for the safety OF this city and State -
Many OF those Americans who now assume the
prominent positions, aud claim TO be rssding'
Union men, we're very far from being leading
Union men In those days Of danger and trial.
thsy were generally maintaining what they
called conservative positions, with the hope Of
Catching Southern trado, aud the majority of
thsG2 Tero accordingly bitter in their denunca.
tlcl CT General Lyon, Had she safety of tbe
Union depended up1u such Heading zen, fear
the cauee would have p:oveu hopeless. ls IL {,
these brave and true men, who are 30 viIely
abused as 'Reseisns,' that the praise is due, ana
ouf c.ilitafy commanders should bear this 10
al!nd when they forbid the loyal Germsus the
free express lion OF their opioion "