Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-03-12
Ohio 9tatesmam
SPEECH OF
HON. j. D. O'CONNOR-

II U N. D. u. O'CO N IN y II =
OF MONROE,
In the Ohio Senate, February 28, 1853, on N.
proposed amendment to strike out the ,ooy0
"lauda5lo" in the Welsh REGULATIONS, and in
sert the pWd "eonstitu,ionaI"
DR.. O'Conner said
Mn. PREsIDENT: had supposed that when the
amendment of my friend from Ashland was
proposed TO the resolution under consideration,
| that 1t would have been accepted, or at least
adopted by an almost unanimous vote of the
Senate. But, sir, 10 place Of this fond hope
being realized, we have found the members of
this honorable body launched upon the open sea
Of partisan discussion. A discussion not sought
by the minority upon this floor, but discussion
precipitated upon US because we desire TO change
the single word 'laudable," which Ia of doubt
ful import, and may mean anything or overy-
thing, to suit the whim or caprice of parties
for tne WORD ''COnatituti0nal," wnIcn ia dehnile
In its import, and cannot be perverted to euit
the whim or caprice of any mere partisan or do.
signing demagogue.
| had hoped, Mr.. President to never ace the
day when any man or set of men, claiming to
be loyal to our common country, and who laid
claim to that other and n0bler title, the name
"his physical and moral force to the Admins
tratlon n its constitutional efforts" to put down
the present wicked and unholy rebellion, against
the most benefcent government that has ever,
under the providence of God, been ordained
| upon earth. But In this IL appears that have
been vastly mistaken, and that we have men
even here, upon the floor of the Senate Cham
ber OF the State Of Ohio, who are not willing to
pledge themselves to the support of the Admin
istraton in its constitutional" efforts TO nut
down the rebelion-but are only willing to rem
der this support to an administration OF their
own choosing in it's 'laudable" efforts TO con.
quer rebeldom.
Does not the merest school boy know, that
the word "landable" means praiseworthy, com
mendable, and that these all being OF such doubt
fui import that they are applied to subjects and
things In very different manner by different
parties; and that the import OF a word OF doubt
ful signification like this word "laudable," is
always subject 60 the mere whim or caprice of
the party using il; that there ia no fixed stand
ard by which is import can be regulated7
Now, cir, In the ordinary affairs of life word
OF such doubtful import might be allowable;
but, sirS, when the price may be my country
not only mine but your cOuntry-nOt only yours
and mine, but the country ofahe poor and down.
trodden Of the earth, who look to this country
Of Ours as their city of refuge, my feelings for
myself-my feelings for you--my feelings for
the poor and down-trodden of the old world,
who for long years have been slowing away a
Dittance TO enable them, with their wives and
little once, to fee to this "home of the free,"
and this asylum of the oppressed-it cannot be
allowed.
Could these objections be surmOunted, there
is still another-the obligation we owe to our
fathers who have transmitted to us this heir
loOm-this inheritance which 10 richer and far
more precious In the eyes of the truly apprecia-
tive recipient in direct proportion as he ia re-
moved by the lapse of time from the munifcont
beneiactOrs who gave him this Constitution,
not for himself alone, but in trust for those
who might follow after him. Can we, will we,
then, thus pusillanimously surrender our birth.
right; 10 the obligation to our fathers of revou
tionary memory thus discharged; is the debt We
owe to posterity and the doWn-trodden poor of
the earth thus paid7 Ye who can answer in
the affirmative may thus answer. | for one
have not so far forgotten what ia due to my
self-to you-to my fellOws-to my forefathers
and TO my God, 70 thus answer.
am aware, Mr.. President, that this discus
eion has already assumed wide range, aud
shall not attempt to increase its latitude; but
shall endesvor, so far as within me lieth, to
confne my argument to statement OF facts
facts with which oil shOnld be familiar if they
are not slready-and by simple unvarnished
statement OF facts as they really exist, and as
the impartial historian will write them down,
l expect to repel the foul and malicious slan
ders and impusstions that have been cast upon
the Democratic party during this two days dis.
cusaion. And when am done with these facts
for the Democratic party needs no elaborate and
HDa l0ni in "a AnRo Ill
few facts and little bit OF faithful history to
recite and apply on the other side of the ques-
ton, and from which challenge the majority
party on this floor to extricate themselves.
Now how did the Democratic party stand at
the commencement of this war-st tho break
Ing out of this foul and unholy rebellion--a
rebellion nstigated by fanatics and traitors
whose misdeeds are so black and damning that
my knowledge of the English language does
not furnish me with epithets sufficiently oppro.
brious2
Had We not just emerged from heated pres.
idential canvass, 10 which the Democratic par.
ty had suffered sore defeat7 Do you think,
sir, that these fSal traitors in the South who
committed the lrst overt act of rebellion ex-
pected the entire Democratic party of the North
20 side with them in their hellish purpose?
need not have asked the question, know you
think 80. You not only think this is true, but
you have studied human nature and human sc-
tions to but little purpose, it you do not know
ID to be true.
But in this instance these disoyal and trait
orous men reokoned without their host. The
Democratic party having always eschewed the
various fanHtical iSmg of the times, said to
them, these men have come into power with
out our consent, and against our expressed wish-
es and desire; but they have been elected &C.
cording to the forms of the law under the Con.
stitution of our common country, and accord
ing to the forms of law under that sacred in.
strument, must they be removed-by impeach.
ment of they too fagrantly violate its provis.
ions, otherwise through that unobtrusive but
effectual method, the ballot-box.
Such, sirs, was the action Of the Democratic
party at the commencement Of these iroublous
times, and under this declaration and open avow-
al of sentiments, they rallied around the stand
ard OF our common country by thousands and
/ tens Of Thousands. 1t will not do, Mr.. Presi-
dent, to tell me that the great Democratic par.
ty 10 disloysl to the Constitution Of my country
Had 1t proved 80 In the hour of our country's
need---as the traitors in the South expected,
and az the tooTse than traitors of the North hoped
what, ask, would have been our condition to-
day2 Does not every man, who has been sup
piled by nature with even q m0dicum of COM
mon sense, know that the rebels In the South
would have succeeded long since in establish
ing Southern Confederacy, and that this fact
voutd ha "a hpan an graft fvinp IN tha frGifor fo