Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-08-02
John sherman on National Existence
4 p and Civil Liberty. '~

Hon. JOHN SHERMAN, u. s Senator from
Ohio, began speech Of Delaware the other
day (See Journal Of ,his city Of July 3O) by
saying: ii7 e,
The political campaign in Ohio this season presents
some singular features. We In the midst OF great
civil war; In which 1t IL rafe to bay one million OF men
arTayed In arms against each otner' TneIe are
haps now from Ohio one hundred thousand Of her best
ana bravest citizens IN the ed In hospitals or camps
sharing the burdens Of war The immediate stake In
voved 10 nothing less than National existence while the
ultimate stake involves nothing less than OWL Liberty
FOR generations yet to come.
g The Immediate Atake involved In this ire.
mendous civil war. says Mr.. SHERMAN, 10 our
''National existence. Our "NssiOnal exist
ence' If ithsve any meaning which true Amer.
lean citizens can understand and appreciate,
means our National Union-the Union Ct States,
bothcfre and slave. II 10 that Union under
one National Constitution that constitutes the
United States nation, and gives them Ma
tional existence" They have no other exist
ence as nation, and to talk Of any other is
sheer nonsense. r, 7e,
According to Mr.. SHERMAas statement, We
have now In the field at least five hundred thou
sand Of our cisizens-one hundred thousand Of
whom are from Ohio-who are now periling life
snd ali they hold dear in this world for the sake
Of preserving this " National existence "--this
Union Of free aud slave States. II our brave
men ere not fighting for this, they ere not fight
ing for our National existence" for that ex-
istence bad It's origin and has its life, In that
Union and In that alone. II our soldiers are
not fighting for this, they have been decsived--
the people have been duped, and We are en-
gagged In war we know not for what, except It
be 70 psrpetuate the supremacy and despoiism
Of the present dominant political party. v
But Mr.. SHERMAN, noswithstanding oil this,
is acting with and supporting party whose
leaders and whose policy stand directly opposed
to our |. National existence" BY aiming deadly
blows at the Union of these States He recon-
mends to the people Of Ohio JoHr BRoUeH for
Governor--a man who has publicly proclaimed
not once only, but often, that this war mus. not
end nor peace be made with restored Union Of
free and slave Ststes. Mr.. BasuoH is, thers-
fore, dead set against our National existence 90
originating 10, and deriving iss life from the
National Constitution. No man who has any
love for our " Nationality" which we cannot
have without unAinching devotion to, and q soul
inspiring reverence for the Union ss II exists
under the Constitution, can support or counte-
nance JoHH BRoueH in bis warfare upon both.
Me-. saERnAN Gays the ultimate stake involved
in this contest is "Civil Liberty" for genera
tons to come. What does the honorable SEN
ator mesn by saying that "Civil Liberty" Is Tho
ultimate, the last or final stake involved7 Does
he mean TO say thst the question Of civil liberty
OF the white man must be postponed ill oil
other questions, including that Of freedom Of
negro eIaves, are setsled2 II was TO secure the
blessinga OF liberty to themselves and their pos
terity that our fathers ordained and established
the Constitutional the United sla.es OF America
1t is for thisg great obect--this security ef lib.
erty--of the indefeaaible rights Of every citizen
high and Low, rich and poor, that our aoldiera
have gone into the field, and our people have
submitted to the heavy burdens Of the war,
iIt 10 the immediate issue involved, because
without it We have no National existence, no
Consultation, no Union. This issue the peupIs
WI NOT consspi to posspons-it must be settled
nowalt Is 40 VI .A-.lAgh slsiI aI *.