Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-08-06
MILLERsBURG, OHIO THURSDAY MORNING. AUGUST g. 1863

gether again under the old Constitution,
with the old flag. TApplause. / will
not believe that this experiment Of mans
capacity for self-government, which was
so successfully illustrated until all the
revolutionary men had passed to their
reward, is to prove a humilating failure.
Whatever others may do, we will never
abandon the hope that the Union is to be
restored. Applause. Whatever 9TH
ors may do, we will cling to it "as the
mariner clings to the last plank when
night and the tempest close around him."
No matter what may have been done
North or South to produce it, this terri
bic ordeal of blood which has been visit
ell upon us, ought to be sufficient to bring
us all back to consciousness of responsi.
bilities and duties. The emotions of all
good men are those Of sorrow and shame
and sadness now over the condition of
their country, when they retire at night,
and when they open their eyes upon the
dawning day, struggle against them
though they may. Why should they at.
tempt to disguise it2 Solictudo which
hinges upon apprehension of personal
danger or personal loss, and that alone,
is contemptible
Trining men may indulge in triAing
word and thought, while the foundations
laid by the Fathers are crumblng be-
meath their feet; but the artfcers who
laid those foundations found no time for
triAing while engaged in their grand and
serious work; nor can you. They could
lift up their souls in prayer; but they had
no heart for levity and mirth. My
friends, you have had, most of you have
had, great sorrows, overwhelming per-
sonal sorrows it may be; but nole like
these, which come yelling up, day by
day, from the great fountain of national
disaster, red with the best and bravest
blood Of the country, North and South,
red with the blood of those in both sec
tions of the Union, whose fathers fought
the common battle of Independence. Nor
have these sorl ows brought with them
any compensation, whether Of national
pride or of victorious arms. For it is
not vain to appeal to you to raise shout
of Joy because tho men from the land OF
asbington, Marion and Sumpter, are
barring their breasts to the steel of the
men from the land of Warren, Stark
and Stockton; or because, il this war is
to continue to be waged, one or the other
must 90 to the wall must be consigned
to humiiating subjugetion This fear
full, frutless, fatal, civil war has exhibit
ed our amazing resources and vast mill.
tary power. 1t has shown that united
even in carrying out, in its widest inter
probation the Monroe doctrine, on this
Continent, We could with such protection
as the broad ocean which flows between
ourselves and European powers affords,
have stood against the world in arms
! speak of the war as truitless for it is
clear that prosecuted upon the basis of
the proclamations of Sept. % and Sept
! 9th, 1862, prosecuted as | must under.
, stand those proclamations, to say aoth.
= ing Of the kindred brood which has fol.
3 lowed, upon the theory of emancipation
devastation, subjugation, it cannot iai
G to be lruitless in everything except the
} harvest of woo which it is rpening fol
i what was once the peerless Republic -
Q Applause Now, fellow citizens, after
| having said thus much, it is right tha
S YOU should ask me, what would you dc
0 in this fearful extremity? Ireply, from
t the begi4ning of this struggle to the pres
. ent moment, my hope has been in mora
5 power. There it reposes still. Whei
? in the spring of 1861, had occasion tC
;, address my fellow citizens, of this city
= from the balcony OF the hotel before us,
+. then said | had not believed, and did no
r then believe, aggression by arms wa
o either a suitable or possible remedy 70
o existing evils All that has occurre,
4 since then has but strengthened ard con
e Grmcd my convictions in this regard.
$ repeat then, my Judgment impcls me t.
! rely upon moral force, and not upon an,
l. Of the coercivo instrumentalities of mill
h tary power. We have seen in the expe
i iience Of the last two years how futil
\ are all our efforts to maintain the Uniol
: by the force of arms but even bad wa
d been carried on by us successfully, tn
Q ruinous result would exhibit its utter i'm
Q practicabiljty for the attainment of h
= desired end. Through peaceful agencies
n and through such agencies alone, can w
t hope "to form more perfect Union, es
: tablish justice. insure domestic tranquil
+, ity. provide for the common defense, pro
, mote the general welfare and secure tn
g blessings Of liberty to ourselves and t
Q our posterity," the great objects io
1t which, and FOR which alone, the Consti
II tuition was formed. If you turn aroun
c. and ask me, what if these agencies fail
t. what if the passionate anger of both See
20 tions folbids; what il the ballot-box
st sealed? Then, all efforts, whether Of wa
'e or peace having failed, my reply is, yo
l, viii take care of yourselves; with {
l. without arms, with or without Leaders
= we WILL at least, in the effort to delen
N our rights as a free people, build up
l. great mausoleum of hearts to which me
RS who yearn for liberty will in after years
" with bowed heads reverehtly, resor
IS as Christian Pilgrims to the sacre
I, shrines of the Holy Land.
~
20 They have what the papers call a
N T.