The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-08-12

1NdooAa ~ AmOTICa navy We DioCth, q
Botany Bay Banishmentl What sad mem
cries of atrocious despotism the world recalls !!
We again behold the pure and infexible citi-
zen of Greece, the just and upright citizen of
Rome, going forth to exile, Tor braying the
furious license of arbitrary power. The mel
ancholy LESSONS of history are busily repeating
themselves in our midst. The old principles
of good and evil are contending as they have
ever contended, with various success. To-day,
the lovely features of virtue are married and
defaced by some foul and revolving Caliban of
malignant mischief. Tomorrow, she triumphs
with a brow as radiant and unsullied as the
jocund beams of the morning. To-day, a law
abiding, earnest and distinguished citizen floats
away into banishmert on an iron-clad vessel,
surrounded by bayonets, for making a defense
OF the acknowledged letter and spirit of tho
Constitution. Tomorrow he will return,
strengthened by the ordeal like tie giant af-
ter his slumbers, bringing a new vitality and
force to the cause for which he has suffered.
" Zen of Revolutionary ancestors J The great
and solemn question of the hour is whether
the Constitution and the laws are yet supreme
in this land. Shall the mind OF one man con-
~stitute your Government? To what do you
owe allegiance ? Shall Roman Decemvirs
hang the written laws of your country out of
your sight, and then punish you for offending
against the hidden purposes of their own minds?
| II mnat " VI l. II Qdi uFSo q We
been driven by the warning elements ? Where
is the North star Where arc the compass
and the needle ]? rs tt
"DisPel this cloud, the light of Heaven restore,
Give me to sEE,-and Ajax asks no MORE"
Yes, give US to see the light of the Consti-
tuition still unobsoured, and we will be content
to abide the tardy steps of time for the allevi-
alton of all other wrongs. But shall all ODE
dience be required of the people and none of
their public servants Is not obedience in a
free Government a mutual duty? Shall dis
examinations be made between American citi-
zens in the enjoyment of rights and the sup
port of burdens ? What burden has the Dem
ocratic Party failed to assume in support of the
Government, and ofwhat right has its plem-
bers not been deprived by the express order
or silent consent of this Administration ? In
the words of John Jay, "Reason looks with
Indignation on such distinctions, and freemen
can never perceive their propriety."
All kail the Constitution The trial has
been made to administer this Government in
dependent Of its aid, by a higher law. The
failure is complete. The world will take no.
tice of this fact, add think the better of the
American Constitution. The American citizen
/ everywhere, and of all parties, will engrave
the great lesson on his heart, and fee in every
hour of peril hereafter to- the shelter of the
Constitution as the house of his refuge. The
woship of the golden. calf in the wilderness,
and the calamnities which attended the sacri-
lege, gave the ark of the living God a firmer
hold on the confidence and affections Of Israel.
Let the results of disobedience to the Consti-
tuition which we now behold, teach us a SINH
lar lesson. To this disobedience may be traced
the HIlliad Of all our woes" The Constitu-
tionsis st~rength-it is wisdom. 1t is love of
country. 1t is liberty. tits Union. All this
it has been in time past, and all this it will be
again in the future to those who embrace and
obey. it. is.f b Es 80
H. Thus far 1 have spoken of those important
and overshadowing incidents of this war which
have befallen the people of the loyal States;
a~ssailipg US like plague and famine shaken
from the wings of some baleful.comet- sweep
-ing-nKer the
from a full consideration of the actual issue
involved in the prosecution of the war itself
against the seeded States. If Englishmen
in the Parliament of England, in the days of
King George, could denounce a war waged os-
tensibly to restore and preserve the Union of
the British Empire, but in reality tending to,
and resulting in its dissolution, the citizens oil
New Hampshire may reasonably claim SINH
lar rights. IF one portion of our own coun-
trymen can discuss their plans for the future
condition of a common county, shall new
er be able to understand why we should be
silent. Common sacrifices and. a common DIES!
tiny beget common privileges. If Wendell
Phillips shall rave, shall notthe sane men of
New England reason /? IF a committee on the
conduct of the war shall bring disaster upon
a great and noble armysand ruin. the country
in order to blacken the fame and prcsti ate. the
usefulness of the brilliant and able McClell-
an, who shall hinder us from speaking freely
our minds in this committee of the whole PEG
pie on the subject of the war itself / spurn
and defy every assumption, military order, or
civil mandate, which is aimed at this right.
My countrymen, l am content that calm
and impartial history shall determine. the
claims to wisdom and craftsmanship between
those who advocated a resort to arms as a
means of national union and those who b.
lieyed and still believe that war is disunion.-
Our form of government was not constructed
with a view to such a plan of preservation
Of this fact the evidence is ample, in the re-
corded proceedings and teachings of those
who framed it. 1 might enter into this broad
field and gather an ample harvest of historical
facts, l shall, however, on this occasion, con-
tent myself with the support of a single name.
Nor will l be accused of selecting from the
disciples of the school of States rights. An
cient Federalism, the doctrine of a powerful,
centralized government, the absorption by the
general government of many of the most
cherished rights of the States, had for. its
founder and chiefest glory the gigantic intel.
leet of Alexander Hamilton. Will the spirit
of New England Federalism listen to his
great voice to-day 2 Hear it GIT has been.
we'll observed that to coerce the States is one
of the maddest projects that was ever devised.
A failure of compliance will never be con-
fined to a single State. This being the case,
can we suppose it is wise to hazard a civil
war? Suppose Massachusetts, or any large
State, should refuse, and Congress should at
tempt to compel them, would they not have
influence to procure assistance, especially from
those States who are ID the same situation as
themselves What picture does this idea
present to our view Ia complying State !;
Congress marching the troops of one State in
to: the bosom of another; this State collecting
auxillaries, and gaining perhaps a majority
Hagainstfits federal head. Here is a. nation at
war with ITSELF Can anv reasonable man no