The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-06-17
nder what Form of Government
- do We Live?

The American citiz en- was once justly proud
to answer that question; to-day, if be still
owns a freeman's aspirations, he answers il
with sorraHL and-huaiiistien-Ft-D u-mis.
cheyous delusion that tho stricken genius Of
republication will recuperate as the skies
brighten and the clouds disperse the neck
that has once consented to the yoke, can be
brought to it again.
If two years of civil strife can clothe an
executive with absolute power, centu ries of
peace can not erase the memory, the shame
and the precedent from the annals of the peo-
pie. A right once relinquished, even if again
resumed, is held by an uncertain tenure, and
will not be maintained with that inhexible
spirit that reEders it proof against the assaults
of a daring and INSCRIPTIONS ambition. We
willnot give the painful record of what rights
have been relinquished let each citizen, for
himself, look back upon the fair proportions
of his heritage as he received it from his faith
ers, and then realize his loss in contemplating
he worthless fragments that are left to him..
Political commissions approximate the ex
tremcs OF Government, and sometimes the
.feeblest cause will effect the greatest transfer
nation. Lucretia's corpse bridged the brief
interval between monarchical and republican
Rome. The scholarship and genius of Mace
donfan Phillip swept away the sovereignties
of the, Grecian states. The first Napoleon
dazzled the republic of France into subsection
with the brilliancy of his military ~triumphs,
and his intriguing nephew, by the prestige of
a name, passed from obscurity to the Presiden-
tial chair, from the Presidential chair to an
Imperial throne. The republic of the United
States, which three years ago was the pride Of
the American, and the admiration of the world,
is ow-we dread to realize the truth.
What is a despotic form of government p
That which is 'absolute in power, independ-
,ept of control from men, constitution, or laws;
arbitrary in the exercise of power" This is
the definition of a despotic government, as ex-
planned by Noah " ebster. Does the law or
The Constitution sanction the arrest of a citi.
gen, on the violation of an ehEcial, without ju-
diciaI preeess25 Is there d citizen who, at
this day, can-trust tie law and the. Constitu-
ton to protect him from such an exercise of
arbitrary power7 Is not he whose will points
out the victim, and the time and manner of
his arrest, and the place of his confinement,
and the method of his trial, essentially a des-
pot 2 Are we not, according to the meaning
Of words and the existence of facts, living un-
der q despotic government
We. ertreat cur fellow citizens to ponder
upon these things, with the th~oughtfulness of
men who have inherited an. inestimable treas
ure, which they alone can guard from the
spoilers hand. To redeem that treasure, if
now, by tame acquiesccnce, they permit ii,
jewel by jewel, to pass from their safe keep.
ing, will cost.them hereafter as precious hlocd
as is now being wasted in insane contention.
Meet the intruder now, at the Threshold of
your violated temples. Snatch from his pol.
luting grasp the sacred gifts of your fathers,
and regain the magnificent estate that was be-.
queathed to you nntainted with The atmos
phcre of tyranny Do It, by the fearless ex-
preston of your sovereign will-that which
none except Gods, is higher; and which
alone has the privilege to control your desti-
mics. DO il, by exercise Of your unlimited
right of free discussion by appeal to the pro-
lection of the law; by the free voice of. the
ballot-box; by whatever means the exigency
demands and tie occasion sancti6es; but do
it-Ne,o York Neics. (