Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-07
Che Obio 3tatesnran
AN ABOLITION PARsoN sCoURGED.
[From the Chicago Post, May IL

The Fast Day--.Assault upon Douglas.
Yesterday was pretty generally observed BY
all classes Of the people in the manner advised
by the President, viz fasting, humiliation and
prayer. There were some exceptions, but they
were few. In another column will be found a
sketch Of the sermon delivered by the Rev. w
W. Patton, at his church on Green etFeet. II
will be seen he assumed that the Almighty was
displeased with the nation because of slavery
Ia the Southern States, and that, taking that
for granted, he proceeded to show that the war
being prosecuted for the removal of that sin,
must meet with divine approval and be success.
full. II will be seen also that in the course OF
his sermon, while speaking in the spirit Of
charity-the natural result of fasting, humili-
ation and prsyer-he turned to the grave OF
Douglas, and pointed to It as an unhonored re.
ceptacle of the remains of the Senator who Tor
twenty years had defended the Constitution of
his country against the assaults of madmen.-
Mr.. Douglas, while living, did implore his
countrymen in those States where slavery did
not exist to let that alone with which they had
no right to interfere. >s
When three thousand clergymen sent to the
Senate OF the United States remembrance 10
which they, "in the name of Almighty God"
pronounced maledicsioDs upon all who voted for
q pending measure, he did deny their authori.
ty to issue Divine DEGREES, and plainly told
them to attend to their own business. When
Mr.. Douglas came to Chicago in 1858, he was
greeted by his friends In q manner such as no
man had ever been greeted here before; that
greeting was the more remarkable because OF
the contrast with the violent and disgraceful
demonstration in 1854. In 1861, after this war
broke out, Mr.. Douglas was again welcomed 10
fhfo An hJ arnh N nnnnIoe
had never before, nor has IL been since, wit
messed in Chicago. IL was no ordinary greet
ing. He was greeted by q speech from dis
tinguished gentleman who had never voted for
him-Thomas B. Bryan, Ego, the recent Re.
publican candidate for Mayor. That the wei
come might be more significant of popular ad-
miration, he was escorted to the building built
by the Republicans for the Republican Nation
oil Convention, aud there in the presence of the
greatest number of persons ever assembled un-
der one roof in this city, he was again and
again rapturously cheered and applauded by a
grateful and intensely loyal people.
Mr. Douglas had not changed his political
feelings In the least He was then the came
uuyielding advocate and defender of the Con-
stitution, and OF the rights OF the people, that be
had ever been. He was no more a patriot then
because be demanded that every man who was
not traitor should uphold, support aud defend
his Government in the effort to put down the re-
bellion, than he was years before, when he iusti
fed the employment OF Federal arms TO stp.
press resistance to the Federal laws In the cit,
Of Boston. His patriotism was not thing OF
day. II was deep rooted; and treason and re-
bellion, and defiance and resistance to law
we're, in his view, just az criminal in one plac,
as in auothar, and just ae wicked on one sid,
Of Mason and Dixon's line ns On the other.
Wherever 1t existed, he was for crushing il b,
all the poRer of the Government, and for do
ing it not tenderly or gently, but in such q man
ner that the punishment, when inflicted, woud
be remembered by the guilty forever.
On that occasion he made speech, the laa
he ever made. Three days later he was striclF
en- with disease, and for thirty daye he linpered
under bis mslady, and finally found relief m
the sleep of eternity, He died at time when
more than ever his great intellect was needad
in the national councils He died at momeni
when hs voice would have controlled millions
of his countrymen, and led them TO the eld
where the red hand of rebellion was raised
against the sacred Constitution. His death
particularly at that juncture in national affairs
was national calamity. 1t may bethst ID wai
part of that chastisement sent upon the nation
for it's Gins, of which the President makes mem
ton in his proclamation; but no man Whose
heart was not filled with bitterness and fanati-
cism would have abused the devotions of dav
of Irrational fasting, humiliation and prayer, i
by declaring that his death vas part of Gods
wrath against him personally, because of bs
conduct aa statesman.
The statement of Mr. Patton that Mr.. Dou,.
las was buried without a clergyman of any de
nomination to perform the funeral service, 60
far as it implies that no clergyman of any de-
nomination would perform such service, ia uu-
true. We know Of no clergyman of any de.
nomination in this city who, ilrequested, would
have declined performing the funeral service
at the grave of Mr., Douglas, because of apy
act, writing or speech Of hia public or private
life. The reference to Mr.. Douglass burial,
therefore, unless 1t means that he had 60 fsr
lost the respect OF the clergy that not one could
be found to Otficiate at his funeral, is q mean.
ingless assertion. II 1t was intended to assert
what Mr.. Pation's words obviously imply, then
It ls untrue. But, be the meaning Of Mr.. Pat.
ton what 1t may, his entire speech touching Mr.
Douglas was q wantOn assault upon the memo
ry OF the illustrious dead, and as euch we are
sure will be pronounced by men of all parties
including respectable clergymen of all denom
nations, as unmanly, uncharitable, unWarraut
able and wholly out Of place in religious dis
course upon day Of national fasting, humilia
tlon and prayer.