The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-07-24

sohCE OF THE GREAT OHIO MAN
TYR To HIS PEOPLE,
NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA WEsr)
July l6, 1863

Arrested and confined for three weeks
IN the United 5 ates, prisoner of State:
banlshed thence to the Confederate States
and there held ~ an alien enemy and
prisoner OF war, though on parole, fairly
and hoDorably dealt with, and given leave
to depart, an act possible only by running
the blockade at the hazard of being cred
upon by ships flying the flag Of nv own
country, 1 found my self first a free man
when standing on British soil. And to.
day under protection Of the British fae.
| am here to enjoy and 10 part to exercise
the privileges and rights which usurpers
insolentiy deny me at home The shallow
eontrivAnoe Of the weak dsspots at Wash.
ington, and their advisers, has been de-
ieated. Nay. it has been turned against
them; and |, who for two years was ma
llgned as 10 secret league with the Confed.
crates, having refused when in their
uidst, onder circumstances the most "a
vorabIe, ,eithsr to identify myself with their
cause or even so much as to remain. pre-
ierring rather exile in foreign land, re.
turn now with allegiance 10 my own State
and government, unbroken in word, tbo't
or deed, aud with every declara tion and
pledge TO you while at home, and before |
Wa sse'et s'Fstt, htaae good IN spirit and
to the very letter
DIX weeks ago, when Just going into
banlshment because an audacious but most
cowsrdiy despotism caused it, | addressed
you as fellow citizen. To-day. and
from the very place then selected by me,
bat after wearisome and most periious
JourneyiDgs for more than four thousand
miles by land and upon the sea still an
exile though almost in sight of my native
state. greet you as your representative.
Grateful certainly l am, for the confidence
10 my integrity and patriotism, implied
by the unanimous nomination as candi.
date for governor of Ohio, which you
gave me while was yet in the Confeder-
ate States. 1t was not misplaced; il shall
never be abused. But this is the last
consideration IN times like these. / ask
no personal sympathy for the personal
wrong. No: 1t is the cause Of constitu-
t'onsi liberty and private right cruelty
outraged beyond example in a free coun-
try, by the President and his servants,
which gives public signifcancy to the 40
ton OF our convention. Yours was, in
deed, an act Of justice to citizen who for
bis devotion to the right Of the States and
the Liberties of the people, had beeu mark
ed for destruction by the hand Of arbitra-
ry power. But it was much more IL
was an example of courage worthy of the
heroic ages of the world (snd it was a
spectacle and a rebuks to the usayping ty-
rants rho hariag broken up Me Uaion)
would now strike down the constitution,
subvert your present government ut and es.
tablish formal, and proclaimed despot.
ism in its stead. You are the RKsToR ERs
ANn DxFxsnERs OF CONSTITUTIONAL Lib.
ERrY, and by that title history will salute
you.
congratulate you upon your nomipa-
| tions. Those whom you have placed mp
on the ticket with me, are gentlemen of
character, ability, integrity and tried f.
| deity to the Union, and to liberty Their
moral and political courage--a quality al
ways rare, and now the most valuable of
virtues-is beyond question. Every way,
all these were nominations fit to be made.
And even jealousy, | am sure, will now
be hushed, il especially rejoice with you
in the nomination of Mr.. Pugh as your
candidate for lieutenant governor and pres
ident of the senate. A scholar and gem
tieman, soldier in foreign war, and al
ways patriot; eminent as lawyer, and
| distinguished as an orator aud states
man, hail his acceptance as an omen Of
tue better and more virtuous days of the
republic.
endorse your noble plaiform--elegant
10 style; admirable in sentiment. You
present the true issue, and commit your
self to the great mission just now Of the
Democratic par.y-to restore and make
sure FIRST the rights and liberties declar-
ed yours by your constitution. It's vain
to invite the States and people of the
South to return to Unien without con.
stitutlon, and dishonored and polluted by
repeated and most aggravated exactions
Of tyrannic power. 1t is base in your
selves, and reasonable to your posterity,
10 surrender these liberties and rights to
the creatures whom your own breath Gre
ated and can destroy. Shall there be free
speech, free press peaceable assemblages
of the people and free ballot any longer
10 Ohio? Shall the people hereafter, as
hitherto, have the right to discuss and
condemn The principles and policy of the
psrty-the ministry-the men who. fol
the time, conduct the government--to de.
mand Of eirpublio servants reckoning
of their stewardship. and to place other
men and another party in power at their
supreme will and pleasure !? Shall orde,
Thirty Eight or the constitution be the
supreme law of the landy And shall the
citizen any more be arrested by IN armed
soldiery at midnight, dragged from wife
and child and home, to military prison
thence to mock military trial thence
condemned and then banished as a felor
tor the exercise of his rights This j,
the issue; and nobly have you met it,
II is the very question of free, popular
government itself 1t is the whole ques
I tion; upon the one eide, liberty; on the
L l.