Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-04-16

thsu tho one have endeavored TO discuss
day.
1t is true, however, that this Admins.
tration stands condemned by the people in
every essential particular. 1t no longer
possessed the public confidence. tits wag.
ing a war which it is no longer pretended
is to restore the Union as our fathers made
it, The Constitutional rights OF the
States have been abolished by Procama-
ton, and that portion OF the slaves which
are not to be liberated by the sword are to
be paid for by direct taxation. A war
thus conducted is fraud on millions of
voters who have hitherto sustained it. It's
failure as a remedy for our national calam.
tiles is palpable aud absolute, even if war,
under any circumstances, could have
brought us restoration OF the Union
These and kindred questions were decided
in certain and distinct tones at the ballot
box in October and November; but can
do no more than give them allusion on
this occasion.
But on the question Of the integrity Of
the Constitution and the protection which
it affords to the citizen, the voice of the
people comes to our ears with sound
equally plain and clear. 1t rang ont from
the cities and plains, the mountains and
the prairies, in stern denunciation of every
infringement which this Administ alton
has made of that holy instrument, and in
favor Of the preservation of civil liberty,
whatever else might perish. 1t demanded
not only that the prison doors should roll
back and the victims Of despotsm be
yielded up to the guardianship of the law,
/ but it demanded also, in the sovereign and
imperious tone of free people that the
audacious and dangerous principle on
which arbitrary arrests have been made,
and speedy and public trials denied, shall
be at once and forever abandoned in the
most open and explicit manner. Nor, sir,
will the people give any second warning
on this subject. They intend to be obeyed.
They know themselves to be masters and
not slaves. yMe peaceful admonition Of
the ballot boz goes unheedel;; if the reson-
able and earnest romonstranco of an en-
lightcncd and patriotic people is lost on
those who seem drunken and mad with
power; If tie insane wickedneSS Which has
ruled Ills Congress and laaached the pres
em Naturalization on It's S'hemeS Of rain
cannot be reached and restrained IN its de-
Structipe career By tile poPular roice coming
mp here in all Us impressive grandeur; the
SWORD, the SW WORD, sir, must bnce more
in the annals of the world DETERMINE THE
ANCIENT ISSUE so often baptized in blood,
between the absolute power Of one man
and the INA1lENADLE, 1NDEsTRuoTrBLE
RIGHTS OF THE MASSES. | speak plainly.
Tile time for worlS aciMom meaning has
gone By. You may pass this bill to pro-
toct the Executive and his agents in the
exercise Of arbitrary power from the con-
sequences Of their own acts. You may
place them above all sponsibility. 1ou
may elevate them above the law, and say
that it shall have no claims on them for
the violations it has suffered. You may
say that the victims of their barbarous
oppression shall be dumb in their presence.
You may say that the citizen shall have
no legal redress for his wrongs. You
may sanctVy power and outlaw liberty. Sir,
NO SUCH LAW CAN BE ENFORCED. 1t will
not, for one moment, be obeyet. The
courts will obey the Constitution, and the
. ! IC'Dlc, uut tucy tiNaI ohNl law 90 VINO
as an intruder and a miscreant on the
statute book, and bid Il defiance. Sir, we
must look the reality in the face, though
we shudder at its terrible features. We
are treading on the thin crust OF fam
ing volcano. There is coming woe and
disaster in the very air around us. The
trcmor Of the approaching earthquake is
visible in the ground on which we tread
The signs Of the devastating whirlwind
are gathering in the angry sky over our
heads. Already the deep mutterings Of
its wrath can be heard in the distance,--
VIII you stand still in stubborn munity
against the raging elements Of popular in
dignation which injus ice and political de.
bauchery have aroused, and be crushed.
There is but one pathway Of escape and
safety. 1t is the pathway on which the
light of the Constitution is shining in all
it's original luster 1t is the pathway of
the fathers, in which the footprints of
Washington and the sages of that hal
lowed period are yet plainly visible. 1t is
the pathway of Justice, of truth, and OF
honor. 1t is the pathway Of constitution
al freedom, and leads to national life un-
ion and peace.
Mr.. Speaker | am done. take leave
of this subject. A greater or more i'm
portant one in every generation OF men, in
my judgement, was never submitted to
the consideration of legislative body. |
have confined myself to the discussion Of
a single issue; but the principles which
govern it are imperis erishable-instinct with
eternal life, clothed with immortality. The
proudest works of human hands decay; the
brightest models of human wisdom grow
old and give place to others; governments
are rocked to and fro by fierce revolutions,
and fall to the earth to rise again in some
new form; we all hasten on in our brief
journey. soon to take up our abode in the
silent Necropolis-the city OF the dead;
but LIBERTY, LlBERTY-that divine emana-
ton from the bosom OF God to the soul OF
Man-will survive every mutation, every
shock, every change. But if we expect 10
retain the illumination and glory OF its
presence on these shores; if we expect to
transmit to our posterity the exalted and
priceless blessing which it bestows; If we
expect to escape the roproach of being false
to the great trust which our fathers repos'
ed in our hands for present and for future
ages; if we would avoid the utter and alb