The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-03-25
ee Il a fss SPEECH OF
HON. j. ID. O.CONNOR
OF MONROE,

=
5 a16 W OF MONROE, a
IN the Ohio Senate, February %, 1863, on
the proposed amendment to strike out the
aoord /" laudable IN the Welsh Resolu-
tsons, and insert the soords "constitu-
tiondl." ae
DIR. O'Connor said:
Mr. PRESIDENT: I had supposed that
when the amendment of my friend from
Ashland was proposed to the resolution
under consideration, that it would have
been accepted, or at least adopted by an
almost unanimous vote Of the Senate. But
sir, in place of this fond hope being real-
lied, we have found the members of this
honorable body launched upon the open
sea of partisan discussion. A discussion
not sought by the minority upon this floor,
bat a discussion precipitated upon us be-
cause we desire to change the single word
"laudable, I" which is of doubtful import,
and may mean anything or everything, to
suit the whim or caprice of parties, for
the word /" constitutional, which is defn-
lite in its import, and cannot be perverted
to suit the whim or caprice Of any mere
partisan or designing demagogue.
1 had hoped, Mr.. President, to never
see the day when any man or set of men,
claiming to be loyal to our common coun-
try, and who laid claim to that other and
nobler title, the name of good citizen,
would object to pledging all of !" his phys
ical and moral force to the Administration
in it's constitutional efforts to put down
the present wicked and unholy rebellion,
against the most benefcent government
that has ever, under the providence ofGod,
been ordained upon earth. But in this it
appears that have been vastly mistaken,
and that we have men even here, upon the
floor of the Senate Chamber of the State
of Ohio, who are not willing to pledge
themselves to the support of the Admin
istration in its constitutional efforts to
put down the rebellion-but are only will
ling to render this supportt to an admins
tration of their own choosing in its "laud
able efforts to conquer rebeldom.
Does not the merest school boy know,
that the word alaudable" means praise
worthy, iconimendable, and that these all
being of such doubtful import that they
are applied to subjects AMI things in a
very. d fferent man. er by different parties;
and that the import OF a word OF doubtful!
Esiynifeation like this Yo-d .lau a ! -
is always subject to the mer Jim or a
price Of the party using it; that there Is
no fixed standard by which its important,
can be regulated? M
Now, sir, in the ordinary affairs of life
a word of such doubtful import might be
allowable: but, sirs, when the price may
be my country-not only mine but your
lcountry-not only yours and mine, but
the country of the poor and down -trodden
Of the earth, who look to this country OF
ours AS their city of refuge, my feelings
formyself- f-my feelings for you-my feel
ings for the poor and down-trodden Of the
old world, who for long years have been
slowing away a pittance to enable them
with their wives and little ones, to flee to
this g home of the free," and this asylum
of tbeoppressed-it cannot be allowed.
Could these objections be surmounted
there is still another-the obligation VIC
owe to our fathers who have transmitted
to us this heir-leom-this inheritance
(which il richer and far more precious ii
the eyes of the truly appreciative recip
lent in direct proportion as he is removed
lby the lapse of time from the munificen
Ibenefactors who gave him this Coustitu
ton, not for himself alone, but in trus
/ Tor those who might follow after him
4 Can we. will we, then, thus pusillanimousl.
sell our hirih-right; is the obligation to ou
fathers of revolutionary memory thus dis
charged; is the debt We owe to posterit.
s and the down-trodden poor of the cart
sI thus paid? Ye who can answer in tn
4 affirmative may thus, answer. i for on
i have not SO far forgotten what is due t
s myself you--to. my fellows-to IN
:: forefathers and to my God, to thus answel
IN Z am aware, Mr.. President, that thi
4 discussion has already assumed a wild
range, and I shall not attempt to increas
Tits latitude; but shall endeavor, SO far 9
twithin me ieth, to con6ne my argumel
Ito a statement of facts-facts with whic
}. all should be familiar if they are not a
Eready by simple unvarnished stat
6[ment of facts as they really exist, and ;
THE impartial historian will write the
ldown, 1 expect to repel the foul and M
s. iicious ISLANDERS and imputations that ha'
r. bDcen cast upon the DetnoCidoic PaiG w
ing this two days discussion. And whs
Il T am done with these facts-for the Dem
: cratic party needs no elaborate and fl
i spun logic in Its defense-I shall have
4 few facts and little bit of faithful hist
|ry to recite and apply on the other Sit
Of the question, and from which | cha
), lenge the majority party on this floor
:. II i.axtricate themselves. ful gssl
q Now howdid the Democratic party sta
IS Eat the commencement of this war lat t
"a breaking out of this foul and unholy {,
= bellion.-a rebellion instigated by fanat
u land traitors whose misdeeds are so bla
ad and damning that my knowledge of I
y English language does not furnish nae w
Y, spithets sufficiently opprobrious2 80
o. - Had we not just emerged from a heat
presidential canvass, in which the Den
-Ieratic party had suffered sore defei
"a DO you think, sir, that these foul trait
Al lin the South who committed the first or
~ act of rebellion expected the entire Den
cratic party of the North to side. W
them in their hellish purpose? / nj
Il tnot have asked the question I know \