Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-06-23
QD'|5ilo StatesrlllrIa{lr, II d
as - - PRINTED AID poBLIsHED BY5a5d
The Ohio Statesman Company.
THURsDAY MORNING, - JUNE %.
COX ON ASHLEY.

COX ON ASHLEY.
The Ohio SecessiOnists Ventilated
The Cleveland Convention of 1850
Secession Resolutions Adopted b,
Abolition Conventions. Cox takes tn,
Hide off of Ashley.
| Mr.. Cox has taken a leading part In tn,
discussion in Congress upon the bill to re-
| peal the Fugitive Slave Law. His argu
ments are able and conclusive, and the
blows which he bestows upon his opponent,
In debate are absolutely crushing. Here Il
a specimen of Cox on ASHLEY, clipped from
The Congressional Globe of June IL, thai
speaks for itself. Cox had been showing
up the Republican party for passing Seces.
sion Resolutions, and for trying to array the
State Governments against the Federal
Government, when ASHLEY put himself
forward and was disposed of as follows:
Mr.. ASHLEY. l want to ask my col
league at what time the party of which
am member ever passed such resolutions!
Mr.. cox. Such resolutions were adopt
ed in May, 1859, in Ohio, after the rescue
case in Cleveland; and the gentleman him
self Is put down as one of the committee
on resolutions on that occasion. have here
The Ohio State Journal of May 26, 1859, in
which my colleague figures as one of the
leading men in that great secession-ab-
olition movement in Ohio. | will do him
the justice to say that for years afterwards,
when tOld for the first time as it seemed,
that his name was recorded as one of the
members of that convention, the gentle
mans memory had at once all the waters of
oblivion rolled over it, and he had forgotten
all about the interest he took in that meet
ing.
Mr.. ASHLEY. win my colleague yield
to me for moment?
Mr. cox. With great pleasure.
Mr.. ASHLEY. / want to say that the
party to which l am attached, never, in
State Convention In Ohio, passed such a
resolution; that never was present in any
convention when such resolution was
passed; and that never subscribed to that
doctrine.
Mr.. cox. l did not say 1t was q State
Convention. But now say that at a State
Convention of the Republican party on the
18th of July, 1S55--the first Republican
Convention in Ohio-this resolution was
passed: a.rI .t
"That the people, who constitute the Supreme
power the United States should guard with jealous
care the rights Of the several States iaeendent
governments. No incroachments upon their ie0is-
latiue judicial prerogatiUes should be permitted
from any quarter"
This was done at the nomination of Mr..
Chase for Governor. who on accepting It
said that ''the independence and sovereign
ty of the State in her legislature and judici-
ary must be asserted and maintoined.h The
gentleman supported the resolution and
nominee. The object of the party then was
to get up controversy with the Federal
authority and break it down by State ac-
ton. ,
But the convention to which / had par
ticular reference was great gathering at
Cleveland; as the report says, "the influx of
all the surrounding country" About ten
thousand men came in with banners, sing
ing revolutionary roundelays; and this great
mob of persons was addressed by Governor
Dennison in letter, and by Governor Chase
in person. My colleague Mr.. Spalding]
presided and made speech-the only sem
sible speech of the grand occasion. always
supposed that my colleague was also there
In person.. ..t r
Mr.. ASHLEY. No, sir. --
Mr.. Cox. Then my colleague never disa-
vowed it until this moment. '-
MTs AO1lIEl. WAS HcNeT Cdlleu upon
to disavow it.
Mr.COX.' 1t was published all over Ohio
at the time. The gentleman has received
the political benefits of his cooperation
with that movement of the "sons of liber-
ty;" and it is too late now to disavow it af-
ter it has been heralded for months and
years as one of the great signs of anti
slavery advancement. l pass by the frothy
defamation OF the speakers, melting revo-
luton, to quote for my colleague the "de, =
laration" which was adopted with great
enthusiasm: ot. +1
This assembly Of the people Of Ohio, holding
That, next to our duty to the Supreme Being, is
the obligation 70 preserve our free institutions and
That the greatest tyrants have been those whose
titles have been least questionel;
" That every violation of tho Constitution should |
be watched with jealousy and resented with spirit
That the history OF every free people has shown |
the impossibity of a cordial compliance with laws
which neither emb0dy nor execute the public will |
" That the enforcement of such laws, against an |
unwilling people, is productive only Of evils threat
ening public order and the stability OF governmental
The enforcement Of law against an sun
willing pcoplel" Why, the sentiment is |
the very boldness and badness OF secession,
the parent of civil strife, the source OF all |
our woes. Holding thus, that meeting pro-
ceeded to declare:
"That the several States composing the United |
States of America are not united on the principle of
unlimited submission to their General Government.
but that by compact, under the style and title Of
Constitution for the United States, and Of amend
ments thereto, they constituted General Govern-
%ent fOT certain ain definite powers essEys saSh
own selfsgovernment; and that whensoever the Cen
eral Government assumes undelegated powers, its \
being void, can derive no validity from mere Judi
rial interpretation that to this compact each Sate