The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-09-02
Proclamation by the Coz ornor.
Executive DEPARrHgSr nP ONO,
CoLUMBUs, August %, l6e4.


for five hundred thousand men. q draft u
ordered to take place on the 5.h day Of
September next. for any deRcit that NAV
then exist in the quota Of troops sssie ned
to the State OF Ohio. This draft is fixed
by the provisions of the act of Congress,
and must follow in fifty days after the dato
OF tho call Of the President. Present indi.
cations are that portion Of the quota Of
this State will be deficient, epd that, In at
least come districts, draft must take place
to cover tncb deficiencies. This need not
aud should not be tho case. Tho exer,iou
that has boon made to discourage aud pre-.
vent enlistments. IL otherwise directed,
ties. or loft the deficiency very light.
However unwilling TO believe that any
cousidor portion of the people of this
State would array themselves in a factious,
II not reasonable. opposition to the cxecu
ton of the laws Of tho land. there are indi-
cations OF such q spirit in the State which,
as Chief Magistrate, ! may not disregard -
In appealing to the people to discard tho
counsel Of tho wicked and unprncipled
leaders that invite them to isctious and for
chile resistance to tho draft or any other re-
quiremont OF tho Government, / am actu-
ticable, tho peaco Of the State, and the vel
fare OF tho eIring portion Of the people, and
not from any apprehcnsions Of either the
determination or ability OF the Govordnept
10 maintain the supremacy Of i,s laws.
The man who supposes that either tho
National or State Government is unad
/ vised OF, or unprepared for, the threatened
emorgency,@ following the deception OF bis
! Ia, Inrc tn he ~ al a
rious character. Lot me advise you who
couDtcnance this iDsurrcction, to look caro-
fully at the civil and military penalties you
proved July 3lst. 1861. ITO DEFINE AND
PUNISH CERTAIN coNsPIRACIes," is as follows:
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives Of the United States OF
America. 10 Congress assembled. That. If
two or more persons within any State or
| Territory o! the United States shall con.
| epiro together to overthrow. or TO put do wn
or TO destroy by force the Government Of
tho United S,aiee; or to levy war against
tho United States; or to oppose by force
tho authority of the Government of the
| United Statos; or by force to prevent,
hirdor or delay the execution of any
law of the United Statos; or by force to
seize, take, or possess any property of the
! United Statcs; against the will or contrary
| to tho authority of tn. united S,ates, or by
force. or intimidation, or threat to prevent
any person from accepting or holding any
office. or trust, or place OF confidence, under
the United Statoo; zach and every person
So offending shall be guilty of high crime,
| and, upon conviction thereof ia any dis
trict or circuit cour. OF the United States,
hcr r;p In rio Haitian Nharnnf l;str
supreme court Of any Territory Of the Unit.
ed States having Jurisdiction thereof, shall
be punished by fino of not less than FIVE
hundred dollars and not more than fvt
thousand dollars; or by imprisonment, with
or without hard labor, as the court shal,
determine for period not leas than six
months or greater than six years, or by
both such fine and imprisonment"
This is merely the punishment of fconspir.
scy. yet its penalties are not light. and
should not be thoughtlessly INCUR ed
This follows, too, Q mere combination or
agreement of men TO do on unlawful act,
and is complete without a resort to arms.
Resistance to tho law by bodies of armed
men constitutes tho OVERT ACT OF TREASON.
the punishment of which is death. These
are the civil penalties; the military results
ernment, by armed :orce,to deal with every
species Of insurrection against the enforce
uent of its legal ennctmonts.
II 10 unnecessary to argue the DUTY o
every citizen to yield obedience to laws con
stiiutionaIly enacted, 30 long as they remair
in force. II men may take up arms to re
sist laws in the policy or effect of which
they do not concur, then all government Il
at an eud, and We are resolved into anarchy
This state Of things is not TO be tolerated;
A government may as we'll perish in q bold
and vigorous effort to maintain its integrity
as to suffer an insurrecsiou to ncntralize iti
laws and defy it's power. r.
Most earnestly 10 Iappeal to the people
of the State not to engage in this torcible
resistance to the laws to which evil coun-
sellors and bad men are leading them. /.
cannot and will not succeed. It's triumph
if il achieve any, must be Of q more tempo
rary character. The Government is not
weak. 1t is strong and powerful. 1t can-
not aud it will not permit an armed insur-
rcction to iinpeach its strength or impair
it's power. while contending with the South
ern rebellion. do not say this to you in
any spirit OF intimidation or 10 any threat
ening tone speak il TO you as warning.
and with an imploring voice to hear and
heed it. know what the determination OF
your Government 10, and l fully conpre-
hend the power at hand to enforce it.
What can you. who contemplate armed
resistance, reasonably expect to gain BY
such movement: You cannot effectually
or permanently prevent the enforcement,
of tho laws. You cannot in anywise i'm.
! prove yeur own condition in the present
and must seriously injuro il in the future
Judicious and conservative men, who look
to the supremacy of Cover nment for the
protection and safety Of tn cir persons and
property, will not sympathize or Co operate
with you. You may commit crime; you
may shed blood; you may destroy property
you may spread ruin and devastation ovei
some localities of the State; you may give
aid and comfort, for season, TO the rebelt
already In arms against the country; you
NAV transfer, for a brief time, the horrori
of war from the fields OF the South to thos,
Of the State of Ohio; you may paralyI,
prosperity. and create CONSERVATION ant
alarm among our people. This is a bar,
possibility, but It is all you can hope to &C
complish; for you have looked upon To,
progress OF our present struggle to iittl,
purpose. If you have not learned the grea
recuperstive power ard the deep earnest
ness of the country 10 this contest. Th,
fiual result will not be doubtful; the disaste
to you will be complete. and the penalty wil
! ha aonaI m tha enormitv of tha crima