Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-05-05


the American Continent While time shall l.
last the rccollcctions of this bloody strife
will never fade from the memories of the
people North and South, but will be hand
ed down to the latest generation. The words
| Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg. Murfrees-
boro, Richmond, Vicksburg and Fort Don
elson, are words of division and disunion,
and will serve to bring up emotions of eter
nal hate; If it were true, as alleged by
distinguished Senator from Ohio (Mr
Wad), in u speech in Portland in 1856. |
that he believed no two nations on the |
earth hated each other as much as the North !
and South, how much more true is the |
remark now,, after they have been arrayed
} IN such bloody contests. 1t is the object of
, the sword to cut and cleave asunder but
never to unite. What union is there be-
, tween Russia and Poland, between Austria
and Hungary, between England and Cath
, oiic ireland, where the sword and the bayo-
net Tor centuries have been employed In
stead OF comforting material strength they
, are sources Of weakness to countries that
f hold them III subsection, and which would
to-day be stronger without them than with
them
Mr.. Chairman, these lessons of history
e are full of warning and example. Much
t better would 1t have been for us in the be-
: ginning-lnuch better would it be for us
NV W ooHseHU W u ulVlSlOn OF our mag
e nltlcent empire and cultivate amicable rela-
: tions with our cstrangcd brothers, than to
V seek to hold them to us by the power of the
|, sword. Here let me advert to the common,
t yet glarlng and apparent error, that to part
h our jurisdiction over eleven States devolves
# the destruction Of our Governments The
|. statement Of the proposition demonstrates
It It's absurdlty. AS well might one say, who
l. had farm OF two hundred acres Of land,
l. that he bad lost his title to all of it, because
d by some misfortune, he had parted with
G fifty. In losing the South not one function
}, OF our Government over us is surrendered
II 1t remains over us as completely sovereign
d as it ever did. Here let me say, as the cx-
r preston of my individual belief, that if it
:, had been understood in the North, as in the
II South, that by the terms of the Federal
!. compact, State had right to secede from
ifI the Union, this disputation would never
te have occurred Had the North so under
,e stood the matter, there would have been up
,e on its part forbearance from the exercise of
extreme measures, and desire not to force
$ the Southern States to the wall that would
e. have ever maintained the Confederacy un-
" broken. 1t was the prevalence of the idea
re Of the econsodationists in the North, that the
,c Southern States had no right to and would
to not secede that tempted them; and that IA
n. tai policy that has slndered the Confcd-
oc eracy.
w 1t is said that no Confederacy can exist by
nd Il recognition Of this principle; but such was
he not the view af the fathers of our Govern
Id ment it was not the view of Jefferson and
if Madison in their immortal resolutions OF
I'd 1893 and 1899.
as 1t has been said, Mr.. Chairman, that il
IN would make a Confcderacy a rope of sand
n but if so, it is strange that the Southern
IL Conlederacy where it is recognized should
w hold together through such bloody pres
us sure as we have applied to it for the last
g. three years; it is Il strange rope of sand that
of cndurcs all that.
n But to return, Mr.. Chairman, as will be
+, judged perhaps, by the tenor Of these re-
t. marks. | am reluctantly and dcspondingly
at forced to the conclusion that the Union is
Of lost, never to be restored. | regard all
n dreams Of the restoration of the Union
which was the pride of my life, and to re.
ye store which, even now, l would pour out
le my hearts blood, as worse than idle. | see il
e. neither North or South any sentiment on
ed which it is possible to build a Union-thosC
,st clements of Union which Mr. Adams des
| cribcd have by the process Of time been des
n troyed. Worse, yet worse than that, Mr.
ur Chairman, | am reluctantly forced to the
n conclusion that in attempting to preserve
IS our jurisdiction over the Southern State!
to we have lost our constitutional form govern
ce mcnt over the Northern What has beer
Is, predicted by our wisest and most emnen
&c statesmen has come to pass in grasping a
ic, the shadow we have lost the substance; il
cy striving to retain the casket of liberty il
H. which our Jewels were confined, we have los
as those precious monuments of freedom.
in Our Government, as all know, is not
On anything resembling what it was three
Ir years ago; there is not one single vestige o
lat the Constitution remaining every letter o
nd 1t has been violated, and | have no ide;
H. myself that it will ever again be respected
an Revolutions never go backward to the poin
by at which they started. There has alway.
e. to strong or monarchical government, and
they have now all the elements upon which
he to establish one They have vast army
he an immense public debt, and an irrespon
.e- sible Executive. Ambitious to retain power
oy he is candidate for re election, and as com
at mander-in-C Chief it is charged (whcthc
| true orialse shall not undertake to decide,
H. that he has already used the army in tht
MT Florida expedition to advance his chances o
er success. One of the Generals he has de
tly capitated Gen. Frcmont,) has entered tn,
M field to dispute his claim to a continuance
is in power, and if the Chronicle of this city
to the President organ, is correct in its con
en- struction Of the suggestions of the Nev
a York Herald, speaking of Gen Grant, tn,
,st question Is already mooted whethea he, il
lst certain contingencies at the head of the ar
he my would not be justified in assuming tn
be rcins of Government.
Is. The very idea upon which this war i
ed founded Of States, leads to despo
nd tism; to preserve a republican form of gov
al crnment under any form of Constitution
III under the prevalence of the doctrines nov
de vogue, is clearly impossible, The convic
1w tions Of the complete overthrow of our Gov
nd ernment are as unwelcome and unpleasan
nut to me as they are to any member of thi
he house. Would to God the thctswcre such tha
in, | could cherish other convictions. may b
he denounced as disloyal and unpatriotic 70
in entertaining them but it will only be b.
nat shallow fools and arrant knaves, who d
en- not know nor will not admit the ditferenc
he between recognizing fact and creating it
existence. A man may desire to die, bu
rst neverthelss his belief will not alter the fac
lst of his mortality | shall not in these re
lv- marks revive the unpleasant and acrimoni
ate Gus controversy of who is responsible 70
to the death and destruction of our Republic
it | do not see that any such discussion noN
in would be productive of good. l entertai
be clear andlStrong convictions upon that point
= convictions that | have no doubt will b
The shared i'm bV the impartial historian of tn