The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-06-29

rnanded of the President in behalf of q
very large minority of the people, revo.
cation of the edict of Punishment. Pre-.
tending that the public safety then requi-
redlit, he refused; saying, at, the same
time, that "it would afford him pleasure
to comply az soon as he could by any
means be made to believe that the public
safety would not suffer by it" One year
has elapsed, yet this hollow pretense is
still taeitly inserted; and to-day lam here
to prove It unfounded in fact. appeal
I'd to the Supreme Court of the United
States; and because Congress HAD never
conferred Jurisdiction in behalf of citi-
zen tried by a tribunal unknown for such
purpose, to the laws, and expressly for
hidden by the Constitution, it was power
less to redress the wrong. The time has
therefore, arrived, when it becomes me
as citizen of Ohio and Of the United
States, to demand, and, by my own act,
to vindicate the rights; liberties and pri-
vileges which never forfeited, but of
which, for SO many months I have been
deprived. Wherefore, men of Ohio, I
am again in your midst to-day. 1 owe
duties to the State, and am here to dis
charge them: I have rights as citizen,
and am here to assert them: wife and
child and home, and would enjoy all the
pleasures which are implied in those
cherished words. But I am here. for
peace. not turbulance; for quiet, not con
vulsions; fer order and law, not anarchy
let no man of the Democratic party be-
gia any act of violence or disorder; but
let none shrink from any responsibility,
however urgent, if forced upon him.
Careful of the rights of others, let him
see to it that he fully and 'fearlessly ex-
acts his own. Subject to rightful author
ity in all things, let him submit to excess
or usurration in nothing. Obcdient to
the Constitution and law, let him demand
and have the full measure of protection
which law and Constitution secure to
him. TO-
MEN OF Ono: You have already
vindicated your right to hear !: it is now
my duty to assert my right to spedk.-
Wherefore, as to the sole offense for which
was arrested, imprisoned and banished
free speech in criticism and condemna-
ton of the Administration +; an Admins
tra,ion fitly described in a recent public
paper by one of its supporters, "markcd
at home by disregard of constitutional
rights. by its violations Of personal liber-
ty and the liberty of the press, and, as its
crowning shame, by its abandonment of
the right of asylum, right especially
dear TO all free nations abroad" I repeat
it here to day, and will again and yet
again, 80 long as live, or the Constitu-
ton and our present form of government
shall survive. The words then spoken
and the appeal at that time made, and
Low enforced by one year moro of taxa
ton and debt, and of blood and disaster,
eDtreating the people t, change the pub
lie servants and the policy, not by force,
but peaceably, through the ballot, now
and here reiteratc in their utmost extent,
and with all their signlfcaacy l repeat
them, one and all, in no spirit of chal-
leDge or bravado, but as earnest, sober,
solemn truth and warning to the people.
Upon another subject allow me here a
word: -a.'--
A powerful, widely spread and very
dangerous secret, oath-bound comtina-
ton among the friends of the Admins
tration, known as the "Loyal Union
League exists in every State, yet the
very men who control l., charge persist
emily upon the members of the Demo-
cratic party, that they have organized
especially in the North-west-the "Order
of the knights of. the Golden Circle;'
or some other secret society, reasonable
or "disloyaP' in its character, affiliated
with tho South, and for the purpose of
armed resistance to the authorities of the
Federal and State Government. Wheth
er any such ever existed, I do not know f;
but the charge that organizations of that
sort, or having any such purpose, do now
exist among members of that party in
Ohio or other nen-slavsholding States, is
totally and positively false. That lawful
political or party associations have been
established, having, as their object, the
|organizing and Strengthening of the Dem
ocratic party, and its success. IN the oom-
ing Presidential election, and desigRed as
counter-movement to the so-called
"Union Leagues" and, therefore, secret
in their proceedings, is very probable,
and however Objectionable hitherto and
in ordinary times, / recognize, to the full
lest extent, not the lawfulness only, but
the propriety and necessity of such or
ganizations-for "when bad men combine
good men must associate But they are
no conspiracy against the governmen
and their members are not conspirators,
but patriots men not alsagued together
for the overthrow of the Constitution OF
the laws, and still less, of liberty, bu,
firmly united for the preservation and
support of these great objects. There is
indeed, q "oonspiracy'' very powerful
very ancient, and trust that before long
I may add, strongly consolidated also, up
on sound principles, and destined yet te
be triumphant-a conspiracy known as
the Democratic party, the present object
of which is. the overthrow of the Admin
istration in November next, not by force
but through The ballot bon, the election
of. a President who shall be true to hi
oath, to Liberty and the Constitution. -
This is tho sole conspiracy Of which,
know anything and 1 am proud to b.
one of the conspirators. IF any othe
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