Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-24
Proclamation by the Governor.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF OHIo,(
COLuMRus, Aug. %, 1884.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT OF OHIo,)
CoLuMBus, Aug. %, 1854.
Tothe People Of the State Of Ohio:
Under the recent call of the President fol
five hundred thousand men, a draft is or
dered to take place on the 9TH day of Sep
tember next for any deficit that may tn en-
exist in the quota of troops assigned to the
State of Ohio. This draft is fixed by the
provision of the act of Congress, and must
follow in fifty days after the date of the cal
of the President. Present indications are
that a portion of the quota of this State
will be deficient, and that, in at least some
districts, draft must take place to cover
such deficiencies. This need not, and should
not, have been the case. The exertion that
has been made to discourage and prevent
enlistments, If otherwise directed, would
have filled the quotas of those localities, OF
left the deficiency very light.
However unwilling to believe that any
considerable portion of the people of this
State would array themselves in spirit OF
factious, If not reasonable, opposition to
the execution of the laws of the land, there
are indications of such spirit in the State,
which, as Chief Magistrate, may not dis
regard. In appealing to the people to dis
card the counsels of wicked and unprinci-
pied leaders that invite them to factious and
forcible resistance to JfIu draft or any other
legal requirement of the Government, l am
actuated solely by desire to preserve, If
practicable, the peace of the State, and the
welfare of the erring portion of our people,
and not from any apprehensions of either
the determination or ability of the Govern
ment to maintain the supremacy of its laws.
The man who supposes that either the
National or State Government is unadyised
of, OF unprepared for the threatened emer-
gency, is following the deception of his
leaders to consequences of the most serious
character. Let me advise you, who coun-
tenance this insurrection, to look carefully
at the civil and military penalties you are
mourning. The act of Congress, approved
July 3ist. 1861, ITO define and punish certain
Conspiracies," is as follows:
'Be IL enacted by the Senate and House Of
REPRESENTATIVES Of the United States Of Amer
lea in Congress assembled, That If two or
more persons within any State or Territory
of the United States shall conspire together
to overthrow, or to put down, or to destroy
by force, the Government of the United
States, or to levy war against the United
States, or to oppose by force the authority
of the Government of the United States; or
by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the
execution of any law OF the United States;
or by force to seize, take, or possess any
property of the United States against the
will or contrary to the authority of The
United States; or by force, or intimidation,
or threat to prevent any person from ac-
cepting or holding any office, or trust, or
place of confidence, under the United
States; each and every person so offending
shall be guilty of high crime, and upon
conviction thereof in any district or circuit
court of the United States, having jurisdic-
tion thereof, or district or supreme court Of
any Territory of the United States having
jurisdiction thereof. shall be punished by a
fine not less than five hundred dollars and
not more than five thousand dollars; or by
Imprisonment, with or without hard labor,
as the court shall determine, for period
not less than. six months nor greater than
six years, or both by such fine and i'm
prisOnment."
This is merely the punishment for con-
spiracy yet its penalties are not light, and
should not be thoughtlessly incurred. This
follows, too, mere combination or agree
ment of men to do an unlawful act and is
complete without resortto arms. Resist
ance to the law by bodies of armed men
constitutes the OVERT ACT OF TREASON, the
punishment of which is death. These are
the civil penalties; the military results are
to be found in the power of the Government
by armed force, to deal with every species
of insurrection against the enforcement of
its legal enactments.
1t Is unnecessary to argue the duty of
every citizen to yield obedience to the laws
constitutionally enacted, so long as they re-
main in force. If men may take up arms
to resist laws in the policy or effect Of
which they do not concur, then all govern
ment is at an end, and we are resolved into
anarchy. This state of things is not to be
tolerated. A Government may as well
perish in a bold and vigorous effort to main
tain its integrity, as. to suffer an insurrec-
tion to neutralize its laws and defy its
power.
Most earnestly do I appeal to the people
of the State not to engage in this forcible
resistance to the laws, to which evil coun-
sellors and bad men are leading them. 1t
and will not succeed. Its triumph,
If it achieve any, must be of mere tenn
porary character. The Government is not
weak. 1t is strong and powerful. 1t can
HUI dDO ~ III uOt3 PNAuhto oh hbohl
rection to impeach its strength, or impair
its power, while contending with the South
ern rebellion. do not say this to you in
any spirit of intimidation, or in any threat
ening tone. speak 1t to you as a warning
and with an imploring voice to hear and
heed it. know what the determination Of
your Government is, and / fully compre-
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
the laws. You cannot in anywise improve
your own condition in the present, and must
seriously injure it in the future. Judicious
and conservative men, who look to the su-
premacy of Government for the protection
and safety of their persons and property,
vii lnot sympathize or cooperate with you.
You may commit crime; you may shed
blood; you may destroy property; you
may spread ruin and devastation over
some localities of the State; you may give
aid and comfort for season to the rebels
already in arms against the country; you
may transfer, for brief time, the horrors
of war from the fields of the South to these
of the State of Ohio; you may paralyze
prosperity, and CONSERVATION and alarm
among our people. This Is bare possibil-
ity, but it Is all you can hope to accomplish:
for you have looked upon the progress of
our present struggle to little purpose, if you
have not learned the great recuperative
power, and the deep earnestness of the
country in this contest. The final result
will not be doubtful; the disaster to you
will be complete, and the penalty will
equal the enormity ofthe crime.
From the commencement Of this rebel