Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-08-18
The Great Peace Meeting at
Canton, Stark County, Ohio.
Declares for Peace.

In pursuance OF previous notice, the peo-
pie Of Stark County, without distinction of
party, met in Mass Convention, at the Court
House in Canton, on Saturday, Aug 9th,
1864, when on motion, Joseph Thompson
Esq, Of Canton, was called to the chair
and. David Welker, Esq.,. of Perry and w
L. Myers OF Paris, appointed Vice Presi-
dents, and B. |. G. Willard, Of Washing
ton, appointed Secretary.
On motion company of one from each
Township was appointed on Resolutions.
The Court House being too small to ac-
commodate the large crowd in attendance,
a recess was taken until clock. On re-
assembling at | o'clock on Market square
| the Committee on resolutions presented the
following which were triumphantly adopt
ed:
PREAMBLE.
! Whereas, We still recognize the princi-
pie that in the people is lodged tha sover-
eign power, That Governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the
governed - and that it is the duty of those
serving out terms in places of public trust,
te obey the will of the people, as laid down
in the fundamental law-the Constitution,
and as otherwise expressed: that the right
peaccably to assemble and freely to exam
inc and discuss public measures and the
official acts of men in places of public trust
and petition or demand redress of griev-
ances, are unquestioncd and inalienablc
t rights which the citizens of Ohio have nev.
er given up or bartered away; and
WHEREAS, Our country is now in the
fourth year of an intestine war; which has
caused the loss of hundreds of thousands Of
lives on the battle-felds incamp and hospi
tai; carried bereavement and sorrow into
, many families throughout our land, produc
, ed irightful amount of corruption anC
crime, and alienation and irreligion, entail
cd an enormous debt upon our postcrity
, created great inequality of wealth. by the
unequal distribution of its profits and it,
losses; and has exposed to destruction oul
own invaluable free Institutions; and
: WHEREAS, The war thus waged at such
= fIighttul cost Of life and treasure had beer
productive Of no good having utterly fail
ed to restore the Union AS our fathers made
it, with no prospect Of better success in the
future; and
WHEREAS, The President of the United
States had just issued his call for 50O,0 00(
more men to fill up the thinned ranks of the
army, and has proclaimed that unless the
quota is filled by volunteers by the 5th Of
September next, he will fill it by conscrip
ton, discriminating in favor of the rich
and against the poor man; and
WHEREAS, The quota of the State Of
Ohio is about so, 1000, numberequ of the
one-half of the able bodied men of the State
therefore
We, the people of Stark County, irespec
tive OF party, i'll convention assembled, res
pectfully. make the following representa-
f tlons and adopt as an expression ofour opin
= ions, the following resolutions
EssuI,oI | frb,t Sovnro;rnt,, roeiJoc ~
: and with the people Of the States respec
5 lively, which are parties to the Constitution
/, of the United States. 1t cannot be aliena
: ted, neither can it be delegated. Some o
i its powers may be exercised by delegated
= authority while others cannot be so eXercis
D ed, except at the sacrifice on the part Of tn
$ constituent, of all that lends dignity t.
Y mans relations to Government.
: Resolced . That the claim of ''inheren
S power war power and also Stat
: necessity or Military necessity" on tn
part Of the functionaries of Constitution
: al government for sanction Of any arbitrar
0 exercise Of power, we utterly reject an
e repudiate.
= Rcsolrcd 8. That all power resides in tn
c people, and is delegated always to be exer
c cised for the advancement Of the commo
d veal
= Resolrcd t. That being in favorof immc
: date peace, and convinced that by war tn
$ Union can never be restored, and more es
:. pccialy upon the Negro Emancipation pol
c icy of the Administration, we therefore urg
!. the President of the United States to IT
c woke his order for Conscrption, and W
+ call upon the people throughout the State t
IS hold meetings and demand peace, and re
Il dress Of grievances,
$ Resolced5 That we demand immediat
/ steps be taken for the settlement of on
N difficulties with the Southern States, an
h the restoration of peace to the country
n And to that end we suggest that the Pres
y dent of the United States, propose to tn
e authorities of the Confederate States, tina
e Commissioners Of peace be appointed b.
n both parties, whose duty it shall be to NEE
= at some place agreed upon, for the purpos
y of consultation, with view to ascertai
Y whether there cannot be an armistice G
v suspension of hostilities and convcntio
g of all the States, for the purpose of restoi
= ing peace and Union, on terms fair an
y honorable to both sections.
t Gazing In.