The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-04-29

tue liOuse was ueCiucuiy HRalnbt u IOr t00
rebellion had broken out during its pendeu.
cy, and the feeling that it was concession
to. tho interests Of the rebellion, was 30
strong that it was expected to be passed
over, and would, had not member from
COshoctoD, who has since been one of the
most virulent Of Copperheads, watched an
opportunity when tho House was Just as.
sembling for a night session, and called it
up. II was passed. by q small vote much to
the chagtin AID modification of tho Repub.
icans. who ought to havo been on tho
watch. SO Ohio was committed to moas-
uro that did not express tho public senti.
ment of tho State then, and has beon au out.
rage upon il ever siuco-a moasuro too, that
could not have boon then approved by a
majority of the House, or passed at all but
for the votes of men who last year wore tho
supporters OF Vallaudigham. When the
amendment offered by Mr.. Corwin was
adopted by Congress, it was supposed by
some that it might be accepted as a "fnaH.
ty by tho South. By othors il was re.
girded as one of those sacrifices that would
take away all cause of complaint. 1t served
mother purpose and in tho face of il The
rebellion went on as if nothing had boon Of
tered. But this was the orthodox way, at
that time Of propitiating tho .NOioch wor.
shipped by the nation. 1t was only another
child ot liberty cast upon the altar of that
god. 1t had so long been tho fashion to
bring such gifts to his tomple, that this was
thought u moderate tribute to bis demands.
LIKE tho woman of the Russian iegoud, pur.
sued oyor the snowy desert by wolves, cast.
ing ch'ld after child from her sleoge, Con-
grcss seemed not to think that tho next
!oap OF tho pack would be upon the sledpe
ltsolf. They came bowling on, and we
oraced for the defence. Tho nation was in
aims, and had faced tho foe. Congress had
/ made this offer for peace, tho last hour be.
fore. Tho Ohio Senate had said YES bu,
the House hesitsted and not till tho mi
nority. and the party 10 sympathy with tho
rubeIs found a chance moment. was our
| own State sold TO the eternal disgrace OF
denying on her part to Congress tho power
TO legislale for liberty, or eren enact tha,
proclamation by which tho President has
saved the nation. ....
Providentially for us, tho three. fourths
Voie OF tho states has not beon given TO this
amendment. But who, besides that God
WHO maketh the wrath of man to praise
him, is to bo thanked : Tho rebol States
have passed it by in scorn, and we are saved
| from our folly. Let us now hasten to re-
move a danger that once imperillod us. and
Is danger still-a blot most foul-a dis.
grace to our progress in the mighty lessons
We have learned in this war.
! may be told that it is not necessary now
10 resciud this resolution: becausell is dead
by It's inherent want of applicability to the
case Perhaps so: and yet We dare not
| trust such evils abroad. Lot US bury it
now. lis very odor poisons tho moral at.
mospbere around us. States arc being born
again Shall we leave this purulence to
sultocate their infant Inspirations of free.
dom: Maryland lie now passirg through tho
proccss of regeneration, and six months
from this date will see her redeemed. ro.
generated and dSenthralled, by tho genius
OF universal emancipation" Arkansas has
declared tor FREQ constitution: so has
Louisiana; and Tennessee is moving to do
tho same Whom these States shall come
before the world. clothed in tho panoply of
right, beautiful in purity, and radiant with
Tho light of Liberty into which thew arc
born. When they com . to us proudly walk.
ing ovor tho letters they havo broken. and
the scourge5 :hoy have cast away, shall we
meet them with tho half-forged shackles
that have rustod at our own door. these
three years, as the jewels of our adornment?
This nation has passed through mighty
changes since this resolution was atlopted.
Then 1t had been the fashion to mako con.
cossions and fasten them with compromises
and in aii, Liberty, Justice and Humanity
were sacrificed. IL was orthodox to say
there was poaco, when there was no peace.
there was innocence when there was crime,
honor and chivalry when there was coward.
" cruelty, and firm union, when there was
ranking anlmosity. The ever present skel-
eton oil Slavery we wore wont to drape in
tho sacred banner of freedom. and hoping
to hide iis hdeousness, we talked of cons,i.
tulionai rights and lasting Union The flag
stank with tho putrescence it enyeloped and
the National heart sickened over tho foul
sham by which we sought to deceive our
selves and tho world. The word Union.
once sacred as the bond of sisterhood for
the Statos, and tho guarantee of Liberty
to all, camo to moan a compact in which all
freedom was denied place. The one great
mystery, tho one interdcted subject. casting
lis pail over everything had SO overshadowed
every heart with its deadly pallor, that no
pulse dared to throb for lberty--no tongue
moved to speak for truth aud no press de-
manded justice. 1t was sedtiou to sneak
OF human liberty, and it was treason 10 act
for it. We bad slept in our chains ill the
fearful nightmare brooded over our fallen
hopes in the BLACKLIST night that had dark
ened the nineteenth century. But from
this murkish darkest hour, ,wo have awakeped;
tho Sampson of Freedom has broken the
green witbes; and in his re-growu locks,
bows himself before the Nations of tho
world. to throw the temple of this internal
ldolatry to tho dust. The very States and
people We sought to pronliate by this
amendment to the constitution have re-
leased us from all obligations of comfy,
that might be supposed to forbid speaking,
writing, or legislatihg against their violations
OF tho common rights of man.
They did not ,Vdit to see If we would. in
some emergency, declare that tho practice
OF human slavery was destructive of our 10.
stitutIons OF Liberty but assuming that no
harmony could over exist between people
who loved liberty on ono side and hated it
on the o,her, they seeded from tho Union,
and have rebelled against tho Government
ana ever since this resolution in question
was passed, they havo been armed traitors
to thor country-have taken upon them
selves the character, that least of all others.
could ask for favors or ooncessions-and
have removed from us every possible motive
to make them this offer of eternal silence on
behalf OF tho right-this stolid deafness to
all the Dlaadinoa nf hrn,oni,,, m lo,o nc