Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-06-06

the uenerdbile nomen to the shades ofdarkness
under the aLathemas of those whose feet
have danced applause just now at its bare
mention. 1t was this DIR. r. j. Breckir =
ridge who first In the Synod Of Kentucky
condemned the action of the General AS
sembly on the duty of allegiance to the
Government of the United States.
A MEMBER-Does the speaker refer 10
action of the Synod of Kentucky as con
demnatory of the Assembly, and does he
mean to say that DR.. Breckenridge concur
red in that action?
DR.. WILsoN-That is precisely what, l
mean. In the meeting of the Synod 10 the
fall of 1861, a committee was appointed on
the Minutes of the Assembly, of that year,
of which committee DIR. Breckinridge was
the chairman. He brought in report on
the action taken by the Assembly on the
state of the country and their declaratloh
respecting loyalty and the duty OF uphoiu-
| ing the Federal Government on the part OF
the ministers and members OF the Church.
This report was adopted by the Synod. In
il the SYNOD say that the declaration of the
Assembly Is contrary 10 the Word Of God,
as that Word is interpreted IN the Confession o.
| Faith of the Presbyterian Chmch.' And
they further declare the action OF the AS
sembly to have been purely political, ana
| incompetent TO a spiritual court, and inJu-
| rious and divisive in its tendency. This,
| sir. was the manner in which the deliver
ance of the Assembly of 1861 was treated
BY the ilustrious loyalist whose name we
have been told is SO venerable and whose
| fame is TO shine forever with such unriVall-
ed splendor. But where are the plaudlts
now, which but a moment ago burst forth
AZ the mention of that name? All! hear
no stamping of feet, no clapping OF hands
now! .... ,-....
MopERAToR-Th applause was given by
persons who were ignorant of the TACT that
our usages do not allow of such demonstra-
tions. The Moderator has requested that
they should not be repeated. .g
DR.. WILSON, certainly did not expect
any such demonstrations under the new
aspect in which this matter Is now pre-
sented. But pass on TO cite another illus
| tratiye example of the uncertain responses
! given even by the most distinguished oracles
| on this subject of loyalty and patriotism.
| The example have selected Is one high In
position and in the confidence of both the
| late President and his successor. 1t Is no
| less than that OF the present Attorney Cen
eral of the United States. In the year 1861,
! the Union State committee of the State 0l
Kentucky issued an address to the people of
that State on the course of policy which
they Judged ought to be adopted In the
then agitated condition of the country ana
IN case certain contingent events should oc-
cur OF this committee the present Attor-
ney General (Mr. SPEEDY was prominent
member and his name is signed to this ad-
| dress. From 1t L take the 1olloWing pas
sage: e ''a
| The MoDERAToR-The Moderator re-
CARDS the speaker as entirely in order, but
would simply suggest that this is politl-
cal document from which he is about TO-
read Perhaps the quotation had better be
| omitted.
DR.. WILsoN-M Moderator, this discussion
! under the particular form which 1t has as
sumed has been forced upon me. l told
you at the beginning of my remarks that
the course taken by those who had preceded
me would compel me to speak OF political
questions would gladly have seen kept
out of this Court of Christ. L am aware
that what | may say Is likely to be little
agreeable to the majority of this house and
probably altogether unpopular with this
large assembly of attentive and manifestly
| interested spectators. But, sir, the idea that
political questions ought to be kept out OF
this house has been secuted and ridiculed.
| have sat here for eight or nine days lis
tening to discourses OH loyalty and treason
and rebels and rebellion and copperheads;
and those who have INDUCED in these ha-
rangues have gone on dd lbitum without
interruption from any quarter. This is only
the second time have asked the attention
of the house. The State from which come
and the Synod of which / am member
have heen assailed repeatedly as disloyal to
the country and the Church, and l should
be wanting in respect to myself to the
Presbytery which l represent, and to the
State in which live, did not to the best of
my ability repel these assaults.
A MEMBER-GO on, go on, and don't let
them interrupt You again.
| DIR. WILSON, was about to show that,
as in the case of Dr. Breckinridge. so in the
case of other great luminaries in the firma-
ment of loyalty, the light which they shed
is dim and dubious, now waxing, now wan
ing with the revolutions of months and
years. The proof now adduce, though as
has been said by the Moderator, taken from
a document not drawn by religious body,
nor coming from member of the Church,
is on that very account all the more pertin-
ent to my purpose. 1t Is the expression of
views entertained but short time back,
and inculcated upon the masses by one who
had the confidence of the Government, and
who in his present. high Office can decide
with authority what is regarded as loyalty
by 1.-The powers that be- Here is the rule
and standard maintained by this eminent
jurist four years ago: .g
''EXTRACTs. ----
"The present policy of Kentucky is to
maintain her present independent position,
taking sides, not with the Government, anu
not with the seeded States, but with the
Union against them both, declaring her soil
TO be sacred from the hostile tread of eth
er, and, if necessary, making the declara-
tion good with her strong right arm. And
to the end that we may be fully prepared
for this last contingency, and tor all posi-
BILE contingencies, we would have her arm
herself thoroughly at the earliest practica-
BILE moment. .N flh
"What the future duty of Kentucky may
be, we, of course, cannot with certainty
foresee; but if the enterprise announced in
the proclamation OF the President should
at any time hereafter assume the aspect of
a war for the overrunning and subjugation
of the seeding States, through the full as
sertion therein of the national jurisdiction,
by standing military force, we do not hes
itate to say that Kentucky should promptly
unsheathe her sword In behalf Of what will
then become the common cause. Such an
event, If it should occur, of which, we con-
fess. there does not appear to us to be a ra-
tional probability, could have but one mean
ing-a meaning which people jealous of
| their liberty would be keen to detect, and
which a people worthy OF liberty would be
prompt and fearless to resist. When Ken
lucky detects this meaning In the action of
the Government, she ought, WITHOUT count
ing the cost, to take up arms at once against
the Government. Until she does detect this
meaning, she ought to hold herself inde-
pendent of both sides, and compel both
sides to respect the inviolability of her soil.
| The nortentous meaning in question is not