Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-08-31

y
body through which we have passed, what
a fiery ordeal the Democracy of this State
have encountered; and the astonishing fact
stands out prominently that notwthstand-
ing all the prosecutions, and all the assaults
to which the Democracy of this State have,
during that unfortunate period, been sub
icctcd, still each returning year has shown
that the body was growing returning
of the votes, as they came in, showed that,
instead of persecution running you down,
and diminishing your strength, and dccreas
ing your numbers, they are all the time ell
cyating them. Why is thisl No associa
ton of men-no party, gathered together
for mere sinister, or temporary, or selfish
purpose, could say this. They would have
been broken into atoms with the amount
Of persecution and oppression which we
have encountered 1t is because fcllow.ci
izeus-and we should always bear this in
mind--bccauso there lies right at the loun-
dution of Democratic faith-the sacred trust
ofprcserying the great and essential rights
of the great mass Of the people.
That Is the secret and the whole of it.
And let me give you this one encouraging
word that Just as long as you are true to
yourselves, and true to the great interests
of the people, you are invincible. zap
IiduSc IlC NOIui, lHs uCSn Hnl ucN u
may combine against you, but without eff
without Undertaking to detain you any
length of time, for ! am wholly unprcpared
to speak to you as | would have done
without undertaking to detain you to go
over any OF the various topics that now ag-
itate the public mind, and upon which you
are called to act, let me for single moment
take a glance at the past, i'll order the bet
ter to assure ourselves Of our present posi-
ton and our present duties.
Down to the advent Of the present party
in power-a little over four years ago-no
country on the face Of the earth presented
such attractions as this believed and happy
country Of ours. In no country on the face
Of the earth, were all mems rights so well
and so perfectly respected. From thirteen
small colonies upon the Atlantic seaboard,
we had seen grow up, under the inspiring
influence Of Democratic principles, a popu-
lation of over thirty millions Of people,
and more than thirty states. Instead Of
being hemmcd in substantially BY the Allie
ghcny mountains, as we were at the onset,
we had dspcad from ocean to ocean, until our
flag hoated on both shores of the continent.
This was our condition four years ago, and
its was due, under God and with Gods
blessing, to those great principles of Demo.
cratciaith thatlook to the good the masses
those principles that were formed at an
early period 10y the great patriotsand states
men who were the founders of our organi-
ton.
From this pleasing state of facts, let us
look to what exists at present. But four
years Of time have been necessary for the
porty who have succeeded in ovcrthrowing
the Democratic party, to change wholly the
entire face of the country and Its affairs.
Instead Of that absolute security Of person
and property which we realized before who
does not look back upon this sad period and
see what has been done. Instead Of uni
ted country extending from ocean to ocean,
the map has been torn asundcr and bathcd
IN blood. Instead OF II united and free poo.
pie, Standing as the representatives, Of re
publican government in the western homs
phcrc to the rest of the world, we have pre-
scntcd, in the last four years, factions and
diSunion that have torn us asunder, and
rendered rs utterly absurd and dsgraced in
the eyes Of foreign countries. Instead of
that absolute security we enjoyed before the
accession Of these men to power, what have
we witnessed? During the past four years
all guarantees Of liberty have been broken
down, the writ of hdbcoS corpus, the right
to entertain your own opinions and express
them, and the freedom Of the press, have
all been stricken down and tramplcd in the
dust. With this look at the past, let us
adopt the language of the immortal JciIcr-
son in his first inaugural address:
'WhGn in moments of error and alarm,
we have departed from the paths that lead
to happiness and safety, let MS rctlacc our
steps and go back to the consideration of
those great principles uponwhich ouriathcrs
have founded the government"
That IS our duty to-day. We arc not
here to create, or 10 recommend creation.
We are not here to build up better system
than our fathers of the revolutionary time,
made for us--nothing of the kind 1t is
simple cIlor to go back again to the chart of
our principles as recorded by our fathers,
and place ourselves upon the ground accu
pied, and all will be well.
But, gentlemen Of the Convention, what
a hercucan tast is before us ALL 1t need
not been supposed that we are to have no
lot or part in the matter. who are we?
We represent more than 300, 600 of the
electors Of this great and powerful State -.
We represent more than 900, 600 of the
population OF the State. That population
is looking to you to-day, with anxious soil |
'lNuut lhdl N'u SIdll UD lbllHtl, anu lOr Ille !
cause Of truth and righteousness, lust what
is necessary to restore them the blessings
which they enjoyed prior to the advent of
the new party that has come into power /
That is what they ask you to do
Aud now, gentlemen, what is the first
thing to be done? The first thing is to
bring our great and glorious country togoth- |
or again. The first thing. to which we
must direct our attention as free men, leay- |
ing the past to take care of itself and look |.
ing now to the discharge OF our high duties |
Tor the future, is to cooperate manluly, |
resolutcly and dcterminedly, in restoring
our country, until we see the happy specta-
clc of thirty odd States again in peace, rep
resented in the National Council. Ap- |
plause.
How this is to be done precisely do not
stop to inquire. Who it shall be done by |
do not stop to inquire. My hand and my
heart sha ! be with any man who, under the |
Constitution and in obedience to it, uses his |
best efforts to bring again into the National |
Council and into the family reunion, all |
hose who were of our glorious and extcn- |
'iye country Having all this to do, my
fellow citizens, what a task is upon Us still? .
Hardly more difficult was the task of un- .
Duying again those cities of the East that .
had been buried hundreds of feet deep in (
he cruptions from the mountains. Hard |
y less than rescuing Pompei from its bur /
al place, is the business that now devolvCs |
rs ia tp rpscnn our old rnnuiun tnnytitnt;,r !