The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1865-06-28

DIR. WILSON, certainly did not ex.
pcct any such demonstrations under the
new aspect in which this matter 10 now
presented. But | pass on to cite another
illustratiye example of the uncertain re-
sponses given even by tie most distin7
guishcd oraeles on this subject Of loyalty
and patriotism, The example have Sc
lected is ono high in position and in the
confidence Of both the late President and
his successor. Tits no less than that Of
tho present Attorney General Of the Uni.
ted States. In the year 1861 the Union
State committee Of tho State of Ken
lucky isiued an address to the people of
that State to the course Of policy which
they judged ought to be adopted in the
then agitated condition of the country
and 10 case certain contingent events
should occur. OF this commitrce the
present Attorney General (Mr. Speed)
was prominent member and his name
is signed to this address, From it take
the following passage:
THE MoDERAToR-The Moderator re-
CARDS the speaker as entirely in order,
but would simply suggest that this is a
political document from which he is
about to read. Perhaps the question had
bettor be omitted. -. - '-''- '''''
DR.. WILsoN--M Moderator, this discus
sion under the particular form. which it
has assumed has been forced upon me-
told you at the beginning of my re-
marks that the course taken by those who
had preceded me would compel me te
speak of political questions would glad
" have seen kept out of this Court of
Christ. | am aware that what / may cay
is likely to be little agreeable to the ma
jority Of this house and probably alto.
gether unpopular with this large Assem-.
bly, Of attentive and manifestly interested
spectators. But, sir, the idea that politi-
cal questions ought to be kept out Of this
house had been secuted and ridiculed.
have sat here for eight or nine days lis
tening to discourses on loyglty and trea.
son and rebels and rebellion and copper
heads; and those who have INDUCED in
these harangues have gone on ad Hbitam
without interruption from any quarter
This is only the second time l have ask
ed the attention Of the house. The State
from which | come aBd the Synod Of
which / am member have been assailed
repeatedly as disloyal to the country and
the Church, and should be wanting in
respect to myself, to the Presbytery which
| represent, and to the State in which l
live, did not to tho bes! Of my ability
rcpol these assaults.
A MEMBER Go on, go on, and don't
let them interrupt you again.
DR.. WILSON, was about to show that,
as in the case Of DR.. Breckinrtdgc, SO in
the case Of other great luminarics in the
irmanent of loyalty, the light which they
shed is dim and dubious, now waxing,
now waning with the revolutions Of
months and years. The proof now ad
ducc, 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 pertinent to my
purpose, 1t is the expression Of views
entertained but a short time back, and
inculcated upon the masses by one who
had the confidence of tho Government,
and who in his present high Office can do
eide with authority what is regarded as
loyalty by "the powers that be-" Here
| is the rule and standard maintained by
this eminent jurist four years ago: -
i "EXTRAcTs."
"Thc present policy of Kentucky is Il
maintain her present independent posi-
ton, taking sides, not with the Govern
ment, and not with the seeded States
but with the Union against them both
declaring her soil to be sacred from thu
hostile tread of either, and, if necessary
making the declaration good with he
strong right arm. And to the end tina
we may be fully prepared for this las
; contingency, and forall possible coptin
goucics, we would have her arm hersel
thoroughly at tho carlicst practicable mo
ment. r.-,g9.. ..f ft.rrf4I .ti elUs.. .u|
"What the future duty Of Kentuck,
! may be, we, Of course, cannot with Ger
tainty forsee butif tho enterprise an
! noupced IN the proclamation of the Pres
. ident should at any time hereafter as
! sumo the aspect Of a war for tho over
1 running and subjugation of the socedinI
I States, through the full assertion therei
1 Of the national jurisdiction, by stand
! ling military force, We do not hesitate t
q say that Kentucky should promptly un
d shcathe her sword in behalf Of what vii
! then become the common cause. Sue
d an event, if it should occur, Of which
i we confess, there does not appear to u
Q to bo a rational probability, could hav
; but one meaning--a meaning which
!, people jealous Of their liberty would b
q keen to detect, and which a people wol
n thy Of liberty would be prompt and fcai
10 less to resist. When Kentucky, dcteci
n this meaning in the action Of the Go'
q crnmcnt, she ought, without counting Il
"a cost, to take up arms at once against II
D Government. Until she does detect th
s. meaning, shc ought to hold herself ind
s. pendent Of both sides, and compel boI
N sides TO respect the inyiolability Ct b
to soil The porteptous meaning In que
n tion Is not disccrppble at this time, and !
y, believe it never will become discernabl
~ We, however, have deemed II 6t, in co
ar sideratiou Of all the extraordinary f
Dc lures Of the time, toiantieipate this P,
4 sib!c contingency" IA 49,.