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

DIR. WILsoN--It is strange indeed that
brother who has once and again and even
q third time dragged this matter Into these
discussions; who seemed so much affected
at the horrible mention, and who made IL
the basis of protestations the most vehem-
ent against any compromise with those VINO
held such atrocious sentiments-itlsst strange,
l say, that this brother should call me TO
order for simply appealing to the evidence
he has himself brought forward, 10 dispIoVe
the charge he makes. If he was the friend
of DIR. Thornwell, one should think he
would gladly listen to any one who should
be able to show that tho construction put
upon his language was founded In misap-
prehension and that plainly he did not
mean to sanction anything OF which
Christian should be ashamed. But when
the brother objects to any attempt at such
a yindieation, and cries out ''order," one IS
ready to exclaim, "Is this thy kindness TO
thy friend9"
[ was about, Mr.. Moderator, to show by
an appeal to the document adduced here
i'm evidence that the charge referred TO was
a most slaDderous aspersion OF the cnarac-
ter of an eminent minister OF Christ. inns
appeal now proceed to make. LiCten 10
what shall read, and judge II what have
said be not true. l begin at the place clted
by the brother himself, and which has been
published in the papers OF this city as Jus
tifying assassination:
"Public spirit will not have reached the
height which the exigency demands until
we have relinquished all fastidious notions
of military etiquette, and have come to the
point of expelling the enemy by any and
every means that God has put in our power.
We are not fighting for military glory; we
are fighting for home and for national
existence. We are not aiming to display
our skill in tactics and generalship; We are
aiming to show ourselves tree people.
worthy to possess and able to defend the in
stitutions OF our fathers. What signifies it
to us how the foe is vanquished, provided 1t
is done? Because we have not weapons OF
the most approved workmanship, are we to
sit still and see our soil overrun, and our
wives and children driven from their homes,
while we have in our hands other weapons
that can equally do the work OF death? Are
we to perish If we cannot conquer by the
technical rules of scientific warfare? Are
we to sacrifice our country to military parnc-
tiRoP The thought Is monstrons. We must
be prepared to extemporize expedients.-
We must cease to be chary either about our
weapons, or the means of using them"
Here, sir, the quotation stops. 1t breaks
off in the middle OF paragraph. Yet even
this, mutilated as it is speaks no such Ian
guage as that imputed, nor could any but
the most distorted version discover in it
aught beyond the earnestness of one who
saw no hope for his coun.rymen but in the
most determined activity and courageous
devotion in the turning to account the most
imperfect instruments for defense against
a strong and overwhelming foe. But will
not rest here. Let the remainder OF the
passage be attended to; 1t is plain and un-
ambiguous:
"The end is to drive back our foes. II
we cannot procure the best rifles let us put
up with the common guns of the country ;
If they cannot be had, with pixies and axes
and tomaliawks; anything that will do the
work of death is an effective instrument in
a braue mau's hand. We should be ready
for the regular battle or the partisan skir-
mish. If we are too,weak to stand an en-
gagement in the open field, we can waylay
the foe and harass and annoy him. We
must prepare ourselves fora guerrilla war.
The enemy must be conquered, and any
method by which we can hOnOrdbly do 1t
must be resorted to. This is the kind OF
spirit which we want to see aroused among
our people. If we cannot meet the enemy
i'm the plain we must betake ourselves to
the swamps and the mountains, from
whence we can pounce upon him at an uneX-
pected moment. We must initiate the
prowess of ouch patriots rs Marion, Sumtor
and Davie." .....
This is the whole of it. This is the ex-
tract, the horrid nature of which was to
send the blood, chilling, back to our hearts.
A passage which urges to the use of no other
methods in defense of their country than
brace men might honorably adopt. Means
and methods such az every boy that has
read the story of the Revolution in his
First School History" and every culti-
waited reader acquainted with "Lossing's
Field Book of the Revolution" know full
well, were sanctioned and employed by
those we revere as Heroes and Patriots in
their death-struggle for Independence
And it is upon such testimony thus gar
bled and disfigured that SO great and good
a man, however he may have been mistaken
or misled in some things has been held up
to the gaze of this venerable Assembly and
the mocking world as counseling the afro
cious crime of assassination and as the asso-
ciate and abettor of murderers. Sir, the
course of the gentleman forcibly reminds
me of those old Inquisitors Of which have
read somewhat in history who dug up the
bones of the servants of Christ, whose
mighty logic they dared not encounter, and
whose burning eloquence they could neith-
er initiate nor endure. and scattered them
upon the waves or burnt them at the stake.
But pass from this matter, which un-
willingly have been forced to notice, and
come to the resolution before us. And
first, Mr.. Moderator, ask YOUR attention to
the point If objection raised by the mem
Der (Mr. Morrison) who opened this discus
sion. / refer to the objection that there is
no certain standard of loyalty. 1t is as va
RANT as the seasons and as uncertain as the
winds. 1t is as underlined as the horizon
and those metes and boundaries which
sometimes seem to mark out its extent and
limitations, like lines drawn upon the sandy
beach are obliterated by the next wave of
popular caprice or rage that rolls in upon
them. The loyalty of yesterday has be-
come the disloyalty of to-day; and the 10y
atty Of to-day will be branded as base trea-
son Tomorrow. Those opinions and SEN
timents and acts which were pronounced
sound and patriotic a little while ago by
political leaders both in the Church and the
State, are now denounced by the same
leaders as PROOF positive that UIIc wlIU lIolds
by them is a rank traitor. Let me illus
trate this point by two or three noted
examples. And, first, will cite from the
Synod Of Kentucky. Sir, some of us from
that Synod have been represented in this
Assembly as worthy of all condemnation
because we have refused our assent to those
acts OF this body tor several years past
touching matters of State policy. This we
have done sincerely, candidly, but respect
fully, and for reasons vari .us, and, to us,
conclusive. For this we have been stricken
in no very gentle manner again and again
by members on this floor, and our conduct