Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-09-22
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BEFORE THE,r d"
NationalU Union Johnson Meeting
- Ar THE ATIIENEUM, q"
In the City of COIumb bus, ON Saturday
-9yg Evening" Sept. l5' 1866. ..ilirF
Hon. A. F. 'Perry's Speech Reviewed--Unpub.
liShed History OF the Ohio Movement for
Lincoin's First Nomination. Gov! ia. Z
DsnnisOn's Course Exposed.

MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL UNION JOHN
son CLUB, AND FELLOW CITIZENS FL APP
pear before you tonight for the purpose Of
indicating the action of those Republicans
and Union men who refuse to follow the
lead of Chase, Thad. Stevens, Wendell
Phillips 81 Co., who have at last obtained
the lOng-cOveted control Of the Union or
gaiization. That party is now in the same
position politically, as the Democrats were
In 1852 when, flushed with the utter over
throw of the old Wing party, they degen-
Grated in great measure into mere Sec
tional organization, Under the rule and
cnunsels Of certain Southern radical lead
ers, who insisted on the repeal OF the Mis-
souri Compromise, which re-opened the
slavery agitation after the settlement of
1850, President Pearcc had been elected OH
the faith that the measures of 1850, indOrsed
IN their platform by both parties, would be
maintained inviolate, and the subsequent
agitation caused by an alleged violation of
that pledge on the part of the Democratic
leaders, led to the political combinations
that finally triumphed in 1860. But this
triumph was not obtained by the advocacy
before the people of obnoxious radical
dogmas - on the other hand they
were expressly denied both in the
platform of the Republican party
and on the stump; and the record of the can
didate for the Presidency, Abraham Lin
culn was appealed to as conclusive proof
of these assertions. However, before en-
tering into the history of this subject, l
wish to notice briefly the arguments of the
Hon. A. +. Perry, which heard and took
notes of last evening 1t struck me as an
elaborate and ornate defense OF a criminal,
arraigned at the bar of the public, by
lawyer of acknowledged ability; and when
such gentleman ina two hours speech.
ingeniously cOntrived to cover up the real
points at issue, advances so little to sustain
the Radical position, the case of his client
must be a hard one. The gentleman divid-
ed his speech under three heads: first,
What Congress had done; second, The rea-
sons assigned for organizing an opposition
to them; and thirdly, The character and
elements OF that opposition. The first
point consisted chiefly of eulOgy of what
Congress had accomplished, without speci-
flying what it was. Nothing was said
about negro suffrage, the constitutional
amendment and the voting of two thousand
dollars into their own pockets, and no
credit was given the Executive for preserv-
ing our national honor, when these imacu-
late Congressman were trying to cheat the
Fenians out of their votes, by the lowest
system of electioneering demagogueism.
Public men should be Judged By their acts,
which cannot be altered, either by eulOgy
or abuse; and while little might be said
against Congress raising the pay for the
benefit OF their successors, If higher salary
was necessary still, no honest minded man
can look upon their voting money into
their own pockets in any other light than
if n Ffno xuo TN kunrlsr fnr
another at one hundred dollars a year, and
at the end of the time demand one hundred
and forty, and take it from himby force, be-
cause he had this power. 1t isa species OF
moral swindling, of which Mr.. Shellabar-
ger, and gentlemen who profess like him
to have opposed the act, can only clear
themselves and show sincerity by
paying their extra two thousand dollars
Into the Treasury for the benefit of SOL
diers' pensions, like the conscientious mem
Der from West Virginia-Mr. Hubbard,
who recollected the old adage-"that the
receiver Is as bad as the thief" Doubtless
such a course might lessen the electioneer-
ing fund of Mr.. She labarger, but perhaps
he is entitled to dOnble pay, as Mr.. Perry
said be counted tloo in Congress. l'.r. -,
Under the second head, Mr., Perry adj
vanced the only semblance of argument, to
wit ION the refusal of Congress to admit
the Representatives from the late rebel
States. Here he e,was honest enough to ad
nit In effect, that this exclusion was not
based upon any power under the Constitu-
tion Of Che United States, but by virtue Of
auindefnite claim to exercise war rights
under the law of nations over our own ter
ritory and people after actual hostilities had
ceased. An attempt is made to sustain this
theory, by citation from the syllabus of
the decision of the Supreme Court of the
United States in I'd Black, 635: "All per-
sons residing within the territory occupied
by the hosttle party in this contest, are lia-
BILE to be treated as enemies, though not for
eiqnersr ", Why did Mr.. Perry omit to read
the word "ioreigaers," or call attention to
it, when upon 1T, turns the whole legal
point in controversy? For, If the people
Of these Statesare to be treated as enemies
in the sense of the law of nations, they are
not traitors and rebels; but the court, In
this very case further say, that "the SOW
ereign may treat them as rebels" Page
687. They are enemies then; only In the
sense, that during, the continuance of
hostilities, for the sake of humanity, bel
ligerent rights are allowed them, as to car
tells of prisoners, rights of blockade, ETC.,
and generally as to all matters affecting
neutrals and the eGovernment, simply tenn
'porarily, suspends its right to punish the
citizen for violation Of the law 10 the civil
coufts; but, this does not initiate against
its right:when the rebellion is Terminated,
to1iofl the parties responsible for treason.
For the Court further say the Government
t'may exercise both. belligerent and SOW
ereignl rights, 2 ed Black 672, citing tth
.Craneh 1927 but obviously. it must elect
whichit will do. 1t can not exercise both
at one and the same time, and therefore,
Thad. Stevens In his zeal to carry out his
theory OF conquered provincesp SOFAS to
impose negro suffrage on the South for po-
litcal purposes (even' If the legal conse-
quence is to let all the traitors gounpun-
ished under the law), to preserve consist
ency, says, that il. would be judicial
murder to try and hang JEFF. Davis for
treason;n In which, doubtless, Chief Justice
Chase concurs, and therefore won't try the
arch traitor.
That the inhabitants- of the late reYolted
States are not enemies to whom the rule of
the law of nations applies in reterenee.t0
tile action of the Government of the United
States in Its internal administration, Is
further glpp6rted by decision of Mr.. Jus4
ttce osWS$ne, delivered during the early