Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-09-10
RATIFICATION.

1fnHmonpo kannmerADG OF tme
1seOnis-The Music, ISnshusInsrn,
y Nes6It1tiOns nhd sRceches~The
Presidents Policy EnIhuSlasti-
caIIy Endorsed.
Pursuant to call, q mass meeting to ratify
the principles laid down and the action
taken at the late Philadelphia National
Union Convention, was held at the west
front Of the Capitol on Saturday evening
September 8.
Preceding the meeting, during Its pro-
gress, and at Its close, the Soldiers Home
Band, composed Of maimed and disabled
Veterans, played inspiring national airs 10
that superior style Of excellence which has
given them awell-deserved popularity.
Long before the meeting was opened, the
terrace, the steps, and the grounds on the
west side of the Capitol, were filled by an
immense and crowded assemblage. Many
ladies were present. The utmost order and
! decorum were observed. People seemed to
have assembled there, not for pastime, but
to listen attentively while the great politi-
calqpestions of the day should be discussed.
All were eager and anxious for the excr-
cises to begin. 1l JHa,'.54 Eci aolGl
ORGANIZATION OF THE MEETING. 90
Gen. J. Fl. Geiger called the meeting to
order, and on his motion, Col. John Geary
was appointed President. ,.ou
II On motion, the President appointed T.
8. Shepard. Lieut. j. N. Walters and Lieut..
j. st. John Clarkson committee to select
vice Presidents and Secretaries Of the
meeting, who made the following report,
which was adopted: 4 ..-. ...4., +
II Viee Presidents Mayor j. G. Bull. j, st.
: John Clarkson. Judge j. VIM. Baldwin,
Lorenzo English, John Van YORK, Robert
Erlenbush, V. Hettesheimer, E. K. Carter
and Dan Carmichael. -
Seeretdries-JacOb IL. Studer and H. b.
EshelmAn. ir3 IicY '1rt .Egs
iT On motion Of j. H. Studer, the President
appointed committee on Resolutions, con-
slsting of the following gentlemen: I.
Sparrow, G. Douty, j. Reinhard, Col. 6. S.
Innis, and W. s. v. Prentiss.
+ JUDGE THURMAN's SPEECH.
The meeting having been duly organized,
the President introduced the first speaker,
Judge A. G. Thurman. He was received
with cheers. We shall only attempt to
hint at few of the excellent things the
Judge said, as it was impossible, in the
crowd and with the light frequently OBJ
scured, to take full notes.
Judge Thurman commenced by telling a
pleasing anecdote about his first attempt at
stump speaking down in Pike county, when
mere boy. He was frightened when told
by the committee that he was appointed to
speak, and declined. But one Of the COM
mittee said he must makea noration.D
That was all he should attempt now. He
would try and make short "noration.'
He should make his address short, not
because he was net keenly alive to sense
of our country's condition, but because he
was not in the habit Of making long
speeches, and because several gentlemen
had been announced as speakers whom the
audience would desire to hear.
Surveying the history of our globe, all
Governments that had attempted to control
vast masses Of the people by mere force,
had failed. Such was the case with the
great empires in the East in ancient times,
and also with the modern empires of Charlie
magne and Charles V. These vast empires
had been rent into fragments and had van
ished like a dream, because they were found
ed upon the sole principle of force, and were
merely great central despotisms. li.m
There were no wiser men than those who
formed the Constitution and framed the
Government of the United States, and none
better read In the history of the past.
Though they did not ignore force, they did
not found the Government upon that prfn-
ciple. They gave as much liberty as pos
sible to each individual man. They gave
him voice in the Government, and secured
to him liberty ofconscience. They reserved
certain rights to the States, giving them
entire control of their domestic and local
affairs, and securing self-government to
the people of each State, investing the
General Government with as few powers as
possible. One object Of their greatest So
licitude was to avoid establishing central
despotism, but q government the opposite
of such despotisms. al 4 ..
Our fathers laid the foundation of our
common government on the mutual good
will of the people of the several States and
the common welfare. Let no one say that
this grand experiment has failed. The
Government has had to put down
the secession or rebellion of eleven States
by force. It has succeeded. Yet let 1t not
be said that the Government our fathers
established has failed, or thatit must be
maintained, like despotism, upon the prin-
ciple of mere force. Force must some times
be used. because Governments, likea other
human institutions, are necessarily imper-
feet. If It is assded that these States are
to be held together by mere force, then, we
may give up all hope of enjoying that free
dom which was our boast in former years.
If It was necessary before the war to cul-
tivate good win and avoid sectional Bit
terness and animosity, as both Washington
and jackson earnestly urged in their fare
well addresses to the American people, it
Is a hundred fold more necessary now. We
must forget and forgive. Terrible scars
have been inflicted. tits not by Irritating
these wounds that they can be healed, and
we have restored Union and a prosperous