The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-04-26
COL. MILLIGAN AT HOME.
His Reception by the People
WELCOME SPEECH OF MAYOR
KOCHER.
Colonel Milligan's Reply.
Patriotic Speech by g.. Ill. Reeve.
of Plymouth.
From the TT. Wayne Hemocrat, 18th.


We had hoped to be enabled, in the
Democrat of this evening, to give full
report of the speeches made at the receipt
ion of Col Milligan by his friends at
Huntington, on Thursday last-but the
remarks of Mr.. Coffroth are wanting to
make report of the reception proceedings
complete.
The Mayor, Wm. c. KOcher, Esq, ad.
dressed the Colonel as follows
Col. Milligan: In behalf of your fellow
citizens of Huntington, and | may say, in
behalf of this large assembly of people
collected together from the surrounding
country, Did you welcome once more to
your home, to mingle with your family and
these people who have so long and so well
known you, and who have long since looks
ed upon You as man of eminent legal
ability, a statesman and one who has ever
been true to- The Constitution and love of
his country
On the 4th day of October, 1861, while
at home surrounded by the family you
loved, lying PROSTATE upon a bed of af
Fiction, at the dark hour Of midnight you
were ruthlcssly dragged away from family
and friends and conveyed TO a political
Bastile, where you was confined for months,
without any accusation made against you.
Charges were then preferred. for what
Treason !. Treason to what? Treason, not
against the Government, but that you did
not support an Administration whose prin-
ciples were not in accordance with the
plain and broad teachings of the Constitu-
ton of your country.
Tried by mock court, principally com
posed of drunkards-m who were not
familiar with the first principles of law,
you were condemned to be hanged until
you were dead, dead
Throu III the influence of friends, your
sentence was commuted to Imprisonment
for life. You were conveyed in irons to
the Ohio Penitentiary, where for long
time you, without law occupied a cell dcd-
icatcd alone to fclons.
Your case was brought before the Su-
prcme Court of the United States. After
long and laborious arguments of the most
eminent cousel of the country, a Repu5-
fcan court decided that you had been IL
legally tried and illegally condemned and
sentenced.
To-day your fellow citizens at home and
all good citizens throughout the land look
upon your arrest and imprisonment as
an outrage upon American liberty; dark
spot upon the pages of American his
tory.
You come home to day honorcd and be-
loved. You come to enjoy the society of
friends and neighbors You come to obey
the Constitution and laws. as you have done
during your entire life. This large assem-
bly, of your fellow citizens bear Inc witness
to this fact
While they look upon you to-day, their
hearts are filled with emotions of Joy that
you arc once more among them. enjoying
your liberty and the society of family and
friends.
They know that your actions and your
sentiments in the past, will be guaranteed
for the future. Therefore they honor you,
they trust you.
In their behalf, again | say, thrice wei
come, Col NlilllSan.
To which Col. Mi;ligan responded:
Mr. Mayor Friends and Ncichbors-
and such | know you are. Did my sense
of proprety call for an extended response
to SO imposing reception, L have neither
the physical nor mentalabllity to give it,
but overcome by the spontaneous cnthusi>
asm of the occasion-thc acclamations of
gladncss that greet me = the tears of Joy
that flow from thousands around ne, fill
my bosom with emotions that have no ut,
tcrancc, and can only thank you for so
proud 4 testimonial prize it because it
comes from yon, neighbors, with whom
hare spent the best energies ofmy life, and
from whom never concealed the most SCI
vlct aspiration of my heart. / value it
the more. because it is not the added pas
geant of giddy multitude rendered to a
great name, whose success may have lent
dignity to crime; but it is the untutored
expression Of your convictions that | had
never wrongcd ms country or fellow man
nor did those who clamorcd iondcst for
my oppression, ever suspect me On any
wrong. thank you, and accept it as an
approval of my life as citizen and neigh
Dor, and a proof that it is not the acts Of
others that can degrade man. but that
each must stand upon the basis Of his own
manhood What revolutions i'll govern
ment or society have intervened since my
seclusion know not, but am aud always
have been opposed to revolutions, believing
that seldom is ever have their fruits equal,
led their cost in treasure, blood and moral
retrogression ] thank you, friends and
ncighbors, for this glowing tribute of es>
teen, and | would be the more happy re-
cipient if was sure that through the or
deal ! have just passed my deport>
ment was worthy so fatterng a token.
Your kindness has imposed upon me
obligations that will never be able to
discharge, and must remain unrequittcd,
but to live among you and commingle, as
heretofore. our efforts for the promotion of
the interests of our country and the happi-
ness Of our race, is the highest ambition of
my heart. My friends, must leave you.
There is one [ have not seen yet, who has
wept most for my misfortuucs, but hope
and trust will never have occasion to blush
Il A. .~... n, v,Ln.a .,I..,,,, 4. r,u ,roe