The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1866-01-17

by the most IN trsmmeled freedom Of pub-
lic discussion and printing, because the
people were always able To detect the
sophisms Of disloyalty, and their patriotic
purposes were strengthened rather than
weakened by seeing the whole force OIL
the enemy they had to meet, Among
the safeguards Of our Liberties aud guar.
antees Of the permanence Of our institu
tons, I reckon our school system. the
very chef. Blind and devoted love Of
country may exist under a despotism, it
ignorance be the muther Of a %supersti.
tions or childish attachment; but liberty
and republicanism eau be built on no
other solid foundation than intelligence
in the whole mass Of the people. A wise
self.interest is made the basis Of all sci
entifc political economy, and when q
whole people have learned to estimate
that interest tuly, tesides living their
country dearly, you have ground for
faith in the stability Of their Government,
such as can be got in no other way. II
is because of the general conviction that
our common schools may be made to Sc
cure this result, that there is an equally
general belief that no money used for
public purposes is so well invested as that
which supports our school system.
No statement of our condition and our
duties would be complete which did no.
speak ofthe debt we owe 10 the sad array
[almost an army in itself Of the MANNED
and disabled heroes to whom tho return
Of peace brings no bright prospect for
their W future. The dead may be
supposed to look down in glory and in
pride upon the work they have aecom.
plished by shedding their blood, and our
memory Of them becomes rather exultant
than painful but these sick and crippled
ones are condemned to look upon the gen.
cral prosperity and joy, feeling bittarly
that their lives must be deprived Of
nearly everything which health and vigor
would have secured them. If we should
give them cause to think that their couu.
try is ungrateful, we would double
their misery and be ourselaes unfaithful
to one of the most solemn duties which
con be imposed upon us More than
eight thousand disabled Ohio soldiers arc
already upon the rolls Of the National
Pension Bureau. The pittance which
the General Government can give them
will not save them from want, How can
we best do the remainder Of oar duty to
ward them. A beginning has already
been made in the temporary establish.
ment of a State Soldiers Home, but it il
manifest that it will provide for q very
small part Of those who have good claim
upon US, if indeed any system of congre.
eating the pensioners in permanent asy
lums can accomplish the desired end.
believe the people are ready to do theil
whole duty in this matter, and will ex.
pect those whom they have intrusted with
the legislative power to provide adequate.
ly by law the est practical system far dis.
charging this great debt Of honor. Thi'
disposition on their part has been mani.
f,sted not only in the noble aud gener.
Gus private contributions through socie.
ties and commissions, by which the com
fort of our soldiers in the field and the
efficiency Of our military hospitals were
wonderfully increased, but The same spir.
it has prompted numerous local monu.
nients to our dead, and will, I trust, grow
into Some permanent memorial on behalf
Of the State at large, in keeping with the
dignity Of our position and with the depth
OF our feeling.
In these as well as in other ways, the
late war has brought great burdens upon
our State, but in prosperity has been
such that they have been borne without
impoverishing our people or strainiug the
public resources. Our State debt has
been diminished during this very period
of commotion, and such has been the
thrift Of the community and the success
of business enterprise, hat we see on
every hand the evidences Of accumula.
ting wealth. Ohio, "thC frst-born of the
ordinance Of 1887" has been true to the
principles Of that great act Of statesman
ship, which dedicated the northwestern
territory to freedom and free labor, and
now more than ever before is realizing
the benefits Of tho wisdom which then
laurched her upon a career Of unexam
pied growth under the auspices Of reli.
gion, intelligence and freedom.
A different policy, based upon a false
and unjust syst IN of labor, has brought
forth its matured fruit of rebellion, fol.
lowed by desolalion and ruin. God grant
that the Lesson so sternly taught by ex
perience may be wisely learned by all,
and that the return to the right path may
everywhere speedily result in such a.
bounding happiness ana we'll being that
passed strifes and suffcrings may DO for
in the universal joy.
! j. D. COX.