Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-01-09


tives of men. They must reflect by their
action, those principles upon which our
| fathers based the structure of our Govern
nient ard which have constituted the bea-
con guide of the statesmen of The Republic
| duftAg its existence. Men are mortali
Principles are cternal Men pass away
/ with their generation! Principles will de-
| telimne the action aud underie the happi-
ness and welfare Of generations to be born
in The remote future. ~
One of the most beautiful legends in our
literature, is the story of the "Sacred
Flame" of the Fire wOrshipers. That de-
voted people had been subjected to the
most grlevOus persecution on account OF
their religious faith. Their priests had
been murdered; their temples destroyed;
their villages consulned; their population
| scattered and their country desolated, but
the "Holy Fire" the sacred embodiment
of their religion, around the altar of which
they had been accustomed to offer an
earnest though idolatrOus Worship still
sent its bright red light heavenward and
glared in derision OF the jealous, though
| Intellectual efforts of the sacriligioHs van
dals who sought to extinguish it. Discom-
| fitted and dismayed, the terrified despoiler
| fled from the scenes which had witnessed
his cruelty and oppression, and the plum
dered and scattered people, with q arenewed
| devotion and love intensified by grati-
tude. again gathered around their Fire
| Godn and offered sacrifice and thanksgiv-
ing to the great principle which had prer
served them. ia,s fa.gtl- -stinH tgs
Principle has preserved the Democratic
party, and, / trust, will yet save the nation.
During the terrible years of our minority,
with our organization crushed under the
heel Of unbridled power, the principles ofthe
Constitution have been burning as brightly
and defiantly amid the general gloom, as
the brilliant flame of the Fire worshiper's
God lit up the desOlation ofitsdevotees, and
served as a beacon of hope to its oppressed
vOtaries. They have been trOdden under
the foot of unlicensed despotism; they have
been temporarily obscured by the flimsy
trumpery and gilded tinsel OF military
power; they have been crushed under the
ponderous wheel of military necessity;
they have been discarded by a acorrupt judi
ciary; their votaries have been arrested,
imprisoned, exiled and assassinated, but the
clear, steady rays of Constitutional truth
penetrating through every Obscurement, IL
iumined the path of the Democratic party,
aud it has walked fearlessly and undevi-
atingly therein. lf .t- r.
The powers of fanaticism are still COM
bined to queneh our sacred flame, nbutthe
principles of our Constitution will live
when their assailants are forgotten, and the
host of Democracy now emerging from the
Red sea of persecution will enjoy the bless
ings of our rejavenated Republic, after the
legiOn,Of demagogues, leeches and plunder-
ers are buried In the angry waves OF return
ing reason. ir .a uo.Jin Hii lIB s.T..
Sir the sentiment proposed enuneiates
truth. The Democratic members of this
General Assembly twill prove worthy Of
the high trust reposed in thCm.n They will
represent the men and measures of the
party faithfully. fearlessly and pEudently,
and so shape their conduct as to advance
the public good through the success of
Democratic principles. Although Dumeri-s
cally weak, constituting scarcely third of
either branch, they are intrinsieally strong
in their impregnable policy and their eaTn-
est faith in its ultimate triumph, and will
not only successfully repel all the assaults
of faDatieal and unbridled majority, but
may, like Sampson In the temple OF the
Philistines, assume the offensive, and upset
the pillars Of their corrupt thi cries and
unsOund doctrines and tumbl ie entire
mass of false reasoning upon cir devoted
heads. or irp a..-. ........
IA. EiucdtiOa-When narrow and perverted. it
serves the uses of tyranny; when broad and en-
lightene1. it is the chief support of Democracy.
Responded to as follows; by
.... 5.,.- Hon. VIM. Lang. ,...I..
Mr.. President:-This toast carries within
itself the argument. Priestcraft aud king
craft working hand in hand. having for ages
combined in prescribing limits to the mind,
succeeded well in crushing the knowledge
in man that he is capable Of self-govern-
ment -futE .n
Manhood crushed, is easily conquered
and easily governed. And have we not
very strong proof in our own land, that
this diversion of education results in evil?
This narrow and diverted course pursued
by a certain class of tutors, has resulted in
fraternal war, and endangered and yet en-
dangers the life of the Republic. One of
these fellows, in full jonathan costume,
came to the West and opened school in
small town with sign over the door Of
which this (Eddakashun teecht hear is a
fac siuile. lam told that he and all his kith
and kin of teachers have found employment
in the Freedmen's Bureau Department. "A
-Lilnited, circumscribed and contracted
education destroys love of country and
consciousness in man of his rights. Then
tyrauts may with impunlty exert their
sway. IG sits man up in judgment over
the affairs of his neighbor to dictate to
him how he shall act and move and print
and read and speak; makes him an inqulsi
tor, violent and relentless in his persecution,
and cruel in his punishments. lie regards
the principlesOf free government as mimi
cal to his dogmas he persuades himself to
believe that his vices are virtues, and he
thanks God that he is not as wicked as
other men. Wild in his fanatic zeal,
he torgets dignity and self-respeet,
loses sight of the claims of his race, and
10Th peculiar nasal sound, advocates the
equality aud amalgamatiOn of che races.
Here you have a full blown Purition of
the fanatic school. .lY 5Ili Tii,f> Eaol n
Broad and enlightened education, the
true basis Of Democracy, must be stripped
of this pharisaical paraphernalia. Guided
by the golden rule of eternal truth and
Justice, It approaches, enters and employs
Science as q means to elevate and ennoble
human nature antlto make the highest orr
der.of humanity properly TO be enjoyed in
common by the masses of che people. Here
man feels and knows himself master otlthe
situation; a sovereign in the fullest sense
Of the term. Here all classes and distinc.
tions of society have passed away, and the
rich and the poor, the high and the low
stand equal before the law, while men In
power ARE simply the peoples servants.
Penal statutes become useless, the doors
open and the prisoner goes free.O This man
becomes self-rellant; he thinks andreasohs
for himself on all subjects, and is noloDger
In need of mental guardianship or con-
science-keepers. Then, and not till then,
will man enjoy that liberty which leaves
him entire master Of his own conduct in all
relations of life, excepting only where the
public good may require restraint. A peo-
aI fh e. and oIIies,f a 70 alona n