Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-10-25
The Lesson Of the Election.
Remarks of Hon. samuel shell
labarger at Xenia, on Thurs
day Evening, october 11th.

glorification on Thursday night, the 1hh
inst, over tho great victories won at the
polls in the elections in Maine, Vermont,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Iowa.
Hon Samuel Shellabargor made powerful
speech, the main points ofwhich are pre-
sented below:
Mr.. SheNabsrger said that the occasion !
was not one Tor speaking. Its appropriate
ceremonies were what was now going on all
around US. 1iluminations, professions, ton-
fires and the exchange ~ congratulations by
these vast asscmbliges Of the people we're
the only 6t affaIs Of this occasion. For
moment or two, 10 obedience 10 the call of
this vast audience, ,,he would allude to what
are the meanings nf his occasion Of joy and
congratulation From the Atlantic ocean
to the far off Western border of Iowa, the
country Is lii M by torches and tonfires like
yours, betting the continent with gifdle OF
light and the shouts ofthe nation minele
with the light together, proclaiming the
universal JOY ofthe people. If uron an oc.
casion like this there are any Offices at all
! for speech the most natural ones are to in
Guire what mean all these paReants, and
/ what is that thing that has occurred that
/ call them forth. Il il the mere fact that
! political and partisan triumph has been
/ achieved in the election Of Tuesday? as
sure you it is not that. Things Of lar might
| Ter import than nero partisan politics made
/ the dread issues Of Tuesday, und wtre then
disposed Of by the people.
| II was because that the questions we
there tried did in their profound depths,
reach the very foundations Of the Republic
aud affected virtually the life of the Gov
eminent itself that this acclaim Of joy now
goes M from rescued nation.
And what were. or are to he, some OF the
results this triumph Of the people in this
contest just ended? The prophecies Gf this
occasion preclude my doing more than mere
" 10 name some OF them.
One of the results will be that the cleo
tions in PENNSYLVANIA, Ohio, indinna and
Iowa have fixed the character Of the next
Congress OF the United States. Every
Northern State yet to elect had any been
doubtful before, are now as certain to re-
turn, in the great aggregate. to that Con
gress, Union men, as they are to bold their
elections The next Congress therefore is
to be, even beyond the present. against the
perfiiious policy Of the acting President OF
the United States.
Another result il that every Northern
State that has not already done so will elect
; Legislatures that will adopt the pending
constitutional amendments, and these will
be, either speedily or at least ultimately
made part Of the organic irreversible law OF
the Republic. This was fixed by the events
Of Tuesday. ...a
And now contemplate for one moment,
{ what are to be the results Of these determi
, nations by the overwhelming vote Of the
people that they are against the actiul
President. and that they will have these
constitutional Amendments.
First of all that vote decided, with an EN-
phasiS which star,lcs the nation, that, ever
!, 10 Republic, rebellions are not to he mer'
, national games grand sword scenes--i,
which traitors may play at pleasure, with
out hazard or penalty; and from whlci
: they may retire, beaten, to assume, withou
!, the leave Of their outraged government
"a enhanced and more absolute control owe
= that national life which their bafflsd treason
n aimed but failed to destroy by the sport o
war.
: That these beeten traitors should he a
t once permitted TO do this and that rehellio,
should not only he a national game. II
which the vanQui.hcd player should be per
l. mitted to bear off aud hold all the power
and honors due to his victors, is prccisel
what Mr. johnson and his followers demand
cd of this people. You decided on Tuesda
that rebellion even in republics. shonld no
become national sports from which tn
beaten authors of the rebellion should &
u off rewarded with new honors.
g Another thing you doclded-a corrollar
Of the ast-is that rebellion against tn
J. Republic dep,i,cs those who engage. in it c
3 all right to rule 10 that Government who's
a lite they attempt to destroy by open and d.
grant war. You wrote this down, by tn
great act of Tuesday, in the moral and rt
R. litical ethics of this nation, with n pen
iron and point of diamond, so that it Ca
never be put out.
Another thing determined by the peop
on Tuesday, and made irrevcrsible on tn
nations politics and practices is, that it
not al the feet of any President hut at th
feet of the offending nation-the Unite
States-tht people thnt traitors must boy
aud must there. ly producOe evidences
sincere penitence and loyalty, get bac
- Whatever civil aud political rights the o
Tended sovereignty Of the nation may c hoo'
TO and find it safe to give them, They dete
4 mined that Prt sidents hang on the verge
, of the people and not the people on til
verge Of Presidents.
Mt Stll another thing was on Tuesday settle
-. forever This is that, under God, ip tn
i. nation, there can be no Dictator but th
v people. a.
D. You decided that the people make bot
i, the "roicies" and the rulers Of the repu|
y lic You determined that the feather dot
" neither pilot OF play with the storm, but th
20 storm sports with the feather. So tn
:. mighty people. bv u breath, sweeps into fo
T. getfulncss him whom they made and VIII
y attempts their betrayal On Tuesday on
ut breath of the nation blew away forever hil
whom the nation, not knowing, .honored
but whom knowing, is now either forgotte
or only TO be hereafter remembered by th
10 nation as horrid dream Of the night.
o. The affairs Of Tuesday put down oths
re things in the code Of this nations cthi,
ho aud Of its policies In its ethics II WI
On written down that the na,iou's rulers, in
Is lesst their pu'.ic and official relations to II
re nation, shall have good manners; and in i
10 code Of policies il was written down thu
q the chief magistrate Of the nation shall no
ty even by speech OF innuendo or sign, take q
the manners or attitude Of tyrant II W,
In the effect os the late tour Of the actir
President upon Tuesdays elections whiC
gave to them these latter sicuihcations
Ntyf l. =. 4