Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-03-01

prieeQ Win Jtlo ufllD OF tnelI pnlOeOpuy,
coming from the society they did. give
them as find them in the Ne,0 York Times,
where they were reported. Yon may be as
much surprised at hearing such ideas IRON
Mr.. Beecher as was, but however much
we may differ from him on many questions,
and on many questions connected with this
subject, vet all must admit him to rank
among the master-spirits OF the age, and
s no one perhaps has contributed more by
power ofhis pen and verse In bringing about
the present state OF things than he has
YET, et,neyertheless, ] commend to your con-
sideration, as pertinent to my present OBJ
iect, what he was reported TO have said' as
follows:
In our land and time facts and questions
are pressed upon US which demand Chris
tian supplement. On this ground and doc
trine we cannot escape the responsibility.
Mr.. Stephens quoted what he said OF the
stale Of things when he spoke In the State
OF New York, and the fearful antagonism
of classes That Is, said he. much more APP
piicable to us here. Only two great classes
exist, but these are deeply marked by dis
tinctions bearing the impress OF nature
The one Is now, beyond all question, great
lysnperior to the other, Those classes are
as distinct as races of men can be-. One is
of the highest type of humanity, the other
of the superior is to protect, to aid, to en-
courage and help the inferior. fully and
cordially indorse, and commend to you as
quite as applicable to us and our situation
asitwas TO his auditors. Whether the doc
trine, n carried out and practiced, will set
tie an the most troublesome home ques-
tions with us, and easily as he seemed to
think, would like home questions with those
whom he was addressing, will not under
take TO say. T tHt .r i
have no hesitancy, however, In saying
that the general principles pronounced by
him are good. Let them be adopted by us
as far as practicable. No harm can come
from 1t, much good may. Whether the
great barrier of races which the Creator has
placed between this our inferior class aud
ourselves, shall prevent 10 success OF the
experiment now on trial of a peaceful, hap
py and prosperous community, composed
OF such elements and sustaining present re-
lations towards each other. or even fur
ther elevation on the part OF the inferior II
they prove themselves fit for 1t, let the iu-
ture, under the dispensation of Providence,
decide. We have to deal with the present.
Let us do our duty now, leaving results and
ultimate consequences to that divinity
which shapes our ends, rough hew them
how we will" In all things on this sub
iect as all others, let our guide be the un-
enyiable motto of our State. Let our coun-
sells be governed by wisdom, our measures
by moderation, and our principles by JUS
tice. io lIwri.- .s. q
80 much for what have to say on this
occasion touching our present duties OH
this absorbing subject, and some of our du-
ties in reference to a restoration Of peace
and order, without which all must sooner
or later result In confusion and anarchy and
despotism. have, as l said | should, only
to glance at some general ideas now as to
the future prospect before US. On this
branch of the subject can add but little.
You can form an idea of my views OF that
from what has already been said. Would
that could say something cheerful, but
that candor which has marked all that |
have said compels me to say that to me the
future is far from being bright. Nay, it is
dark and impenetrable; thick gloom cur
tains and closes in the horizon all around
us. This much | can say, my only
hope is in the peaceful re-establishment
of good government and its peaceful
maintenance afterward; and further, the
most hopeful prospect to this age now, is
the restoration of the old Union, and with
it the speedy return of fraternal feeling
throughout its length and breadth. These
results depend upon the people themselves,
upon the people of the North quite as much
as the South, upon their virtue, intelligence
and patriotism; but for this | should have
long since despaired. Dark aud gloomy
as che present hour is, do not yet despair |
ofJffee institutions; but let the virtue, in
telligenee and patriotism OF the people |
throughout the whole country be properly |
appealed to, aroused and brought into ac-
tion, and allim vet be well. The masses |
everywhere are alike equally interested in
the great object. Let old issues, old ques-
tions, old differences, and old feuds be re-
garded as fossils of another epoch. They
belong to what will hereafter be considered
the Silurian period of our history.
Great news aud living questions are be-
fore US. Let It not be said of us in this |
day, not yet passed, of our country's trial
and agony, that there was a.party for Cesar,
and a party for Pompey, and party tor Bru-
tus, but no party for Rome, but all patriots
bVwhatever distinction heretofore styled, |
rally In all elections, everywhere, to the |
support of him, be he whom he may, who
bears the standard with Constitution en-
blazoned on its folds. President johnson |
is now, in my Judgment. the chiet great
standard bearer of these principles, and In |
his efforts at restoration should receive the |
cordial support of every well-wisher of his
country In this consists really my only
hopes Should he be sustained, and the
Government be restored to its former fun,-
tions. ali bhe States brought back TO their |
practical relations under the Constitution, |
our situation will be greatly changed from |
what IL was before. a radical and funda- |
mental change, as has been stated, has been |
"a that organic law. We shall have lost |
what was known as our peculiar institu- |
ton, which so intertwined with the whole |
framework of our State body politic.. We |
shall have lost nearly half the accumulated
capital of a century, but shall have still LEFT
the essential of tree government contained
and embodied In the old Constitution, un-
touched and unimpalred, as they came from
the hands Of our fathers.
with these, even If we had to begin en-
tirely anew, the prospect before us would |
be much more encouraging than the pros
pect before them when they fled from the |
expressions Of the old world and sought
shelter and homes in this then wilderness
land. The liberties we begin with they
had to achieve. With the same energies
and virtues they displayed, we have much
more to cheer us than they had. With
climate unrivalled in salubrity, with a soil |
unsurpassed in fertility, and with products
uneoualed in value in the markets of the |
world, to say nothing Of mineral resources,
we shall have much still to wed US to the
good old land, with good government, the
matrfx from which alone springs all great
human achievements; we shall lack nothing
but our own proper exertions, not only TO
recover our former prosperity, but to at
tain amuch higher degree Of development