Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1866-03-14
@uua 9GIitifaI gtaAing.
ADDRESS
OF THE
Democratic Members Of the Ohtc
Legislature,
TO THE PEOPLE OF OHIO.
CoIUMBUs, March 6, 1865

To THE PEOPLE or ONO The un-
dersigned Members of the General As
sembIy Of the State of Ohio, being in the
minority in that body, and having no ad-
equate means for an expression upon the
present condition of public affairs, ofici-
ally, deem it not improper to submit the
following through less oBstructed chan
nel-the public press
Public events Of great importance have
recently transpired. Happily, for the
people and the perpetuity Of the Union,
the war had been brought to a termina-
ton. The great mass of the Southern
people soon restored order, and com
menced reviving their civil organizations.
They voted and elected Legislatures
which repealed the ordinances of seces-
sion. The elected State and other officers.
They repealed the clauses of their State
Constitutions in regard to slavery, and
adopted an amendment to the Constitu-
ton of the United States forever prohibit
ing their system of servitude. The peo-
pie of every State in the South, except
Texas, and she was taking like action,
had organized their State Governments.
In official or corporate capacity, these
States stood in the same relation to the
Federal Government as the States of the
North. The rebellion ceased to exist
The Constitution became and was opera
tive in the whole Union. Nor we're the
authorities of the Federal Government
inactive. The armies were gradually
withdrawn. Excepting the arrest of a
! few persons, the people Of the South
we're left undisturbed, and were encour-
aged in the work demanded by the Con-
stitution. The action of their State Leg
! islatures was recognized by the Federal
authorities as legally essential and bind
| ing. Their States were recognized as
States in the Union, and their people as
citizens. Taxes were laid and collected
off them, and the burdens imposed by
the Constitution we're acknowledged and
borne. The whole people Of the South
we're struggling to bury their suferiDgs
and calamities, and had. heartily, yielded
themselves up to full allegiance to the
Government Of the United States. Under
these circumstances, and as a still further
evidence of total Reputation of every
other Government, they elected persons
to represent them in Congress: This
was the crowning duty imposed by the
Constitution. This alone remained to
/ be done to bring each Southern State
| fully into its old constitutional orbit
The South fully accepted all the consti-
tutional obligations.
Candor and patriotism require that the
causes of public events should be fairly
probed. The causes of the war are at
work yet, though the war has ceased, and
are more active and provocative of their
inevitable consequences, by reason of
war.engendered passions. a cohsiderate
view of the past establishes the fact that
two Radical extremes brought on the
conhiet-that the war was provoked
Abolitionism in the North, which openly
avowed its purpose and for thirty years
was the asI-sidnt, was met by spirit
hostile to it. The latter was broken in
the name Of the Union but the former
remains bloated and ferocious with the
blood of its rival. The President Of the
United States lately, said " On this
matter the extremists Of both sections
while pursuing different means, laboret
steadily to the accomplishment of the
same end-the destruction of the Union
So far as the dissolution Of the Union il
concerned one is as bad as the other
When the rebellion is put down and VI
find a party for consolidation and con
E centration, it is the same spirit as rebel
lion, and leads to the same end-destrue
! tion of the Government" The assailinl
! spirit of AbolitiOnism yet survives
Nourished into immense proportions anC
= intensity by the influences of the war
aggregated in its strength by causes
foreign to its nature, and erazed by it
mower. without reasoning as TO its Owl
, elementary formation, it vainly imagine'
= itself superior to the Constitution. Hav
5 inc. as il claimed, fought for the Union
3 it is now engaged in systematic scheme
to prevent a Union. Can those who de
precated the disunion fanatieism of tn
Abolition party, before the war, sustain
- 1t now, Win IndI IdudIlOIoA UuaDo1S'
E? and enlarged its destructive purposes
n Sectional, political and financial ambi
ton and cupidity were the motives ant
causes of our civil troubles. and the sue
oessful faction has reaped wealth an,
power. The masses of the people hav
never been known to profit by civil dis
order, by violations of their Fundamental
law. or usurpation. Constitutional order
! while atal to sectional aggrandizement
u is full Of blessings to the people. 5
s must be a speedy recovery from publ
: disorder. To restore the South to th
. Union endangers the power of the leader
i and restores equality. To govern tn
j South as conquered people and terri
S tory, subserves the purposes Of ambitio
t and cupidity, but ruins the people. Th
llsaders in power are of the old Abolition
party, devoted to agitation, supremac
and monopoly. They are the yulture
Of the late public calamity. They d
not bfopose to surrender the advgntag
Gained under oovsr Of tbs war, though
0 lie al the expense Of the overthrow Of th
e Constitution. Their sole purpose an
: interest seems to be to prey Upon th
), Southern States. To do this they mul
! ! likewise prey upon the whole North
: The machinery necessary K. .accomplis
the frst, results in the other.