Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1866-01-12

people capable Of weighing and deciding upon
grave arguments Of right and of policy in the
greatest excitement The Government APP
pealed to them as men able to comprehend any
arguments of State policy, and the steady 10y
atty of the people and their perseyering sup
port of the national cause was in direct proper
ton to the intelligence and education of diff
ferent States or communities. | will even go
further, and declare my belief that outside of
the immediate theatre of hostile operations,
the Government never lost anything by the
most untrammeled freedom of public 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
of the enemy they had to meet. Among the
safeguards of our liberties and guarantees of
the permanence of our Institutions / reckon
our school system the very chief. Blind and
devoted love of country may exist under des-
potism, if Ignorance be the mother of a SUPER
stitious or blind attachment; but liberty and
repubiicanism can be built on no other found
alton than intelligence in the whole mass Of
the people A wise self interest is made the
basis of all scientific political economy, and
when a whole people have learned TO estimate
that interest truly, besides loving their coun-
try dearly, you have ground for faith in the
stability of their government, such as can be
got in no other way. 1t is because of the gen.
eral conviction that our common schools may
be made to secure 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. r1s
& No statement of our condition and our duties
would be complete which did not speak of the
debt We owe to the sad array (almost an army
in itself of the MANNED and disabled he, oes to
whom the return of peace brings no bright
prospect for their own future. The dead may
be supposed to look down in glory and in pride
upon the work they have accomplished by
shedding their blood, and our memory of them
becomes rather exultant than painful; but
these sick and crippled ones are compelled to
look on the general prosperity and joy, feeling
bitterly that their lives must be deprived of
nearly everything which health and vigor
would have secured them. five should give
them cause to think their country is ungrateful,
we shall double their misery and be ourselves
unfaithful to one of the most solemn duties
which can be imposed upon us. More than
eight thousand disabled Ohio soldiers are al
ready upon the rolls of the national pension bu-
reau. The pittance which the Generel Gov
ernment can give them will not save them
from want. How can we best do the remain
der of our duty toward them? A beginning
has already been made in the temporary estab-
lshment of State Soldiers Home, but it is
manifest that it will provide for but very
small part of those who have good claim upon
us, if indeed any system of congregating the
pensioners in permanent asylums can accom-
plish the desired end. believe the people are
ready to do their whole duty in this matter, and
will expect those whom they have entrusted
with the Legislative power to provide adequate
ly by law the best practicable system for dis
charging this great debt of honor. This dispo-
sitiou on their part has been manifested not on
ly in the noble and generous private contribu-
tions through societies and commissions, by
which the comfort of our soldiers in the field
and the efficiency of our military hospitals were
wonderfully increased, but the same spirit has
prompted numerous local monuments to our
dead, and will, l trust, grow into some perma-
nent 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 his brought great burdens upon
our State, but its prosperity has been such
that they have been borne without impov-
erishing our people or straining the pub
lie resources. Our State debt has been
diminished during this very period of COM
motion, and such has been the thrift of the
community and the success Of business. en-
terprise, that we see on every hand the
evidences of accumulating wealth. Ohio,
''the first-born of the ordinance of 1881"
has been true to the principles of that great
act of craftsmanship, which dedicated the
northwestern territory to freedom and free
labor and now more than ever before is
the benefits of the wisdom which
then launched her upon career of unex-
ampled growth under the auspices Of re-
fgion, intelligence and freedom.
A different policy, based upon false
and unjust system of labor, has brought
forth its natural fruit of rebellion, follow
ed by DISSOLUTION and ruin. God grant
that the lesson so sternly taught by expe-
rience may be wisely learned by all, and
that the return to the right path may every
where speedily result in such abounding
happiness and well-being that past strifes
and sufferings may be forgotten in the uni
Versal joy!