Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-08-09
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IFrom the Cincinnati Commercial u
q q s r e e G II

IFrom the Cincinnati Commercial1
- S r e e G II - "
N.RUFUSP. RANNEY
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MANaEI ED. OHIO.
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FELLow- CIT1zENs-I appear before you
to-day by the appointment of the Demo-
cratic State Central Committee. for the pur-
pose of calling your attention to some few
of the absorbing considerations which do.
or ought to, occupy the public mind in re-
spect to the condition of our common
country. / shall not be able to allude to
one it2t 4 hundred, scarcely, of the questions
which may rightfully engage your, atten7
tion and yoar thoughts. Neither my time
nor your patience would enable me to do
so.1s. The questions which it is necessary to
submit to. the consideration of American
citizens at this, time differ most materially
from those that we wereaccustomed to pre-
sent in years gone by. There was 9 time in
ed the voters, when each OF these great
parties professed themselves to be bound
inexaraUly bound by the Constitution of
this country aud by those great principles
of civil liberty which underlie the struct=
ure of cur institutions. That time, alas, has
gone by. We now are presented with
questions that are5entifely fundamental
A great party in this country has taken
upon itself the business of overtnrning the
Constitution of the country, and it remains
for American citizens to say whether they
shall, be successful In the effort they MAKE
or Whether American citizens will bring
back the Administration of the Govern
ment to those principles which guided our
fathers who framed it. The issues now
Presented to the country are all fundament-
a1.sF They all lie at the very foundation of
all idea of civil government, and hence
their vast Importance. They are not ques-
tions of policy, merely as TO how the Gov
ernment should be administered within the
limits of the Constitution, within tie ac-
knowledged pale of civil liberty. They
are questions which it is vital for the
American people to decide rightly upon.
rsltIwss my fortune. in 1853, to be desig-
mated as the Standard bearer of the great
, Democratic party of that day, upon the
ticket Of that year, for the office of Cover
nor j spoke in many places throughout
che State, and. without being prophet or
the son of q prophet,.I saw or thought
Eawl then, and so expressed myself, the
danger, that we were floating into great
civil war. T. could not help seeing that
crinfnation and recrimination from the
different sections of the Union, the excite
ment of passion and prejudice that was
every where engendered-I could not help
seeing that in very few years it would
probably terminate in civil discerd. What
were my apprehensions then have become
history now. We have passed through q
great civil war, and the duties that now
present themselves are those OF considering
In what manner best to repair the country
and again to put it on its career of pros
perity as iI existed before this civil war
shall therefore call your attention to
those considerations which, in my judg-
menT,sitis is indispensable for you TO con-
slider in respect to the present and future
As to the past, any further than an expert
ence of the past may throw light in the
present and the future. shall let it alone
Let the dead bury their dead. 1t is enough
that we have great duties and responsible.
fties upon as now. 1t is enough that these
are overwhelming in their character, and
country to devote his whole thoughts and
energies to consider and act in the way
filstSshaII advance the prosperity of the
country in the future. i express to you
to-day the candid opinion which enter.
tain, which all the facts around me seem tC
compel me to entertain, that at this very
inoment of time the best interests of ouI
e6tinfry, civil liberty and constitutional
government. are all imperilled by the party
In power, and unless check Is put on
tfieif career. BY the voters In these States
Tfeel entirely assured that all these great
Interests will, at an early day, be entirely
6verthrewn.s / may be wrong about this
hut believe am right, and If i am right
what stake has every American citizen
In the great questions now presented to THE
country What Is the, corrective? 10
what way may this be stopped? There il
but one way known to me. You need moi
look to the South for help in this emergen-
GY,s LIS poweriess, to afford any help
Yen must look to yourselves, and say te
youcandidly. as my solemn Judgment, thai
unless the voters of these great States, ex.
tending from New York to the Mississippi
river New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, In
diana and Illinois, arrest, and arrest speed.
ily, the mad course of the party they have
placed in power, that all your great inter
tests are in. danger of overthrow. sE
This, as matter of course, must depend
in very large degree upon the candid ac-
.tiea of that class of men who have been &C,
customed TO act with what is denominateC
the Republican party. When the whole
thing is reduced to a. point, itsimply come'
.to tlis,o whether all the members of thai
party will continue to stand by the act
and doings and mad career of the presen
Congress Of the United States and othel
authorities of this State and nation. AS
matter of course, the old Democratic party
will be found where it always has been
hVith It's shoulder to the wheel, helping OF
the ncar of liberty. [Applausel] But i
4nusthave accessions. lWeh-meaning mel
pfl1he opposition must investigate and de
eide for themselves, under the fearful re
spopsibility that a wrong decision will in
sfic5 ihnumefable injuries upon the eoun
,try,- They. must decide for themselye
what course In conscience and patriotism
they, are TO pursue for the future; am, b.
no means, sanguine, my fellow -citizens, O
the result Of the trial in which we are nov
engaged. / do not feel sanguine, because
when things are brought to single issH
upop the disqualification Of the great Amer
lean people, / do not know whether il
time to save those things that are dear t.
us, enoagh of them will be CONVINCED =
bring the country into the ways of righ
and safety, or. not. i have no belief wnel
the liberties of the country are once over
turned and constitutional rights tramplel
Under foot, that it Is going to be any cas-
matter TO reintegrate the country, If ma
use the expression, and restore it to tn
acknowledgement Of those principles Q
liberty and Justice upon which its pros
-perity depends. All history seems to poir
1.-THE other way, and If you will go back t
the record of other free governments tror
lcne earliest Time, as lllustrated In history
eyOu will lind that when liberty is once los
aris lost forever When free institution
in, any country, have been successful
foyerthrown,i they are overthrown
rise no more.issGo back to thee fri
efforts of popular governments n'ths
we fBHd recorded lin, history
Look at Greece in her prime and then loo
at Ler in her decline. Look at Rome in he
prIdes in the best days of the Republic, an
look at her in the decline and fall. Look
the Netherlands. They made another yer
successful practical attempt to institut
free government. After combating wit