The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-01-12


these provisions affordi Will any man
pretend itl How does it prevent re-
currence of secession by the States that
the rule of representation in Congress
is changed, or that Congress defines and
protects the rights of the people The
Democratic party has always main
tained the rights of the States as essen
tial TO the maintenance of the Union.
The great founder of our organization
and apostle of our creed, Thomas Jefter-
son. proclaimed it in his first inaugural
address. The supremacy of the Consti-
tuition and all laws made in pursuance
thereof; the reservation of all powers
not granted to Congress-these are the
essential elements Of our faith, and to
these we have adhered with unfaltering
fidelity. -,
Shall we adhere to them still, or shall
we now abandon them for the pronereo
experiment of consolidation a,
We are in the midst of revolution.
Radical ideas carried into execution by
lawless means-the anchorage OF puDhc
opinion everywhere giving way-our
opponents in power in the States ana In
Congress; and everywhere using that
power to subvert the Constitution, TO
exclude States from their representa-
ton, to break up their social system, to
foment discord and disorder in their
communities, and to impair their mate
rial prosperity, and now they gracious
| ly propose to cease this abuse of power
| if the States both North and South will
consent to their own degradation. am
a citizen and native of Ohio. l speak
to Ohio men, whose first duty Is to care
for the interests of their State and her
people. And speaking TINS, consider
ing only the influence on our own State
and its institutions, / say it is our duty,
even if the kingdoms of the earth were
offered at that price, to say, as was sand
to the tempter of old, "Get thee behind
me, Satan.h Let us stand fast to our
| integrity at every hazard-let us hold
on to the sound doctrine as delivered to
us by the fathers. 1t is the ark OF our
safety-it is the only hope of republican
Governmental is tho only bulwark
against despOtism.
/ do not conceal from myself that we
have been defeated and that we may be
defeated again. Yet l look with hope
| to the future. The President is firm IN
his position, and decided in his action.
The Supreme Court of the United
States, true at last to its ancient fame,
true to the purposes of its creation,
rising above the dictates of passion,
above the behests of Iarty, has vlndl-.
Gated in noble terms the integrity OF
the Constitution. 1t has pronounced
the doom of military commissions for
the trial of citizens, and set the seal OF
its rcprobation upon the base preteXt
of military necessity.
At the elections last fall the Demo
cratic party pollcd 100000 votes out
of4, ,OO0, 900. A change of fifty votes in
thousand-of fifty thousand in mil
| lion-less than six per cent.-would
have given us majority OF the popular
vote.
In Pennsylvania, New York and In
diana, casting seventy-two votes III The
electoral college and 100000 votes by
the people, we were defeated less than
A. 1000 A change of less than one and Il
half Der cent.-of less than fifteen III 4
thousand-would have given us ma
ioritv. In eleven States of the Union,
excluding entirely the Southern States,
a change of 81, 900 votes on the result OF
last fall will, in 1868, elect President
and majority in Congress-. ,
Is there cause for dependency here !
! Is there not, on the contrary, every rea-
son to hope Was ever great battle
fought with less disparity of numbers !
Let him that is timid remember how
the cavalry of Charles Martel, "fghting
with heartsifrm as ramparts, and with
iron arms" received and conquered the
hosts of the Saracen. Let him remcn-
Der that Cressy and AgHcourt are gio-
rious because valor and constancy made
ND for numbers. Let him remember
that John Sobicski with fifty thousand
soldiers rescued ChristendOm, under the
wall of Vienna, from the grasp of 3OO-
coo Turks. Let him remember the
pride and pomp of the Spanish Armada
and its speedy and inglorious end. Let
him remember the retreats and defeats
and disasters which befel Washington,
and the crowning glories of Yorktown.
And if he needs further encouragement,
let him remember against what odds OF
numbers Jackson saved New Orleans.
Patience and fortitude and vigor are
as necessary for success in politics rs in
war. And what shall the Southern
States do in their extremity l have
said that am speaking as an Ohio man
to Ohio men of their duty to their own
State and people. i would not dictate,
nor urge. nor even advise Others. They
must follow the dictates of their Judg-
mcnts and consciences. But if / might
be pernitted to say what lies near my
heart, it would be this: Let the South
crn States be passive and patient. They
took up arms-they were deteatcd-they
surrendered That surrender involves
the necessity of faithful obedience to
the Constitution and the laws. That
faithful obedience entities them to the
rights and liberties guaranteed by the
Constitution and the laws. Thcv may
be powerless to secure these rights and
liberties. They may be subjected by
the strong arm to oppression and wrong.
But they can decline to advise change
of the Constitution; they can refuse to
consent to the creation of despotism;
thev can refuse to do voluntarily that
which their Judgment rejects and their
feeling detests they can maintain their
honor and self-respect; they can at least
decline to be the facile instruments of
their own degradation. And they can
bear the consequences of this course.
They may be deprived ofrepresentation;
they may even be reduced to terri
torial condition. This is no easy task;
it will not be lightly undertaken; it
will not be easily executed. Difficult
ties will arise ut every step. 1t is so
bold usurpation of power, involving
so many interests both of the people
and the States of the North; so revo-
lutionary and disorganizing, so tia-
grantly at war with every provision
and theory of tie Constitution, that it
will scarcely be possible to execute 1t
fully. We shall resist II by every means
known to the Constitution. But if the
attempt should he made successfully,
this too being opposed by superior
force they can bear. Let them
oppose it by the passive re-
sistance of mastery inactivity; let
them repair their shattered fortunes;
let them reconstruct their industrial
system let them WOO prosperity and
wealth; let their fields whiten with cot
ton, and their plantations yield their
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