Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-04-26

demand. Neither NaLlOnal unity, nor the |
suppression ofthe rebellion, nor the main
tainance of the, Union. nor the abolition of
slavery, nor negro suffrage, nor equality, of /
political and social rights, nor the exclusion /
of white men from the ballot, nor confisca-
tion, nor corruption of blood, will for one |
instant exhaust their restless activity.
!" For it is a law which knows no excep-
tion, that the leaders of revolution are con-
stantly advancing before the fires which |
they themselves have lighted. The mo-
ment they pause, they are enveloped in the
flo mes" - i-,.- 60. = ,..,+., |
And this same orator told us that in ad-
dition to the loss of the Farmer Republic,
we would incur debt which would add
two hours each day to the labor of every
working man in the country; and that the
gain should be considered ample cOmpen-
sation for this TOLL. What was the gain
The abolition of negro slavery at the South.
For this cOnsnmmation they were to per-
form and suffer all things; for this the Con-
stitution was to be subverted, the Bible was
TO be re- written, a new God was to be en-
Slavery has perished all history tells us
that it can not be re-established in these
ages in this country. 1t is our bounden
duty to recognize this great social change;
to ameliorate whatever evils may be incl
dent to. 1t, and, SO far as possible, to prepare
the freedmen for the discharge of the new
duties which are being deyolved upon
them. But, gentlemen, if this revolution
is to go on, and the present system of gov
ernment is to be continued, then has our
liberty perished with it; and we have re-
allied the prediction OF profound thinker
and q brilliant writer, who, twenty years
ago, predicted that it would be written over
the grave of our political institutions:
:" Here lies people, who, in order to give
freedom to three millions of Africans, de-
stroyed their own liberty"
1 do not say these things with pleasure.
The errors of our countrymen-the misfor-
tunes of our country-are not the fit sub
JectS OF hippant comment, or of partiZan
and acrimonious criticisms. have avoided
harsh epithets and the imputation OF i'm
proper motives. L know personally many
of the leaders OF this revolution. l respect
their intelligence-their pure lives-their
sincere love of country. They themselves
would have stood aghast, five years ago, at
the work they have wrought. They did
not intend to go so far, but, stimulated by
the length and severity of the military
struggle, stimulated by the ardor of more
Jealous or less honest spirits, stimulated by
the popularity of extreme measures, they
have reached conclusions of which they did
not dream.
They have obeyed the inevitable law. 1
would not unkindly criticise them. have
purpoSely avoided personal cont oversV. i
have with design refused to enter the field
of mere party strife. L have avoided an
expression of opinion as to the merits of any
one of the great measures of administra-
tion which divide our people. Power to
adopt them all resides some where in our
system either in the State or Federal Gov
ernment. Opinions will differ as to their
wisdom. The attainment OF the result is
only a matter of eXpediency. Their adop-
tiOn or rejection would not affect the sys-
tenn of Government. And L did not wish
to divert your attention from the fact that
a great revolution in the framework of
Government has been accomplished, by any
discussion of the wisdom of particular en-
actments or of the desirablene<s of the ends
which they propose to attain. l have,
| therefore, spoken only of the tendencies of
great movements, and illustrated them by
the general effect of measures of legisla-
ton. -s,i Hr =Ft .iE.H'2
| And have dwelt on these so long only
that might ask you whether we have in
deed lost the Farmer Republic forever Did
the apostle of Radicalism read the pOrtents
| Alright? ' t5 E
l. cannot certainly answer. All historyis
! written tor our instruction: 1ttells us that
| liberty lost is with difficulty regained !; that
constitutional'law once dragged to the dust
by the passions of men is rarely again rails
ed to govern them in the same generation
that when violence and arbitrary arrests
and destruction of the press, and disregard
/
dice or passion of the people, once destroy
the pure appreciation OF the value and safe
guards of liberty, it is difficult to restore it,
even as it is difficult to restore the face of
| beauty when it is Scared, or to revive the
lustrous purity OF innocence when it is de-
fled bas tHHH-r -n
Mr.. Webster, years ago, had occasion to
discuss the same subject, and with that
pomp and splendor of diction which mark
| ed all his political addresses, he said: G
"Other misfortunes may be borne, or
their effects overcome. If war should
sweep our commerce form the ocean, an
other generation may renew it; if it ex-
haust our treasury, future industry may
replenish it; if it itdesolate and lay waste
our fields, still, under new cultivation,
they will grow green again, and ripen to
| future harveStS. 1t were but trit1e, even,
it the walls of yonder capitol were to
crumble, lifts lofty pillars should fall,and its
gorgeous decorations be covered by the
dust OF the valley. -.- ..-..
''All these, might be rebuilt. But who
shall reconstruct the fabric of demolished
| Government Who shall rear again tue
well proportioned columns of Constitution
al liberty? Who shall frame together the
skillful architecture which unites National
Sovereignty with State Rights, individual
security and public prosperity? Now, il
these columns shall fall, they will be reared
not again. Like the Coliseum and the
ParthenOn, they will be destined to mel
ancholy, mournful immortality, Bitterer
tears, however, will flow over them than
were ever shed on the monuments of the
Roman or Grecian Art for they will be the
| remnants of more glorious edltlce than
Greece or Rome ever saw-the editice OF
Constitutional American Liberty"
Gentlemen, feel the force of these words
1 know that others feel them more deeply
perhaps, than L. L see among many good
men tendency to despair. L see among
my own friends-those who agree with me
generally OH public a1fairs-a disposition
to give up all for lost. They have lost
hope, they have lost courage-their de-
spondency counselS inaction. The news
papers, the public speeches, but, above all
the private conversations Indicate this feel
ing. Gentlemen, L do not sympathze with
it. have high hopes for the future. l see
the dangers which are before us. L see
long and weary way. l see long and eX-
hausCing struggle in which success will
vary from the one side to the other. l dc
not conceal tor myself that it may be a
struggle of the sword. Many of US may
90 down with harness on in the midst OF
the fight, but hope fills my heart, and the
magnitude of the prize nerves my arm.
| have painted to you our progress, from
a republic to a consolidated Imperialism.
painted it purposely in dark, though truth
tul cOlors, that you might see thatl under
stand the magnitude of the revolution and
the imminence of our dangers; and that
you might the better bear my eXhOrtation
to hope and courage and activity. The
highest virtue is not to despair OF the Re-
public.
i L sympathiZe with every progressive
movement in the interest of humanity. i
will not blindly cling to the prejudices OIL
traditions of the past when they stand in
the way of useful reform. 1 will not, in
any sense, be conservative of error, or re.
iect truth because of prepossession, or yielC
my credence to the dogma that the limit o.
human progress has been attained. Gov.