Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1867-04-06
General Garfield in Gnneotiellt,

Gen, Garfield at the urgent solicitation of
Connecticut Republicans spent few days of the
campaign, which closed on Monday last. in
that State speaking at different points The
following is from special report in them. Y
Tribune
The generals presence was hailed with
great enthusia m. He commenced by
saving that he did not feel that his pres
ence there required any apology; for, in
every New-England State, as well as in
his own State of Ohio, the, National ques-
tions of the day were the living questions
of the hour, and certainly in the present
issue in Connecticut, the most vital ques
tions were of national character We
have triumphed in the war; we must
triumphed now and always, until the
great work Of regeneration is completed.
He congratulated his hearers upon their
excellent choice Col Demming as their
candidate for that District in Congress
and then quoted from the speech which
had been made by Mr.. Hubbard, there
in that very hall, a few days before. Mr..
Hubbard said that one-half of the States
causlessly & cruelty endeayored to break
up the Union, and inaugurated a fruit
lessly cruel war; and in this the speaker
was very happy to oagree with him. Every
body else in the Union party would be
happy to agree in such sweeping de-
nunciation. The Democratic party had
not admitted it one year ago; and he
was glad to see their advancement in the
right direction. He also agreed with
Mr. Hubbard when the latter thanked
God that the cursed system of American
Slavery had been utterly and forever
oyerthrown in this country through the
progress ofthe war for the Union. After
such admissions, it would seem almost i'm
possible that the speaker sho'd differwith
him who gave them Inference in any
portion of his speech; but he was sur
prised to see that the second portion of
that speech was made in another spirit
and for another purpose. Now that the
war is over, it behooyes us to take up
the good work where the war left it off.
There never was war worthy of the,
name which was not battle of ideas.
Take ou rown Revolutionary struggle, in
which King George was possessed of the
idea that he had the Divine right of being
our King, appointing our Governors for
us, and making our laws. But the peo-
pie in these New-England States contend
ed that they alone had the right to make
their laws and govern themselves; and
Tor seven wears every American gun was
loaded to the muzzle with ideas, until at
last we were free. Cheers] The last
was likewise a war of ideas. There
werestwe champions on each side. The
first rebel champion was Slavery-the
idea that slavery was Divine institution
that they possessed the Divine right
of holding portion OF their men in bon
dage. Their second champion was State
Soyereignty-the idea that each State
was sovereign in itself-that every man
owned his allegiance to his State first and
TO the Union afterward. We also sent
out two champions. The first was Liber-
ty. the second was the Union. Great
applaus.1 Against Slavery we arrayed llb-
erty. against Secession, Union. We fought
the war through, and our champions killed
theirs. [Applaus.] We claimed that to the
conquerors belong the spols., lCheersl
During the last three years the whole
struggle has been to bury the dead bod,
les Of the slain champions, Slavery and
Secession. [Applaus.] The speaker wish
ed to make legal argument. The gentle
man he had before quoted says; "f the
Rebellion is not over, the act OF recon N
struction is constitutional and just; {; If the
Rebellion is over, then the act of recon.
struction is not constitutional and just.
By such modes of argument, it would
be as lust to say that if he had a debt to
nav it. wo uld be constitutional to levy
taxes. but otherwise not. To quote Mr..
Hubbard further: There can be no such
State as a Rebel State; A man can
commit treason, but State cannot: there
fore all acts of Congress for reconstruct
ion of the Rebel States are unconstltution,
al and uniust,'' Gen. Garfield remarked
that with equal justice the crime OF mur-
der could be excused, And lf,he met a
man in the streets who had just commit
ed murder, and that man should say 70 MN
! have not committed murder, Tor the