Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-07-06
and wirh common language. common in

and with commOn language, common in
terests, and common government;ra gov
lernu1ent founded on the sacred principles
lof Hberty.-and administered in the spirit
that laid its foundations gt.t1
Such phenomenon the world has never
yet seen; but who shall therefore say that
it is Impossible? Our Republic is now;
this day, phenomenon There have been
| republics before, but they were far differ
tent- from ours Men have sought before to
establish and 'perpetuate free government,
but how different from ours were the con-
ditions under which they made, the at
temprs? Trp Lo tF8l ItLfiG
When our Government was formed, the
statesmen of Europe thought that its
founders were attempting impossibilities.
Had any one of those statesmen been then
told that in less than a century that infant
Lrepublic in the wilderness of America
would become one of the first powers of
the earth, unsurpassed in the arts of peace
and of war, unsurpassed in the education,
Intelligence, industry, energy and material
and mental progress, of its people. strong
enough to successfully resist foreign ag-
gression and to put down internal revolt,
he would have simply replied, -"Impossi-
BILE ~ Had he been then told that the time
would shortly come when every adult
Prussian could read and write, aud that
soon after that the newly-born kingdom,
founded by the little margrave of Bran
denhurg, would gather under its flag more
than forty millions of the people, he would
have again replied. -'Impossiblei" ,,s 4,
Had he been then told that before the
year 1867. all Italy, except the States of the
church, would be united under one scepter,
welded by descendant of a mere duke of
Savoy, he would once more have exclaimed,
"Impossible.'' And yet these things have
come to pass; and why, then, may not our
future, of which have spoken, also come
to pass? Grant that the human race has
never been able to realize SO grand concep-
tion; that does not prove that its realization
is impossible. Grant that all schemes of
universal conquest and dominion have ever
tailed; the plain answer is that they were
new schemes OF conquest and dominion.
Between such schemes, whose means of
accomplishments were injustice, violence,
rapine and bloodshed, and our hopes of ag-
grandiZement by the natural and peaceful
growth of the Republic, under free institu-
tions. Just laws, wise administration, and
proper regard for the rights of other na-
tions, there IS not the least similarity.
Grant that it is not the design of Provi-
-dence to confer upon any nation the domin-
ion of the worlo; the answer is, that we as
pire to no such dominion. Grant that no
scheme of Government has yet proved eff
fectual to rule so extensive country and
so numerous a people as we are likely to
have; the answer is that the attempt has
never been made under circumstances like
ours, nor is it philosophical to assume that
while all other arts and sciences are pro-
gressive, the science of Government has
reached its ultimate development.
Let us, then, my fellow citizens, habitu-
ally hope for the best; let us fOndly cherish
the idea of one country and one destiny;
and whatever new trials we may have to
encounter, let our motto be, never despair
of the Republic. But on the other hand,
let us not be blind to the dangers that beset
us; let us not forget that all permanent
blessings are the fruits of virtue and eXer-
tion; and never, under any circumstances,
let Us suffer presumptuous confidence to
cause US to forget the teachings of the past,
or make us Indifferent to the principles and
safeguards of liberty.
Less than acentuary ago. the question was.
often and anxiously asked: us man capable
OF selt-government?" Our forefathers an
swered it, so far as their own race was con-
cerned, by the adoption of the Constitu-
tions under which we have lived and pros
pered. In my Judgment they answered it
wisely and we'll. / have nothing to say at
this time, as to the capacity of any other
race in this particular. A discussion of
that subject would, under existing circum-
stances, be inappropriate to this occasion.
But so far as regards the white race of
America, the history of our country fully
vindicates, L think, the establishment and
republican government
among them. In the first place, iE is to be OBJ
served that no people have ever been SO well
for self-government as the white
race that now inhabits the United States
The first colonists came mostly from Eng
land; country in which an absolute mon
archy, at least in theory, has never existed;
and they brought with them the great ideas
of representative government, official re-,
sponsibility, free elections, trial by Jury,
habeas corpus and the supremacy of
the civil power. Very soon they were fol-
lowed by other Englishmen and
large numbers of the Irish and
Scotch all -imbued with the same ideas
and all anxious to extend their influence
and give them greater application. The
next considerable body of colonists were
from the Republic of Holland, then the
freest country in the world, and which had
proved its devotion to freedom and inde-
pendenee by sacrifices, sufferings, valor
and fortitude, that have seldom been
equalled and never surpassed, in the annals
of mankind. Nothing was more natural
than that these colonists, from whatever
they came, should seek in the
land of their adoption, then a wilderness
unstained by despotism, and removed more
than 5000 miles from the monarchies of the
old world, to put in practice those ideas of
free government so natural to man and
which, however they may. be trodden un-
der foot, are, in the very nature of things,
of extinction. Speaking of this
purpose, an, able historian says:
+" Determined, however, to enjoy in the
new world those blessings and advantages
of which they were deprived in the old, no
hardships discouraged, no dangers appalled,
them; and here, by divine assistance, they
laid the foundation OF those happy forms
of government. and these valuable iDstitu-
Of txyl oh nd
by their posterity," .-.- q
The truth of this remark is verified by
our whole colonial history. Whole vol
umes are filled with the proofs of it; some
of which it may be instructive as well as
to refer to. .--.., Q .r.asI =.
Thus, as early as March, 1641, the people
of Rhode Island unanimously declared that
their government was a democracy, or
popular government, and that the power
was in the body of the fTeemen, orderly
assembled, or the major part of them, to
make or constitute just laws, by which
they should be regulated, and to depute
from among them such ministers as should
earlier date, the Maryland charter required
the ''advice, assent and appreciation of the
reater part of their freemen or deputies"
70 all laws enacted in that colony and this
assent, when the colonists were few in
number and could easily assemble, was
given directly by themselves; and when
they became too numerous for that, by
House of Representatives elected by them.
A like provision is found in the charter
Of the Carolinas.
The Constitution framed by VIM. Penn
orT Pennsylvania, was submitted to and
ldopted by the settlers who accompanied
lim to America. 1t provided for Gov
,rnor, Provincial Council and General AS
embly, and required the fundamental laws
If the Province t.tO he read every wear aft
he opening of the council and assembly,
,r courts ofJiustice, and their assent to the
anne to be testified by their standing up
.fter the reading thereof" And it SOL