Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-02-25
Meeting or the Friends Of the Con.
80 - af1fu lfOm.

Meeting or the Friends Of the Con.
CIhc stltulfon. g
Pursuant to public notice, large meet
ing of the Friends of the Constitution as
sembled last evening, Monday. February
"a, at Thurman Hall.
On motion of w. R. Rankin, Hon. John
NJ. Pugh was elected President. -.
On motion of John G. Thompson, s. E.
Kile and j. J. Funston were elected Secre-
taries. e,,-.s, .,,ssi
On motion Vice President was appoint
ed from eachaward, consisting of the fol-
lowing named gentlemen: -
1st Ward, Josiah Bull I'd Ward, John
A. Sarber; Sd Ward, Thomas Sparrow |;
Jacob Reinhard 9th Ward, Conrad Born /;
7th Ward, o. P. Hines; Sth Ward, James
G. Bull 9th Ward, S. w. Andrews; Mont
gomery township, G. s. Innis.
On motion the following committee on
Resolutions were appointed:
w. r. Rankin, r. P. L. Baber, j. G..
Thompson, j. e Groom, g. w. Meeker, u.
s. Innis, s. w. Andrews.
~ The capacity of Thurman Hall not being
sufficient to hold anything like the meet
ing assembled, motion was made by some
one that the meeting adjourn to the Rotun-
da Of the Capitol, which motion prevailed,
and about one-half of the meeting. ad-
journed to that place. The meeting was
addressed by Hon. John F. Follett and Gem
eral Ball in speeches distinguished by abil-
ity and good temper. -
Hon. w. r. Rankin, from the committee
on Resolutions, then submitted the follow
ing report, which was unanimously adopt
ed: esl s--
WHEREAS. The body calling itself the
Congress of the United States, by series
of unwise and fanatlcal enactments, hav-
ing for their object the humiliation and
y degradation of the white and the elevation
of the black race, and the perpetuation in
power of q dangerous and corrupt political
organization; and
WHEREAS, These enactmepts are design
: ed by their authors to subvert the prOvis-
ions OF the Constitution of the United
States, blot out the Executive and Judicial
Departments of the Government, break
. down and destroy the restraining influence
of these Departments upon the Nasty, ILL
1 considered or corrupt action of the Federal
Legislature, aud to grasp, usurp and exer-
else, arbitrarily and despotically, by the
Congress. all the powers vested, by the
Constitution, in the different and co-equal
branches of the Government; and
WHEREAS, These iniquities, persisted in
until the financial interests and industrial
energies of the American people are de-
pressed and paralyzed to a degree unknown
before in our history, are reaching beyond
the endurance of patient and long-suffer-
ing public, and arousing their worst fears
for the life of the nation: and
WHEREAS, The indications OF the hour
point to a deliberate purpose. on the part
of the reckless and desperate adventures
at Washington City claiming to be the
Congress, to impeach and hurl from power
the President of the United States, upon the
shameless pretext that he has been guilty
of high crimes and misdemeanOrs In at
= tempting to fill his Cabinet and bring into
his own choice, and in accord with his own
views-a power exercised without question
or dispute by all his predecessors in that
exalted position; and
WHEREAS, 1t being further the avowed
purpose of these enemies of the public
peace to depose and remove the Executive
of the nation upon mere accusation, and
without the ceremony OF trial, and Illegally
thrust into his place coarse, vulgar and
inveterate foe of the liberties of the white
people of the country; and
- WHEREAS, These things tend inevitably
either to the overthrow oftheGorernmentO OF
our fathers. or to a conflict of arms to pre-
Resolued, That we, the people of Franklin
county, Ohio, who yet regard the American
Union, and reverence the Constitution OF
the United States, which is the sign aud the
seal thereof, while deprecating and deplor-
ing every act on the part of men in public
lite calculated to precipitate the country
into strife and bloodshed, cannot shut our
eyes to the fact that the destruction of our
liberties would be a calamity, greater even,
than the horrors of armed conflict.
Resolued, That we hereby call upon the
President of the United States to resist, to
the utmost, the attempts now making by
the majority in the so-called Congress to
usurp and WELD the entire powers of the
government. and to subject the liberties Ol
b the people to unrestrained Congressional
oespOtism, and hereby pledge to him our
united, cordial and earnest support therein,
by whatever means, through whatever
sacrifices, and to whatever extent peo-
pie, jealous of their rights and careful ol
their liberties, may be called upon to 60.
Resolred, That the chairman of this meet
ing forward to President johnson a copy
OF the preamble and resolutions now sub
mitted. Ee
After the adoption of the resolutions, E
T. DELANY and Colonel r. P. l.. BABEF
addressed the meeting with their usua
billty.