Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-03-10
MARCH 10, 1868.
Answer-Colonel Moore expected to

Answer-Colonel Moore expected t.
see me Sunday morning.
Question-What led him to expec
you2
Answer-He addressed me note the
day previous, saying he desired to see
me; that he would call upon me in per.
son, but that he was very much occupied
His object in sending for me, however
was upon an entirely different matter.
By Mr.. Bingham as..
Question-Did the President say any
thing to you whatever about the War
department. matter, or the Secretary OF
War, that morning?
Answer-No, sir. Colonel Moore
sent for me in regard to personal mat
ter concerning myself
Sir, this testimony requires neither
analysis nor answer, for it at once an
swers and explains itself, and shows how
wicked and absurd is this inexcusable
persecution of the Chief Magistrate of
the Republic. Sir, the country needs
repose, not agitation. From every
quarter we hear the cries of distress and
loud complaints against our tardy action
in giving relief to the people. In every
journal we read of large meetings Of
manufacturers protesting against our
most odious and corrupt ,spstem of col
Letting the public revenues; of meetings
of the people demanding equality Of
taxation and that a stop be put to the
prohigate expenditure of the peoples
money; and the mails are burdened with
pamphlets suggesting remedies for the
coming financial crisis, which civil con-
vulsion would at once precipitate into a
condition of general bankruptcy and
ruin. Sir, | do not charge, and would
regret to believe, that civil war is con-
templated by the leaders of the Republi
can party, and yet there are just grounds
for serious apprehension. The very air
is filled with rumors of the proposed
movements of "the Grand Army of the
Republic" and the Governors of the
great States of Pennsylvania, Illinois,
and Missouri have telegraphed that "the
spirit of 1861 seems again to be aroused;"
that ''troops are rapidly rendering their
services to sustain the laws"
Sir. it was upon the pretense of sus-
tanning the laws that the first Napoleon,
by the aid of a grand army of the repub-
lie, which was the title of the revolution
airy army of France, built his imperial
throne on the ruins of the free institutions
OF that country. 1t was upon the pre-
tense of advancing the cause of human
liberty that the third Napoleon became
member of the French Assembly, then
Prince-president, and finally, by the aid
OF the troops of another grand army of
the republic, "who rendered their servi-
ces to sustain the laws" the tyrant was
enabled to plant his heel upon the necks
of the French people. It was as the
pretended champion of freedom that
Cromwell became Protector +" of Eng
land; and it was in the name of liberty
that the free citizens of Rome were re-
duced to servitude.
Sir, to what are all these dangers, all
these evils to be attributed To the
madness OF party spirit to the stupid
blindness of partisan zeal. Party has
usurped the place of country; and to
be an active partisan is esteemed to be
more honorable than to be an unselfsh
patriot. A life and death issue has been
Joined between party and country and
II the Republican party survives, our
liberties perish. The whole question is
with the people. If they have still suf-
fcient public virtue to remember with
affection the free institutions which form
erly secured their rights, they cannot be
enslaved. But if deaf to the cries of out
ragged liberty, if blind to the monstrous
wrongs which are being daily commit
ted, then, indeed, they are slaves now,
and they will not be kept long in wait
ing for the manacles which are already
forged.
Sir, the day for the Republican party
to do good to the country has long gone
by, and its, existence in the future can
only be productive of evil. Thousands
of good and true men are within its ranks,
and if they will but obey the silent
monitor which ever whispers to them
that their party leaders are not longer
to be trusted, their country, our COM
mon country, will yet be saved.
against itself cannot stand. How is it
with the Republican house2 At deadly
war within itself. The President elected
by the Republican party impeached by
the party which placed him in power.
The Supreme Court of the United
States, majority of whose judges
were appointed by President Lin
coin, is held in contempt, and spo-
ken of in terms of derision by those who
are to-day the leaders, if not the
acknowledged masters of the Republi-
can party. Thus, sir, we have the re-
markable spectacle of President, a
Congress and a Supreme Cout, all
placed in power by the Republican par
ty and all at war with each other. Is it |
not evident that our institutions can only |
be rescued by the wise, fearless and
prompt action of the people. If in their
hearts love of country and the sacred
love of liberty have deeper and a
firmer hold than the love of party, then
will the union of the States be restored,
and peace, prosperity and goodwill once
more smile upon our battle-scarred land.
But if we, as people, have become SO
venal and degenerate as to prefer being
the mere serfs of party masters rather
than enjoy the rights of selfgovernment
as freemen, then, indeed, we are already
lost.