Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-02-22
COLUMBUS, O., SATURDAY MORNING,

scording to their own Judgment and
(which they admit to be illegal and un-
constitutional by Incorporating it's pro-
visions into an amendment to the Con-
stitution, which has not been adopted,
yet they continue to enforce the act.
/ would charge them with having set
mp the military and rendered it superior
to the civil authority in ten States Of
this Union, by placing in the hands of
officers unknown to our Constitution,
the naked sword supported by bayonets,
to execute the will of frenzisd partisans,
whose only object is to retain power,
though it be at the expense of our sys-
tenn of government. / would charge
them with having partitioned the old
State of Virginia, and erected the bas-
tard called West Virginia. when by the
/ Constitution ''no new State shall be
formed or erected within the Jurisdiction
of any other State;' without the consent
of the Legislature of the State concerned,
as well as the Congress-and Virginia
has not consented, and cannot, for Con-
gress declares there is no such thing as
the State of Virginia; with having sus-
pended legislatures and declaring them
selves invested with power to make laws
regulating the domestic concerns Of
States; with imposing taxes on the peo-
pie of States without their being repre-
sented or having voice in making those
laws; with having created a great null
titude of new Offices at an immense ex-
pense to taxpayers, many of which are
wholly unnecessary
~ I would charge them with hav-
ing thrust upon an unwilling and pro-
testing people in the District of Colum-
bia, the Territories and the Southern
States, negro suffrage, while they them
selves are unwilling to permit it in their
own States. would charge them with the
perpetuation of disunion for three years
after the cessation of hostilities, contra
ry to their most solemn pledges to the
people, and contrary to the idea of the
justice of the war, the prosecution of
which was urged for the sole purpose of
restoring the Union. would charge
them with burdening the people with un-
warranted and unexampled taxation /;
with creating and exempting p'ivi-
legged class; with stealing, plundering
and robbing the treasures, r-plenished
by hard earned and reluctantly paid tax
es of the tax-paying portion of the peo-
pie. would charge them with attempt
ing to strike from our flag ten stars. rep
resenting ten States, yet fraudulently
exhibiting the banner with star for ev-
cry State, and would call upon them to
"haul down the Haunting lie," and again
hang out their true colors; to all Of
which many of them would plead guilty,
and those who would not could be con-
victed before any court having compe-
tent Jurisdiction.
l have no doubt, sir, but there would
be some strange special pleading and
excuses of every imaginable nature of.
fered in mitigation. but none dare expect
wholly to escape.
But out of their own mouths would
we convict them. We would produce
the famous Crittenden resolution of July
1861, we would remind them of Mr.
Lincoln's inaugural, and point them tt
his language when "with malice toward
none, but charity for ALL" he invited the
States to send back their Senators and
and Representatives and resume theil
proper spheres in the Union without ifs
or conditions. We would call their at.
tention to the leading Republican jour
nails of that day who advocated peacea-
Bile dissolution, and affected to abhor q
Union held together by military power
hA ocH cd in NJ ocfn nicl ,or,f
''why should freemen deplore the loss Of
the Union r. and said that, separate
peaceful existences of the sections, are
preferable to Union which is dlssatis-
factory to one, and retards the progress
of the other.' We would cite them to
one of the plans of General Scott, which
was to say, ''wayward sisters depart ir
peace" We would call their attention
to the remarks of Hon. John Sherman
in the House of Representatives in 1861
when in reply to Mr.. Pendleton he said
"He says the army should not be used
to coerce State. If by this he means
that the army should not be used tc
conquer State, to compel her to be rep
resented, to maintain the courts or post
offices within her limits, to burn her
cities or desolate her fields, he is entire
ly correct. l do not believe that any ad
ministration will pursue such policy
And such were the expressed sentiments
of Mr.. Wade and almost every member
of that Congress. We will read to then
from any respectable author on the law
of nations, and convict them of viola
tions of the law, both during and aftel
the war. And then we will hold up tn,
violated, distorted and torn charter o
our liberties. We will show them thai
there are more modes than one by which
the Union may be destroyed; first, BY
peaceful dissolution; second, by seces
sion supported by successful arms; third
by the coercion of seeding States, fol
lowed by unconstitutional "reconstruc
ton" legislation. and fourth, by consoli
dation; that it is being destroyed b,
both of the last named means, which i
far more to be dreaded by the people
than its destruction by either {
the two first. And the reason is too clea
to admit of doubt. Destruction by tn
latter means affects the people of thos
| States which adhered to the Geners
Government during the war, as we
as those who attempted to secede
and whatever of strife, distress, sol
row and oppression, which is certai
to follow, falls upon one section. equal
/ blights the other. We will claiI
that when there is no war, when tn
places and property of the General Go,
ernment are repossessed, when the ol
flag of the Union waves triumphant
and in peace over every foot of the ol
Union, when all are anxious and willin
Il To uiald 70 tha constitutional Gnvar,