Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-08-06
Cam the Ohio State journal De
- tend Iiself?

Cam the Ohio State journal De
a 4 - fend Iiself?
The Ohio State ournal seems to think that
we have executed 'sa splendid flank move
ment upon" the ssspious and proverbially
consistent" Cincinnati Commercial in pain
fully exposing its rear rank or rebellion
record, and it leaves that "clever journal
to defend its exposed position" "as best it
can." gE = F4 tt3 4
Evidently, the Journal does not suppose
that the Commercial can make any defense
of its rebellion record" If this ''rebel-
lion record" of the Commercial is indefen-
sible, how about the Journals srebellion1
record ?"
In an issue in November, the Ohio State
Journal devoted an editorial to the discus
sion of the question: SIS the American
Union Mythf?" In this editorial the Jour
nal used this language: Il os ~ ~; - Z q n
"Provision was made to let States into
the ;Confederacy but no OBLIGATION Is I'M
posed, binding States to remain in the u MON,
nor po,oer gi0e1s directly to any constituted du-
thority TO CoERcE THEM INTO OBEDIENCE in
case they eoish quietly to aotrd,o fto the fam
iii circle, = The object of the Ameri-
can, Union is to provide for the common
defense, general welfare, &c.,rIt is so
stated in the preamble TO the Constitution.
Sentative of all the States. 1t Is not gem
uine Federal. centralized power. Now, If
any State or States aoisb to renoinlce the bene-
tfts of this general protection. HOW CAN THEY
BE OoMPELLED 10 CONTINUE THE RECIPIENTS
OF lsucH pYANTAGEs? The Cotton States
are not rebeuipg against the Federal aathort-
ties, nor naiAyytng any particular a1dso. :. They
compact. TO, COERCE THEM TO RE
M AIN Ga IN u THE UNION & BY THE
FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT, Is To- ENTIRELY
CHANGE THE NATURE0 FEDERAL
AUTHORITY" t4asas g4So4l
Was this discouraging Secession or Re-
bellion? The Journal had contributed to
the election of Mr.. LINCOLN, and few
days after that election, it told the South
ern people that they had a right-a clear,
absolute, positive right-to withdraw from
the Union, if they elected to do so, and
that there was no power vested in the Fed
eral Government to- compel them by force
of arms to, remain in the Union. They
were furthermoretold that in seeking togo
out Of the Union,s they were not en-
barking In Rebellion-that they were not
"nullifying any particular general Jaw "
that they were free from the odiumH or Re-
bellion or Nullification-they were simply
seeking to- be e released from the Union
compact" IT then patted the Southern
people on. the back, and blandly told them,
through an elaborate argument, to go on
with their Secession movement, that there
was no danger of their being interfered
with by United States troops.s1 30 9}ssao 10
Will you tell us that this was not giving
potential aid to the cause of Secession in
its incipiency ,.-,.,a. w. IT ~
| The journal was not satisfied with this
simply, but it wanted South Carolina kick
ed out of the Union. In an editorial pub
lished in the journal on the 18th Of Novem-
Der, 1S60 it used this language: -
awe begin tolhaIe serious apprehensions
that the aoretched little oligarchy of South Car
olila intends to remain In the Union after all
her threats of secession.B *.Es*v We regret
this, and zoe haze to propose as means of
avoiding ngfutureapnoyance,F EXRUL-
Sion @0FA H1GAROLINA FROM
TIL AMERICAN UNION. The
body which has the power to admit State
into the Union has the power to expel a
State, and WE HOPE THAT OUR MEMBERS MAY
BE INSTRUCTED TO ACT PROMPTLY IN THIS
MATTER. TX 3t* South Cdrolir,d does not
noao aoant to secede. LET Us ExPEL HER."
What defense have you, Mr.. Ohio State
Journal, to make to- all this? Was it. not
language like this in the, Republican pa
pers, from after the Presidential election in
1860 until in April, 1861, that helped pre-
cipitate upon the country the late war, and
did not the Republican press, to avert at
tention from their great criminality' in the
matter, espeuse the War and cry down ey-
erybody who was not quick to go into the
army at their bidding, as tributary to and
sympathetic with Secession? oi5o1 .sH., saF q 4