The Placer herald., 1868-10-03
ANOTHER DISTINGUISHED CONVERT


Gen. Piatt, OF Ohio, Deserts the Radical
and Jsins the DemOcracy..-His Speecl
and his Reasons.
We select tbe following speech from al
Ohio exchange. as good reading for reflect
ing Republicans. We know something
The Pia,t family, being Buckeye ourss'f
and in Ohio on visit when Col. Don Piatt'
first regiment was raised:
A large number of neighbors Of Genera
A. Saunders Piatt repaired to bis residence
at West Liberty,s a. on the evening o
August 18th, and called upon him for I
speech. Gen. Piatt said:
Ny Fellow Democrats and Neighbors:
need not tell you how deeply appreciate
this complimentary demonstration. | feel il
the more from the fact that it gives me an
opportunity to say few things wish to say
publicly. No one knows better than the
strength Of party association. Next to pa
triotism to ones party, aud the ties binding
the last can not be severed without attaching
a certain amount Of blame to the individual
who secedes. One is anxious, therefore, to
| give bis reasons for such severance, and
justify himself if possible, for the course be
takes.
In few words, then, let me say that am
disloyal to the Republican organization bes
cause seek to be patriotic to my Govern
ment. Applause Understand me, at.
tach no blame.wbalever to my late political
associates. believe the great mass to be
honest, earnest and patriotic. and that pa
triotsm they have asserted by their blood
upon all the battlefelds. and their lives in
all the hospitals, Of the war. But it does not
follow on that account that as a party. heat.
ed BY partizan zeal, they a:e not as dangers
Gus to the Republic as the men themselves
they went out to fight.
believe it was the design Of the fathers
10 The formation Of our Government to se'
cure our National independence through the
General Government at Washington, and
rights Of the citizen through the State organi.
cations. need not take your time and
waste my breath iu illustrating, or rather,
demonstrating this fact. No one fact is
clearer to the student of constitutional law
than this. 1t may have been dream Of The
fathers and quite impracticable in execution,
but it was the design, and until it is found
impossible, propose to assist in giving it
life and strength. [Applause.
Long before the late war broke upon US,
the power Of the General Government had
fallen into disuse. The States areogated to
themselves all the power that had before
been delegated 10 the grand Contra Gov
ernment. need refer to only few instan-
ces to demonstrate my meaning. Citizens
of Massachusetts were seized and imprisoned
10 South Carolina for merely exercising the
rights guaranteed by the Constitution Of the
United States. Massachusetts, 10 return, en-
acted laws that equally set at defiance the
rights Of South Carolina under our Constiu.
ton. The right to regulate exchange and
furnish a National currency was usurped by
the States, and our land was flooded with ir'
redeemable trash called paper money, that
enriched few "Shylocks" at the expense Of
the many. Each State bad its code of laws
in antagonism to her sister States, and to
this day you cannot travel through New
Jersey without paying tribute to that State
in direct violation Of the compact under
which the fathers proposed we should live in
peace and good feeling. voice. "D-n
New Jersey!"] That State was not alone 10
blame. We have our own sins to answer
for 10 that direction. Why, my fellow 'citi'
zens, the General Government had fallen 80
low, that when the Mexican war came our
President, instead Of resortiug to the draft,
had to call for volunteers and bumbly solicit
The Governors Of States to furnish him aid in
the support Of our National flag on the field
Of battle.
This sort Of practice and their evil teach
ings continued until they eliminated in Sc.
cession. South Carolina avowed her right,
and appealed to the wager Of battle in it's
support, to withdraw from the Union in the
same way that she had entered the Union.
Ny fellow citizens, and especially my
Democratic friends, when man is asked to
become Samese twin he has an unbouDded
right to refuse. But having consented 10 be
one of Samese twins be cannot sever
ligature without consulting the health and
inclination Of bis brother twin. Laughter
and cheers. South Carolina had the un.
questioned right 10 refuse to enter the Union,
but having become one Of many, her right is
merged 10 the rights Of all, and an attempt
to exercise such privilege Of her own motive
is simply rebellion, or, you will, revolution.
Unfortunately for the country, unfortunate
ly for humanity. the Democratic party was
committed to this grave error. Then it was
l left the Democratic party-I left my moth.
erless children and my individual witnesses,
and went to the field when South Carolina
and her erring sisters had thrown down the
glove and stood armed to the teeth 10 battle
for the wrong. Long and loud applause
l did then what should do again-and in
my last hour, yea, in my dying moments,
believe, feel that shall find consolation in
the remembrance that in the deadly hour Of
my couu,ry's peril stood in the smoke Of
battle, where deadly missiles carried dessola'
tion TO the households, and fought for our
flag and our Government. [ReDewed and
long continued applause.
We were victorious, and flushed with VIC
tory We now swing over to the other ex'