Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-01-27
Speech of the New Senator from
California;.


At the time of the nomination of Eugene
Casserly by the Democratic Caucus at Sac
ramento, that gentleman was called out,
and spoke as follows:
MR.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THIS
BoDY: 1t will be readily understood that
my heart is too full to say much in refer
ence to this most unmerited and eminent
honor which you have bestowed upon me,
as we'll AS to the cordial and hearty greet
ing which you have just extended to me.
can only say tnat it will be my life-long
hope, desire and ambition to discharge, to
the very utmost of my poor abilities, the
duties of the great trust which your vote
this night to be ratified by a regular and
official act OF the legislative bodies to-mor-
row, has imposed upon me. All men who
have any just conception OF the magnitude
of this high Office must receive it, l think,
as do this night, with diffidence, not un-
mingled with painful sense of my ut-
worthiness, and yet with an unfaltering
trust in Divine Providence, as well as in
the Justice and the cordial appreciation of
you, my fellow Democrats, representing
the regenerated Democratic party of the
State of California. Loud applause.] My
views 1 have already taken occasion to
make known to you, very imperfectly,
upon a former occasion. shall add moth
| ing to what was then said, except to reit-
crate my firm, unwavering adherence to
every principle then expressed. l shall
| hope at not remote day to stand in the
Senate of the United States, an advocate
the least, perhaps, in ability of any there,
! but among the very foremost for earnest
ness and heartfelt sincerity of purpose-an
advocate of the Constitution, and the laws
! of the United States made in accordance
Herewith, of the rights of the States, and
of the rights of the people of the States, and
particularly of the people OF those States
in the South now grOaning under the most
| frightful, ignoble and revolving bondage
ever imposed upon, free people. Tire
mendous applause.l Against that great
wrong l shall hope to stand, ever and al
ways, if not in the front rank, still steady
| in the line of its opponents, and of the de-
| tenders of constitutional rights, of the
true institutions of American liberty. APP
plausc.l No prouder task than that can
| ever fail to the lot of man, for man is never
so noble as when he stands up for the rights,
| for the liberties, and for the protection of
a trampled and mnch wronged minority,
| against unreasoning, cruel and revolving
might. GApplause.l And whether stand
with few or with many, with much favor.
or against great opposition. shall always
stand there, hope, never to be moved
| by fear or favor from the task
which I have imposed upon myself by
your consent and sIiffrages, gentlemen,
| this night from doing all that in me lies to
| press to speedy and immediate, unc0ndi-
| tional liberation of that people from the
bondage which have described, and their
restoration to unity, to the totality OF their
constitutional rights as States in the Union.
| llApplause.l Let me say, gentlemen, that
/ shall hope to do my duty for the cause
and for the State OF California; wherever
your banner is there will / be-. Where
! the press is thickest, and the strife is hot
test, | shall hope to raise my weak
arm in defense of the right against the
blow dealt by the wrong; and, above and
before all things, in the restoration of that
large and important portion of the Amer
lean Union to its rights in the Union un-
der the Constitution, and any other portion
of the Union, without jot or little of
condemnation or abatement. Applause.
1 thank Won. gentlemen, from the very
bottom of my heart, for the action on your
part which has brought me to stand here
before you to-nighr, deeply impressed by
the magnitude of your favor and the trust
to which you have called one 80 unworthy
as feel myself to be. Applause.]
WHILE there are-eighty one more schools
in Ireland than last year. the number OF
scholars has decreased by eleven thousand,
owing to emigration and the prejudices ex-
cited by the disposition to teach govern
ment views in religious and political mat
tiers: hence parents keep their children at
home. and when they can do SO, give them
private instruction.