The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-01-20
Eighth of January Festival.

made to celebrate the eighth of Janu,
airy in Ashland, a large number of the
Democracy Of the county assembled
at the Town Hall On Friday evening
the 9Th. ca.
The meeting was called to order by
the President DIR. j. P. Cowan, E.
Finger was elected Sec.
On motion it was resolved to form
a permanent organization. The fol-
lowing officers were chosen for the
ensuing year: Pr. Dr.. J.P. Cowan
V. P. I'D. Jones, Sec. w H. Gates.
The following officers from the various
townships: .-5sti
Hanover, v. P. a. ], Scott, Sec.
J. w. Stacher--Green, v. P. w
ICowan, Sec. Paul Oliver-Mifiin, V.
p. DR., n. Buchanan, Sec. II. D.
Ruth-Vermillion, V. p ID. Fox,
Sec. w. Armentrout Lake, V p.
Robert Marks, Sec. G. w. Brubaker
-Mohican, V. p. L. Paulins, Sec.
DIR. J. Cowan-Perry, V. P. j.. T.
Sma:ley, Sec j. P. Van Nest-Jaok-
son, V. P. J. E. Chase, Sec. John
Berry-Orange, V. P. f. Finger,
Sec. W. T. Alberson-Sullivan, V.
P. James Dunlap, Sec. a. S. Reed
Troy, V. P. Jno. Smith, Sec. j. Rick
enbrod-Ruggles, V. P.Roswel Yves
ton, Sec. H. NJ. Critzer-Clearcreek,
v. p. H. Elliot Sec. Jos. McCutchin
Milton, V. p. Scott Nelson, Sec.
Henry Pifer,
The meeting then adjourned to meet
at the Miller House, where, amunif-
e tsupper was prepared for which tie
Host and Hostess of the Miller House
will live long in the memory of all
that were present. After supper the
following toasts were read:
"The Democratic Press" Re
sponded to by w. o. Porter
III. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen :
In a Republic a free and untram-
meled press is the great safeguard of
the liberties of the people. In our
country the Democratic Press has been
the bold and out spoken advocate CT
the liberties of the people, against
monopolies, tyranny and oppression.
1t has been the great sentinel on the
watch towers Of the government, de-
claring that the rights and liberties of
the people must be held sacred and
inviolable. During a period in the
history of the country, not long since
passed, when passion took the place
OF reason, and mobs and thrown into
the streets, and Editors were arrested
and carried be ore a military commits
sion or I-ncarcerated within the walls
of loathsome Bastile the Democratic
Press faltcred not, but took higher
ground, and assumed a holder tone in
opposition to the usurpations ofpower
and the threatenings of tyranny that
pervaded the land. To the noble and
brave men who conducted Democratic
Journals at that time, bolts and bars
had no terror; they felt the mighty
responsibilities that rested upon them,
as the man at the helm of the ship
does when storm and tempest are rag
ing, and clouds and darkness gather
ing. Let us, then, my fellow citizens,
sustain the Democratic Press of our
country, by our sympathy as well as.
by our material aid. We must have
a Democratic Literature, for this is
the sign by which we conquer. The
dissemination of Democratic principles
among the masses, by means Of a free
and interrupted press, will eventual
ly bring the good old ship of State
safe into harbor.
"Our country as the Fathers made
it." Responded to by j. D. Jones.
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gent E.
men: The time was, but no longer
exists, when the people or every state
could with propriety, claim this as our
country. The principles and institu-
tons adopted by our fathers. recog-
nized the equal rights and privileges
of the citizens of each and every state
in the union. And there were no i'm
munities or powers peculiar to the
North, South East or west, but all
e placed on terms of political
equality
The Legislative, the Judiciary and
the Executive departments of u
government, each had their prescrib-
ed duties to perform, and the inter
ference with any of them was never
tolerated by any party, down to the
time of, and including the admins
tration of James Buchanan. It was
left to the present usurpers and revo-
lationists, misnamed, the congress of
the United States, to break down al
most all the safe guards which were
placed in the constitution by our dem
ocratic fathers, for the preservation of
the union and the rights of the states.
We meet this evening to comment
crate the battle of New Orleans
And annually, on the Sth of January,
we thus meet to celebrate the glorious
victory obtained by the immortal
Jackson. and his brave troops on that
memorable occasion. Yet it is not
merely on account of the greatness of
the military character of the old hero,
that we, as democrats has assemble
together, but to General jackson we
would point as a true type and faith
full representative of the democratic
fathers, who lived and governed in
the palmiest days of the republic; for
whether he was engaged in military
or civil strife, in the halls of congress
or as the chief executive ofthe nation I:
whether bat ling with a foreign foe,
or a corrupt money power, the old
Roman, by his in egrity, wisdom and