Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-03-15
Extract from speech OfHOn. 8. Collier,
efMadisoa OOuuEg. IN she LsglSla-
tuFo Sg EE11HoWF1.

In my county there is quite an old
man, who in the earlier days Of his man
hood followed his 'country's hsg Of stars
through the everglades, the sWamps and
morasses, Of Florida, battling against
the hostile Indians Of that county
Severely wounded in 8 fight with the
Indians, he nevertheless stood by the
flag Of his country until it waved in VIC
tory over the last battlefield. After the
war he came and settled in Madison
County. One day there came to his
home . poor orphan boy; without
father, without mother, without
home, without friends, q mere waif
drifting along on the great stream Of
time. The old man gave the outcast
boy shelter and q home, cared for him
as he would for g son.
During the Whirlwind OF excitement
that swept over the country consequent
upon the Camp Jackson massacre, the
boy, then grown TO nearly mans estate,
clipped on, without even the knowledge
OF his more than father, and went to
join the Southern army. Some two or
three years after the old man, one dSy.
saw tOttering towards his house 3 poor,
emsciated, skeletOn.like being, who, as
he approached the old man, extended
his hand and fell from mere exhaustion
70 the ground. The old man raised him
up and recognized his long absent boy.
He bore him into his house, laid him
upon his bed, and administered to all
his wants IS best he could. A few days
after the angel Of death came to bear
the soul Of the unfortunate youth away
to the unknown land. And, as the old
u1.eu stood by the bedside Of his dying
boy Wiping the death dew from his
brow, al Gods holy angels looked down
nom the shining courts Of Heaven, and
smiled their sweet approval Of the
Christian act. When the angel Ofdeath
had born away the spirit of the dead,
the old man went out and dug 3 grave
upon the bank Of the beautiful river,
bore TO it the body OF bis dead boy, and
gently and tenderly placed it in the
earth, never dreaming thst he was do
ing wrong, never thinking be was ViO-
lating the future Constitution Of his
State. And as he smoothed down the
little mound Of earth that covered the
remains Of one once 80 dear, all the
spirits Of the glorious dead, who had
psriBhed in the cause Of mankind look.
ed down from the cloudy mansions Of
their fathers upon the Christian labOrs
OF the old man, and elapt their hands
with joy, while the spirit Of Drake's in
fernsl constitution was shrieking out:
You've got your foot in it old man
You've been giving aid and comfort TO
rebel and you can't vote any more.
And sure enough Mr.. Speaker, Tor this
act Of Christian Charity
And 'Ob for the rarity
OF Christian charity
Under the SUM-
the old man has never been allowed 70 /
vote since, never.
For Obeying the highest, the noblest
impulse Of the human heart, he was
driven like 3 dog from the polls, and /
denied the exercise Of the dearest right
Of an American citizen. Now I appeal /
to every man il this house or out Of &c, /
I care not to what political party be
may belong, 70 lay his hand upon his /
heart and answer me ought not q Con.
ltitutiOn under whose sanction 30 mon
ltrOus, 30 inhuman, 50 unehristian an 1
act could be perpetrRted, be abolished,
wiped out, obliterated and hidden away 1
from the sight Of men, 80 that the
memory thereof should forever perish {?