The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1875-10-07

within fourteen miles, they are not in
striking distance. Why, Sheridan was
twenty miles away on a memorable oc-
casion, and yet he reached the field in
time to turn back the tide OF battle, and
rescue victory from the jaws of defeat.
These troops, then, were practically with
in striking distance, while there were
also troops at Chillicothe and at Cincin-
natl. The newspapers of the day were
filled with news of the movement of
troops and the shipment of ammunition
from your State Arsena! to Athens and
Nelsonville. Looking about to ascertain
the situation, and taking in the proba-
bic results OF this controversy, they saw,
to their utter astonishment and horror,
muskets to the right of them, muskets to
the left of them, and muskets in front of
them, ready to vollev and thunder And
all this without any authority of law,
without any crime having been commit
ted, without any overt act, while the
process of the courts was being enforced.
Every action taken was for mere dem
onstration, a mere threat, a mere men
ace, mere backing up of the demand of
the operators. And it would have been
much better if the Governor of the State,
IN answer to this resolution, had said he
did call out the troops and sent them
down there upon representations he be-
lieved were just, though there was no
violence, no mob, no resistance to civil
authority. When these colored men
came there they did not come unarmed,
nor did they come with single army re-
volver or rifle as private citizen, but
with muskets bearing the imprint of the
Government upon them, and ammuni-
tion furnished from the Arsenal of the
Nation and State, and there were lines
Of otaIO = Il
citing in front of the town of Nelsonville
Tor more than a week. marching up and
down, and the tramp, tramp, tramp of
the new men was chilling the hearts of
the miners of the Hooking Valley.
| Mr.. Baker of Perry would like to
ask the gentleman from Athens Mr..
| Grosvenorl a question.
The Chair-Will the gentleman from
Athens yield?
Mr.. Grosvenor-Oh, yes; certainly
Mr.. Baker-I would like to ask if the
gentleman ever visited any of the color
ed people and delivered them an grafton
Mr.. Grosvenor-Not these, but others.
l suppose | have several times, and
| would do it again, because, with all due
Difference, many of them are quite as in
telligent as the gentleman from Perry
Laughter. l propose to do it again,
DNNeNASO
will always do so whenever l promise to
do So l would like to know if my
friend from Perry would join me in a
mission of that kind. Laughter.
l was going on to say, Mr.. Speaker,
that there is this further fact in connec-
tion with this whole transaction: While
it is true that the company of troops at
Athens never left the town; while it is true
that the company at Chillicothe and the
one at Cincinnati never left their armo-
ries, it is equally true, as shown by this
record, that the representative OF the
| Governor of this State, was on the
ground at the town of Nelsonville for
days when the colored men acted as SOL
diers, assuming to be soldiers, armed as
soldiers with the weapons of soldiers, and
with the ammunition of soldiers, furnish
ed by the same public authority, patrol
ed the streets Of the town, and stood
guard around the mines from which
these miners had been excluded, and for
every practical purpose military power
was enforced. The journals of the day
were all full of it, and nobody to day will
hesitate to say that not only did the
| Governor of the State through this rep
resentative, fail to order the disbanding g
of this illegal military force, but that he
gave sanction to it by the presence of his
representative there, and that now, to
day, he endorses every act of that gentle
man. The Governor knew these colored
men were to be brought. and his private
Secretary agreed to meet them at Straits
vile, and did go to Straitsville, to give
aid and protection.
Mr. Speaker. 1 undertake to say then,
first, that these troops were called out
that they were sent, all within the mean
| ing of the term. Secondly, they were
called out without any authority of law
and in violation of law, but they are en-
titled, nevertheless, to be paid, because
they were called out by order, and be
cause the State is estopped, though they
we're Illegally in service. ! undertake tc
say that the purpose for which they were
called was not for the suppression of do
mestic violence, but it was to demon
strate, to overawe and terrify, and force
into submission the striking miners oi
the Hooking Valley, and doing this, the
military power Was arrayed on the side
of capital, to crush out labor, without
the authority of law, and in violation OF
the implied protest, and over the protest
of the civil authorities of Athens county
/ / have desired to enter into this discus
| sion for the purpose: First, of rebukine g
the spirit that tolerates condemnation
of the acts of Grant and Sheridan in
Louisiana for mere partisan purposes
And l have made this discussion for the
further purpose of insisting that if this
money is to be paid, and it ought to be-
and if this bill is to be passed, it shall be
done under the authority and sanction
of law; and that there shall appear in
the appropriation bill such averments as
shall render it legal and constitutional
for the Auditor to pay the money. And
have done il: Mr.. Speaker, further, that
l might vindicate the fame and reputa-
ton of my own county, and especially
the town of Nelsonville which has been
so long condemned for its course durin g
these strikes of the miners. l have done
so that l might vindicate its history and
record and show that it was overwhe elm
| ed by set of circumstances that no man
nor set of men could have controlled,
and that the citizens of that town were
as careful not to resist the civil laws of
| the State as it was possible for any men
to be. And l have done it to demon
strate to the people of Ohio, and the
world, that the calling out of these troops
| by the Governor of Ohio was an act of
| high handed usurpation, without author
| ity of law, and in violation of law Done
| by the Governor without proper consid-
Grafton, or else with disregard of law
and duty.
Under these circums tances, and from
such a source, deny that the Republi-
can party shall be denounced without at
least placing on record rebuke.
DEBATES.