Year: 1860

1.-The following passages are from the lnaugrr-
al Message OF Gov. Dennisou.l


I. was appropriate that the ordinance OF l7S7
should have been the last as it the browning
gift of the Congress Of the old confederation to the
country. Nobly did its trainers illustrate, in its
matchless provisions for guarding the rights and
promoting the happiness of the people, their saga
cous forecast and exalted patriotism.


1t established the fundamental principles Of
civil and religious liberty the basic Of all our
laws, constitutions and governments; provided for
the freedom of person under the protection OF the
habeas corpus and trial by juries to be imp0tial-
ly selected, made the encouragement OF schools
and advancing the means of education high and
binding duty of government, on the plain reason,
that religion, morality and knowledge, are neces-
sary to good government and to the happiness oil
mankind;established the nviolability o! contracts,
and the security of private property; prevented the
lingering remnants of feudaty from taking root
in our SOIL and proclaimed, and defended the
rights of labor, and of humanity, By forever ex-
cluding slavery from the territory.


To these noble principles the people of Ohio
have ever been true. Our legislation has never
been marred by prescription for religious opin-
ions, nor any political privilege denied because OF
the birth. place of the citizen The invioabiliy OF
the person of the inhabitant has been always de-
Tended, and the habeas corpus and trial by jury,
maintained as the buiwarks of personal liberty.
In the faithful observance of her contracts the
State has furnished an example of the sacred re-
gard in which all obligations should be held by
the citizen, while By refusing, under the most SOL
emu sanctions, to appropriate private property to
ber use without making just compensation IN
money to the owner, she illustrates her wise pur-
pose of protecting the property-rights Of the cti-
ren against whatever invasion to his pecuniary
damage.


But, however efficient have been these causes in
advancing the material, intellectual and moral
growth of our State, we cannot and ought not to
conceal from ourselves, that, unaided by that
other noble provision of the ordinance which for
ever barred the territories against slavery, they
would have been impotent for the accomplishment
of the stupendous results to which l have so i'm
perfectly referred.


This was the pre-eminenty distinguishing fea-
ture of that incon parable instrument. 1t was the
first solemn dedication of national territory to the
rights of universal human freedom. 1t was the
first national declaration, in practical form, con-
demnatory Of slavery as social institution. 1t
was the inau guraton Of the policy logically resul-
ting from the principles of the Declaration OF In
dependence, and approved By all the States OF the
confederacy, to forever exclude slavery from the
national domain, and to discourage its existence
everywhere within the jurisdiction of the United
States not in conflict with the rights Of the slave
holding States. 1t was, in effect, moral pledge
to the world that its trainers and Their eompat-
riots, had by long, arduous and heroic struggle
emancipated themselves and their country nom
the political slavery prepared for them by an op-
pre.sive government, so under our federal system
such laws and constitutions should be established
in our national territories would fully recog-
nize and sacredly guard the rights of human ma
ture.


And surely it will not be denied, that TO this
original ard persistent exclusion of slavery we
are chiefly indebted for our rapid growth as a
State; for our individual and social wealth and
comforts our varied and extensive agriculture and
manufactures, our profitable commerce, our achev-
ments in all the useful arts, our humane ciViza-
ton, and the love Of freedom so universal among
the people.


Had slavery been established here, our popula-
ton and resources would not be one half what
they are. la that case we could not boast Ut our
almost unrival!ed triumphs in every branch OF
material development; of our extensive system oil
internal i'm pro yemen ;of colleges and unversi-
ties, our free common schools, our asylums and
other public charities which crown our State with
such disting guished honor and illustra'e-in such
fha suparinr;tu of frea for
ced labor. for all the just purposes of social and
governmental organization.


-


Firmly loyal to the Union of the States-rever-
encing it as the precious legacy from the Fathers
of the Republic their obligations
as sacred to maintain its integrity and secure to
the people Of every section of the Confederacy the
blessings it was intended to confer; 70 defend the
Constitution. which is its bond, and to faithfully
observe all of it's limitations and authorities, the
people Of Ohio accord TO the citizens of the other
States, all the political and social rights which
they claim for themselves, and as they would
promptly and resolutely resist any attempt by
force, unlawful combination or otherwise, to dis
turb the enjoyment of their social rights or i'm
peril their social securities. so do they deprecate
and unreservedly condemn, any movement or
purpose, to invade the rights or to leopard the
peace of the citizens of any other State.


But the Union is threatened. and the Consttu-
ton is assailed in the very citadel of it's ife-the
right Of the majority of the people of the United
States to ntrol the government being denied,
and efforts are not wanting to defeat the great
purpose Of the government to extend ana perpe'-
uats the rights of freedom, by degrading the Union
and the Constitution into instruments for the prop
sgation Of human slavery.


On the subject of slavery, the people Of this
State occupy no equivocal position. They reject
the modern dogma, that slavery is essential to re-
publics, that such system must fail without itand
that slavery must be extended and perpetuated, to