Year: 1863




your homes can participate in the dutieI
and responsibilities Of providing for and
protecting their interests; and it is q
source Of great relief to myself TO know
that, with your presence, shall have able
eounselors TO guide and direct me, in the
dischsige Of the many cares and response
bilities resting upon the Executive.


There never has been period in the his
tory Of our State when a faithful and Wig
liant effort At duty, on the part Of the peO-
pies representatives, was more required
than the present. The question Of mans
capacity for sslf-government is yet unset
tied. The gigantic effort Of wicked and
bad men 10 overthrow our beautiful and
heavenly form Of government, which ex-
listed 81 the period Of our adjournment, has
net yet been quelled. We were given the
reins Of our State government, for the time
being, by an honest and confding constit-
ueney, with a special view to carry out
their wishes in maintaining the govern
ment as handed down to them BY their
Fathers; we should lock we'll TO it, then,
that we do not disappoint their expecta-
tons. They have not faltered in this
great work but fully appreciating the
mighty importance OF preserving our in


titutiO1s they have yielded up everything.


nth degree Of generosity unparalleled


1 the history Of any people. Bvvry thing


ar to them has been given to the oause.
Husbands, fathers, sons and brothers have
left their loved ones, to brave the dangers
Of the field Of battle and the disease Incl
dent to camp life, with a chaerfulness
never before manifested. The mothers,
wives and sisters also have fully demon
strsted their claim to the love and affee-
ton Of these brave and gallant men. All
that women can do has been done to allev-
late the distresses Of our soldiers, and
thereby stimulate them to duty.


Such being the character Of our cOnstit-
uents, 1t is impossible to measure the claim
they have upon as, their agents. Energy,
integrity, and purity Of purpose, economy
and industry, are, at least due from US to
them.


Aside from the claim that our constit-
uents have upon US for all this, the only
true reward public servant can win for
himself, is TO be able to claim, when COM
muninR with his Maker, an honest and
vigilant effort at public duty. If we can
not claim this for ourselves, when we
shall surrender up our trust, we will have
worked to little purpose.


Il is not necessary to discuss the ques-
ton presented by this rebellion with the
people Of Ohio; they have, with great
unanimity, determined that cost what it
may in time, treasure OF life, the Union of
the States, as handed down to US by our
Fathers, shall be preserved unimpaired;
and thus handed down to cur children.
They will not for one moment eOncede that
there can be any cause sufficient 10 justify
q State, or any number Of States, in with
drawing from the Union. Admit, if you
please, that the authorities Of the Federal
Government, for the tims being, were to
attempt to interfere with the domestic in
stitutions Of either Ohio OF South Carolina,
to the extent Of introducing slavery into
the former or excluding it from the latter;
this would not give the slightest pretext
for the one thus attempted to be interfered
with, to take up arms against the govern
ment. The Federal Constitution itself
expressly protects the State thus interfered
with from injury. Long before any such
attempt could be executed, the people, in
whose hands all power is placed, would,
through the peaeeable, quiet mode pointed
out by the Constitution, hurl the authors
Of such attempt from power, and thus res
cue the injured State. But no such at
tempt has been made, or thought of, by the
Federal officers now in power; and this
the authors and leaders of the rebellion
well know President Lincoln has again
and again, in the most solemn manner, as
sured the people that it was his determine
ton, SO far as lay in his power, to pre-
serve inviOlate all the rights Of the sever
al States. The Federal Congress, the sew
eral State Legislatures Of the loyal States,
and the people Of said States, in their pO-
itical assemblies, have all, again and
again, made the same pledges to the peo-
pie Of the South. 1t was not, therefore,
either the fear or the belief that their State
rights were about TO be interfered with,
that induced them to take up arms against
the Government. Mad ambition, and dis
appointment in not obtaining place and
power, on the part of few wicked men,
was the sole cause; and all other causes
alleged by these leaders, are simply to de-
ceive their blind followers.


To bring these wicked men to the pun
ishment they deserve, and thereby restore
harmony, law and order throughout our
common country, the people Of Ohio desire
to do their fun share Of duty; and, to that
end, viii bear any burden that may be
imposed upon them.


The period since your adjournment has
been one of great excitement Abeut the
first Of June, our National Capital was
seriously threatened by the rebel army
and, but for the prompt response to the |
Presidents call for more troops, would |
have been sacked and plundered. The gal I
liant young men Of our State were among !
the first TO rush to the rescue-over Eve |
thousand promptly assembled at Camp |
Chase, and rendered their services. To |
their honor, and the honor Of the State, it |
should be known, that although they thus
assembled without officers, or military or
ganization Of any kind, more quiet, or
derly, and well-behaved body Of men OF
soldiers never met together. About three
thousand Of this number were promptly
organized into regiments and sent to the
vicinity Of Washington City, where they
remained during the term for which they
were organized; and, it is proper to add,
maintained their high character for cour-
age and gentlemanly bearing. The re-
msinder were organized for duty at Camp
Chase and other points within the State. /
Many Of these, since their discharge, have
gone into the service for three years, or
during the war.


The desperation and audacity Of the
rebel enemy led then, early in September,
to attempt the invasion Of our Southern
border. To repel this impudent and wick
ed movement, it became necessary to call
upon heloyal citizens Of the State to arm
themselves, repair to the border, and drive
back the insolent foe.


Most nobly were these calls responded
to. From the fields, workshops, stores, Of
Sess aRa sacred desks, both old and young,
most generously turned out, and, armed
with the same old rifles used by the pio-
neers Of the State, with the same old bullet
pouch and poWder-hOrn, and with three