Year: 1861

In responding to my nomination by
your representatives in Convention at
Columbus on the 9Th inst, intelligen: e
of which has this day been officially
communicated to me, and in the accept
ance of the same, it is meet should ex-
press to you my sense of the obligation
which this high honor confers Ian
suage fails me in tl.is attempt, as l can
conceive Of no more distinguished
mark of your confidence at this critical
juncture, through SO intelligent and
patriotic a convention of representatives
assembled from all parts of the State,
rejecting the sentiments of all political
parties, as we'll as of the highest interests
and most important concerns involved
in what may with truth be termed Il
struggle for our national existence.


Believe me when | assure you [ fully
appreciate the vast responsibility at
tached to the position of Chief Magis-
trate of our State at this critical period
in its affairs, and duly sensible of my
own demerits, and were it not that rely
upon your generous forbearance, [
should hesitate to accept what your dis
tinguished impartiality with such un-
paralleled unanimity have assigned me,


Without going into a discussion of
the circumstances ard events which
have brought about the present alarm
ing and unhappy condition of our ma


tional affairs, as these must now be ap-
parent to all, I will content myself by
saying that the issue presented to US as a
people in the sanguina1y struggle forced
upon us by the ambitious and designing
leaders of the Southern rebellion, is,
that of mans capacity for self-govern-
ment The whole question to be tried
and settled-settled in such way that
nothing in human power can ever dis
turb or change it again, is then,
"Whether man is capable of governing
himself" Should it not be shown when
every resource and sacrifice has been
made-and l would exhaust every means
in our power first ere yielding, then in
order that we might have our rights
protected and our liberties preserved in
some degree approaching the perfsction
of our hitherto supposed impregnable
system Of free Government, | would con-
sent to be taken under the protection of
our once so called Mother Country, or
of any other power capable of maintain
ing for us the respect of the nations of
the globe.


That we shall eventually succeed in
settling this question to the satisfaction
of all the world beyond the hitherto ex-
pressed doubts and suspicious of foreign
1 potentates, statesmen and presses,
have not the remotest doubt, but that
we shall be required to exercise all OF
those higher attributes of which man is
capable, patient and preserving purpose
infexible will, mistaken fortitude aud
unshrinking courage the already writ
ten experience of the past few months
have Indicated And it is the source OF
the heartiest congratulatlon that we can
already point to the brave deeds and
daring and glorious actions of our noble
volunteers thus early, and feel within
our hearts, that the number of these in.
vincible soldiers have only to be in


creased, and their welfare and comfort


considered and cared for to the utmost


of our resources, to have abundant evi


dence of the success which, though i


may be emporarily interrupted, mus


eventually perch upon our banners.


1t is the duty of every man who cal
bear arms at this juncture, imperative
necessity alone prevcnting-when hi
efforts should be given in another direc


ton towards strengthening the cause
and aiding the Govcrnment-to rally tt


the standard of his country and b.


counted among the heroes of the greatest


as it will be the most extraordinary, rev
: olution since the world began. Th
struggle of our ancestors was for self
government, our struggle is to maintain
it, and under the blessings of the sam
God who smiled upon Washington an
his bare-footed and half-starved com
, rades, aoe ariH do IT.


Those who cannot aid il the cause i