Year: 1863

!


The President of the Chicago Convention
In 1860, which nominated Mr.. Lincoln for
Presidency of the United States, was Geo.
Ashman, of MASSACHUSETTS. Ash man was a
member of Congress during the Mexican
War, which he opposed with great bitter
ness. In speech which he made at that
time. which is to be found in the archives
of the Congressional Globe, occurs the follow
ing: f.-. 90 ..B aa,s slf - a'r


81 shall not be deferred from discussion
of the subject here and at this time by the
miserable cry of those whose duty and profit
it is to yield ready subservience to power,
that the present is not the proper time to
make this inquiry; th at we should wait un-
til the war is over before we should presume
to investigate the conduct of the Executivet
Sir, it is never too soon for people who de-
sire to remain free to scrtinize the conduct
Of those who are in power. The time may
come when it may be too late-fatslly too
late. But it can never be too soon. Eternal
vigilance, tireess and sleepless, is necessary
to watch and guard against the insidious
encroaehment of those in power; and he who
drugs his conscience with the reflection that
men IN power are presumed to do, right,
adopts the doctrine of a despotism. And he
whossees an Executive usurping to himself
unauthorized military power, and fails to
proclaim and denounce it, is as false to his
duty, as much q traitor to his country, as the
man who deserts to the enemy's standard on
the field of battle.


"Can it be possible that, in a Government
like ours, war may be wageG and the people
may not ask, wherefore? That armies may
be levied, the heart of a neighboring re pu bile
invaded, expeditions of foreign conquest,
under the lead of questionable characters,
set on foot-millions of dollars expended,
the blood of our gallant soldiers poured out
and that our mouths are to be sealed as
to the causes or necessities which have pro-
duced such results? Sir, l acknowledge no
such slaVish doctrine. Scorn, contempt
and utter loathing are all they; Deserve
They belong rightfu.ly to the lips of those
who live by the thrift which follows fawn-
ing-those of our number who have been
the humble applicants for the Brigadier-
ships, the Paymastership and other crumbs
which fall from the Executive table; and
whose patriotism is valorous and loud
mu1thed in proportion to their chance for
getting office and emolument. But I hold
that we should be false to our trust as Rep
resentatives if we fail to hold to strict ac-
accountability those who are tenn porarily
administering the Executive departments Of
the Government. They are not the coun-
try. They are, for brief period, the in
struments for conducting the affairs of the
Governm ent and the country. The power
of the people is only partially delegated fol
special purposes. How absurd and pre-
posterous, then, is the elamor that, whpn we
venture to censure those agents of the peo-
pie, we are arrayiug ourselves against oul
country"


There is good, sound sense and correct
patriotism in the above extract. It proves
that the Chicago Convention President must
be Copperhead-to use the Republican, IS
language-of the most malignant descrip-
tion.-Cincinnati Enquirer.