Year: 1864

COLUMBUS, August -.


Ia the IeQp1e Of the Stote of Ohio.


Under the recent call of the President for
FIVE hundred thousand men, adratt is order
ed to take place on the 9TH day Of Septem-


Der next, for any deficit that may then ex-
ist in the quota of troops assigned to the
State of Ohio. This draft is fixed by the


provisions of the act of Congress, and must


follow in fifty days after the date of the call
of the Pre-. ident. Present Indications are,
that portion of the quota of this State
will be d fcient, and that in at least some
districts draft must take place to cover
such deficiencies This need not, and sho'd
n have been the case The exertion that
has Eeen made to discourage and prevent
enlistments if otherwise directed, would
have filed the quotas of those localities, or
left the deficiencies very light.


However unwilling to believe that any
considerable portion Of the people of this
State would array themselves.in a spirit of
factious, if not trraSonable opposition to the
execution Of the laws Of the land, there are
Indications Of such a spiritain the State,
which as Chief Magistrate may not disre-
gard. In nappealing to the people to discard
the counSels Of wicked and unprncpled lea
ders that invite them to factious and forci-
bic resistance to the draft or any other le-
gal requirement of the Government, | am
actuated solely by desire to preserve if
practicable, the peace of the State, and vel
fare OF the clring portion Of our people,
and not from any apprehension Of either
the determination or ability Of the Govern
ment to maintain the supremacy Of its laws.
The man who supposeS that either the Ma
tional or State Government is unadviscd Of
or unpreparcd for, the threatened emergency
is following the deception Of his leaders to
the consequences of the most serious char
acter. Let me advise you who countenance
this insurcction to look carefully at the civil
and military penalties you are incurring.-
The Act of Congress, approved July 3Ist,
1864. "1odefnc ndpueish certatn conSpi,-
dcics, is as follows:


"Be it c,Mctcd by the Scndte and House
J Representatives of tie United States Of
1meJ1cu IN Congress assembled, That If two
or more persons within any State or Terrific
ry of the United States shall conspire to-
gcthcr to overthrow, or to put down, or to
destroy by force, the Government Of the
L. s., or to levy war against the United
States, or to oppose by force the authority
Of the Government of the United States; or
by force to prevent hinder, or delay the ex-
ecuton of amy law Of the United States; or
by force to seize, take, or ross ess any prop
erty Of the United States against the will or
contrary to the authority Of the United
States; or by force, or intimidation or threat
to prevent amy person from accepting or
boiling any o1lice or trust, or place of conf
dence under the United States each and
every person so offending shall be guilty Of
high crime, and upon conviction thereof in
any district or circuit court of the |.
s. having jurisdiction thereof, or district or
supreme court of any Territory Of the u.
S. having jurisdiction thereof, shall be pun
ished by ii fine not less than five hundred
dollars and not more than FIVE thousand dol
lars; or by imprisonment, with or without
hard labor, as the court shall determine, for
period not less than six months nor great
er than six years, or by both such fine and
impisomt Mt. i


This is merely the punishment for conspir
acy; yet its penalties are light, and should
not be thoughtlessly incurred This follows
too, mere combination or agreement of
men to do anunlawful act, and is complete
without a resort to arms. Resistance to the
law by bodies Of armed men constitute an
overt act of treason, the punishment of
which is death. These are civil penalties;
the military results are to be found in the
power Of the Government by armed force,
to deal with any species of insurrection
against the enforcement Of its legal enact
ments.


tbs unnecessary to argue the duty of ev-
cry citizen to yield obedience to the laws
constitutionally enacted, as long as they re-
main in force If men may take up arms
to resist laws in the policy or effect Of which
they do not concur, then all government is
at end, and we are resolved into anarchy
This state of things is not to be tolerated. A
Government may as well perish in bold
and vigorous effort to maintain its integrity
as to suffer an insurrection to neutralze its
laws and defy its power.


Most earnestly do | appeal to the people
of the State, not to engage in this fGrcible
resistance to the laws to which evil counsel
lors and bad men are leading them. 1t can
not and will not succeed Its triumph, if it |
achieve any, must be Of mere temporary
character The Government is not weak
1t is strong and powerful 1t cannot and it |
will not, permit an armed insurrection to
to impeach its strength, or impair its power
while contendng with the Southern rebel |
lion. ] do not say this to you in any spirit |
of intimidation, or in any threatening tone. !
| speak it to you as warning, and with an
imploring voice to hear and heed it. | know |
what the determination of your Government |
is, and | fully comprehend the power at
hand to enforce it.


What can you, who contemplate armed |


y