East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-12-22
SPEECH or EX.GOV. LINCOLN.

Fellow-Citizens-I have been brought
from long retirement By deep sense OF
the importance of the occasion, and by
the invitation and urgency of respected
friends, representatives of yourselves,
whose summons | could not feel at liber-
ty to disregard. am with you to par
ticipate in your counsels, and to express
my sympathy and hearty concurrence in
the declared patriotic purposes Of your
meeting. [Applause.
1t was the noble saying of an eminent
citizen, patriot Of the Revolution, and
one of the founders Of the Republic, who,
through his great services, and the vir-
tues of his life, was elevated TO the Chief
Magistracy of this Commonwealth, and
to the second Office in the nation, that che
held it to be the duty of every citizen, if
he has but one day to live, to devote that
day to the good of his country Ap-
plause.] Thus instructed it was not, for
me, humble citizen, who, through lung
fife have largely Shared in tho cnioy-
ment of the richest blessings which only
such a country can bestow, to refuse one
hour, if it may be, to It's service.
Fellow-citizens, it cannot be doniel or
disguised that we have fallen upon
troubled and anxious times. The pros
periiy which we have enjoyed, the Glory
which the nation has achieved, the peace,
security aud happiness which hitherto
have been our lot, are all imperiled by
the divisions and dissensioas. the ami.
mostes and heart -burniur, which already
exist, and are daily engendered amongst
us. We have been accustomed, indeed,
to hear mumurings ofdissatisfaction and
discomfort, of opposition and hostility to
the government under which we live, and
its established institutions, bat these
utterances have principally been confined
to small classes OF men, OF peculiar, ex-
treme, and impracticablo views, and have
produced but little impression. Ap-
plause.] a lai al
Recent deplorable events in sister
State have greatly intensified and expan-
ded these feelings, and given bitterness
and alarming significance TO their express
sion; and now, we hear from large as.
semblies and conventions, attended by
men of respectable character, ilnpassion-
ed and threatening resolutions, denunci-
atory alike Of the Union and the constr 4
tuition, of the government aud its admin
istration under tho compromises upoa
which alone the government could have
been established Even Senator Of the
State, Mr.. Parker, Of Worcester, has
found it necessary, or thought it 1t, TO
offer an excuse for his oath Of allegiance
to the constitution, in the desire OF place
under that very consultation. I"Shamel''
Can it have been well considered how
little the events in Virginia furnish
sufficient, or GRy, occasion Tor such pro-
cecding? OF the motives of John Brown,
or of the manly traits in his character,
have nothing to say here. leave them
with those who can find anything to
eulogize in the conduct of a man whose
life haa been Justly forfeited to offended
law Immense cheeringl by atrocious
crlminalities. Cheers. IfJohn Brown
wasamad man, it cannot be deaicd that he
was guilty of great crime. Those who
claim for him martyrs fame will not
thank any one for offering in his excuse.
plea of insanity. Laughter y mar
tyr's crown is never won by an insane
mind. [Applause.l
No, fellow-citizens, John Brown was
not mad man, except as all men are
mad, when they sin against reason =
[Applause.] He knew well what he was
about. He did not reckon without his
host. lie looked for success and.a con-
queror's triumph The last hour Of bis
life furnishes an explanation Of the seem
ing mystery OF his extraordinary rasll-
ness. In the parting interview with his
colnrade Cook he rcproached him with
deception and trcachcry, in falsely re.
presenting to him that the slaves Of Vir-
ginia were ripe for insurrectien, and
would rush to his standard. And this
was the encouragement TO the work upon
which he entered-as assurance Of sa5port
and the expectation Of Saccsss.
On TINS reliance he invaded with
hostile force the peaceful village OF Har-
per's Ferry; seized upon the public ar
senal, from which to distribute deadly
weapons to an ignorant, excited, servile
population, stimulated, as it might be, to
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