The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-10-11
Speech of VIM. II. Seward
Delivered at Chicago, Oct. Cd, 1860.

cheers. He spoke as follows:
Hail to the State of Illinois; whose iron
roads form the spinal columns Of that sys
tenn of internal continental trade which sur
passes all the foreign commerce of the coun
try, and has no parallel or limitation in
anv other country on the face of the globe
Hail Chicago; the heart which supplies
life to this great system of railroads-Chca.
of, the last and most wonderful of all the
marvellous creations of civilization in North
America -..
Hail to this council chamber Of the great
Republican party justly adapted by its
vastness an! its simplicity to its great pur-
poses-the hall where the representatives Of
freemen passed that creed Of Republican
faith, which carries healing for the relief of a
dsordered nation. Woe! woe be to him
who shall add TO or shall substract one word
from that simple, sublime, truthful, bcnefi-
cent creed
Hail to the representatives of the Repub-
lican party, chosen here by the Republicans
of the United States, and placed upon the
platform Of that creed. Happy shall he be
who shall give them his suffrage IF he be
an old man, he shall show the virtue of wis.
dom acquired by experience; if he be a
young man, he shall in all his coming years
tell his fellow men with pride, IL too voted
for Abraham Lincoln" Great applause. !
Fellow-citizens, that Republican creed is
nevertheless TO partisan creed Ii isa Ma.
tional faith, because it is the embodiment OF
the one life-sustaining. life expcnding idea OF
the American republic. What is the idea
more or less than simply this: That civil.
ization is to be maintained and carried or
upon this continent by Federal States, based
upon the principles of free SOIL free labor,
free speech, equal rights and universal suff:
rage? Loud applause.
Fellow Citizens, this is no new idea. This
idea had its first utteIance, and the boldesi
and clearest of all the uttrances it has ever
received, in the very first words which were
spoken by this ration when it came before
the world, took its place upon the stage Of
human action, and asserted it's independence
in the fear of God, and its confidence of the
approval mankind; declaring that he ice
forth it held those to be its enemies, who
should oppose it in war, and those to be its
friends who should maintain with them re-
relations of peace. That utterance was
expressed in these simple words: ave
hold these truths to be self evdent-that all
men are created and have inaiable right to
life, liberty, and the pursuit Of happiness" -
This great national idea has been working
out its fruits ever since. Its work is seen in
the perfect acceptance of it by eighteen OF
the thirty four States Of this Union--or sew
enteen of the thirty three if Kansas is to be
considered out 1t is asserting itself in the
establishment of New States throughout the
West, as it has revolutionized all of Western
and Southern Europe. Why is this idea SO
effective? 1t is because it is the one chief
living, burning, inextinguishable thought of
human nature ITSELF entertained by man in
every cline.
Fellow citizens, this national idea works
unopposed. Every good and virtuous and
benevolent principle in nature has its antag.
onist, and this great national idea works IN
perpetual opposition-I may be allowed to
say an irrepressble conflict, Prolonged ap-
plause. with an erroneus. a deccitful, de-
lusive idea. Do you ask what that delusive
idea is? It's the idea that civilization ought
and can be effected on this continent, bv this
form of federal States, based on the principle
of slave soil-of African slave labor, Of un.
equal rights and unequal representation, re-
sultng in unequal suffrage
Here there was much tumult and confus.
ion, owing to efforts of those beyond the
reach of his voice to hear, drowning the
speakers voice.
Fellow citizens Can it be THAT this grea,
creed ofours needs exposition or defence? I;
seems to me so evidently just and true that
it requires no exposition and needs no de
fence. Certainly in foreign countries i,
needs none; In Scotland, or France, or Ger
many, or Russia, on the shores Of the Medi
terranean, in Europe, or in Asia, or in Africa
you will never find one human beiug who
denies the truth and the justice of this ma
tional idea of the equality of man.
Here the tumult became so great that the
speaker was compelled to pause. Mr.. Arnold
coming forward, urged upon all to be as qui
ct as possible. Those who were out of reach
ofMr. Stewards voice, and desired to hea,
other speakers, could do so at the various
stands and in the Wigwam. He thought il
must be very painful to the distinguished
speaker to witness such a disturbance.
Gov SEwARD-Fellow citizens: Do moi
suppose that this disturbance, which know
is involuntary on your part, gives Inc any
pain whatever. [Applause. There is nc
pressure here which an honest mind need re
gret. l only regret that have not voic,
enough to reach the whole of this vast as
sembly or even the twentieth part of it.
will proceed, trusting that something ma,
say will reach the ears of most Of the assem-.
blage. As necessarily / must change m,
position as ! speak to make you hear me
addressing first this side and then that, n,
one viii, fear, be able to preserve the con
nection of my remarks, except myself-ant
he is very fortunate speaker who does that
Laughter.
was speaking Of this national idea--tha
il needs no exposition anywhere. 1t is one
those propositions that when addressed t
thoughtful men needs no exposition of de
fence. And why not
Here we can see for ourselves this NEAR
and miserable rivulet OF black African slavery
stealing along turbid and muddy as it i
drawn from its stagnant source in the slay,
States; we see that it is pestilential in The
atmosphere it passes through we can SCI
how inadequate it is and unfit to irrigate q
continent with the living waters o
I'd life; we can see how it is that ev
thin its sphere withers and droeps
other hand, we can also see this
free labor az its deseentis tls
in tovrents, aud is gathered