Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-05-14
SPEECH
G. S. LAYTON.

BENEFIT 3co

Al Union Meei'ay, held al Georgetoea, Sasst
County, DeiaWaye, on Tuesday, May 7, 1861.
Mn. CHAIRMAN AND FELLow-C ClnzENa:-
We assemble to-day under the most tryin
circumstances in which we have ever been placed
Heretofore We have met as peaceable citizens
under the strong protecting arm of the Govern
ment of our own choice, to deliberate upon sue
subjects of a social, moral or political character
as were presented for our consideration. Ilither
to, we have ''dwelt salely, every man under hi
vine and under his ag tree, ,"-'none daring t
molest or make him afraid" The Constitution
and laws of our glorious and beloved country
have been our shield by day. and our defence b.
night aifordng equal and just protection to al
-intlcting injury upon no one.
To-day, the clash Of arms-the sound of battl
is heard. Our glorious Union is in danger. TIL,
lur',l for of civil war have been lighted in oui
land. Wicked men-rebels and trai ors-bandet
together-have levied war agninst the Fedora
Goyernment-have shed the blood of our citizens
and are madly seeking the destruction of the
Cons nstiiution and Union of these United States
We may not now stop to inquire, at length,
into the causes-if any Just causes exist-Bhich
have led to these sad results. Throwing aside,
for the time, our former party ties in view OF
the awful calamities-the impending ruin, which
threaten us-iorgetting our past political differ
ences, we meet to day as UNION MEN, as friends
of s'the Union for the sake of the Union" fol
the Union as our Fathers made il; with the
watch cry Of freemen-"Liberty and Union, now
and forever, one and nseparable." Nor do we
rally to the support of the National Administra =
tion merely, but us men who love and ynlne
Constitutional Liberty; as men who dare aud
who deserve to be trse-intending 10 uphold.
protect and defend the Constitution, the laws
and the Government of the Union, under which
we all have so long enjoyed such precious, price
less blessings. A Government which has been
the object of our noblest pride, and of our fond
est love, which has given us peace and pros
perity at home, and has commanded the profound
respect and admiration Of the world, A govern
ment which has made our glorious land n safe
refuge for the oppressed Of all natfons-ayc,
q The Land ofthe Free, aud the home orthe brase.p
We unite as patriotic sons of patriot sires, and
in this, the hour of our beloved country's great
est peril-"we pledge our lives, our fortunes,
and our sacred honor" to maintain, and defend
this rich inheritance bequeathed us by our
fathers--to transmit it unimpaired, and untarn-
ishcd to our children and we are resolpea, to he
fan erteat Of our ability, that "this Union must
and shall be preserved
We want to-day, no Union men, with their
''ifs" and their ''ands,' with their "buts," aud
HprovisOs." No men, who have sworn to
support the Constitution of the United States,
"witl mental reservation" We want no haif.
lrdy Union men, who are haltng between pa
triotic duty and half-formed, traitorous designs
We want men who like ourselves, "would al
ways prefer that our country should he right,
yet who will stand by our country right or
wrong"
This good old County of Sussex, this little
Diamond State IS no place for traitors. We want
wholesoul. true-hearted, Union loving men and
such we must have, we will have. This little
State, in the war of the Revolution, contained
population of about $4,000 and she furnished,
during that war some 5000 soldiers, as brave and
efficient as ever sheuldered musket. She is as
patriotic to-day as she was in those "times which
tried mems souls" So too, Delaware was the
first State to adopt the Constitution of the United
States. Aud we now desire to see a our people
united, not n voice raised, nor hand upliited
against ;he Federal Government. Tha G yetn-
meit, our own government, has afforded us her
children, a full, parental protection. She de-
pdnds, she is entitled 10 our uidiJide3 support;
and 10 epeTy sacrifice which generous, true and
loyal people con offer in her defence Pro-
lection and support are co.relative duties, mu-
tuall7 dependent on each other. We have sworn
to support the Constitution of the United States.
We cannot prove ourselves to be periur6l men
as well as traitors,
Differences Of opinion to SONG extent maY ox-
ted to exist so long MS uuth is left free to com
bat it," and so long as that error does not take
the form of giving 'nid and comfort to the
enemies of the Government. Let us, then, be
forbearing towards each other whilst We are
firm, and decided in cur principles, and in de-
votion TO the Union.
We have no quarrel with the General Govern
ment. We have sustained no wrongs at her
hands And if we had such quarrel, such wrongs
-
obtain Justice and full redress of those wrongs
inside rather than outside this Union. Secession
affords no peaceable remedy for any wrongs. 1t
is no remedy at all. II is revolution, it is naked
fagrant treason, and it behoOves every man,
rho UdlHes his rights as eitizen ieho ualUes his
PROPERTY nay, lpho pdlucs his lJe aud the best i'll
terests of his family, and the peace happiness
and welfare of our people, to beware Of secession
for il will be sure to be crushed out by the strong
arm of the General Government, and which will
in due time, meet out Justice to traitors
The Constitution declares that "rreason
against the United States shall consist only in
levying war against them or in adhering to their
enemies, giving them aid and comfort Let
nil "sympathizers with the South if any there
be among us, lake good care not to bring them
selves within either branch of this definition.
Delaware is the smallest State in the Union,
except Rhode Island, and we have less popua-
tlou tuhh oAo NUS lNt Jul III
the Senate of the United States is equal to each
of the great States of New York, Pennsylvania
and Ohio As a border slave State, we now
have the Constitution and the Laws of the Fed
erAl Government, and the aid OF Federal officers
to reeapture our "fugitives from labor" Sup
pose a permanent Gonfederacy could be formed
OF all the slave States, in what condition should
we be2 Of Whaf value would slaves be in my
border State? None whatever. Cdaada would
4 n1I
with Great Britain, we have never been able to
induce her to restore single slave who has
escaped from the States into Canada. She never
will do so. Her policy aud the moral sense of
the English people are against slavery. They
will never recognize it in any form. Aud the
"Conlederate States Of America labor under a
fatal delusion, if they suppose that England will
ever aid them in the establishment OF their Co.
vernment, based upon the extension and per-
petuity of slavery. If the slave States could be
peaceably organized into q separate, Independ-
ent coufederaoy-the free States would be Cana.
da Mt our very doors, and they would never
consent, under any circumstances, to return any
slave who might escape from his master
Again, in a separate confederacy of slave
States, Delaware would be the extreme NOrthera
border State. We would be constantly liable TO
be oyerrun; nay, in time Of war iroaid be Tie
bloody middle ground, upon which the great bat
Ties would be ioughti sugect TO be plundered
and our citizens murdered, alike by pretended
friends and open foes. Under such crcum-
stances, seho would remain in Delaware, ii he
coull get well away out of it2 We want, then,
no such separate confederacies of slave States
and free States. Much less do we, or should
we want middle confederacy or in other words
three confederacies; which, when once the work
of disintegration should have been inaugurated,
would speedily end in the total separation Of all
the States from each other--eNhibiing to the
world the ridiculous farce of Mexco-with all
her revolutions and tyranuies. No rseons!ysc''cR
of Government, whether Northern Middle or
Southern, would ever secure to Delaware the