The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-09-26

knowledged physical superiority over
the rebels-if, with our clamorous and
| profuse avowals of devotion to our in
stitutions, we suffer the rebellion to
trample over us, do verify believe
the American name would become a
stencil in the nostrils of the world, and
an American citizen would not be per-
mitted to walk the streets of European
capitals without having the finger of
scorn pointed at him. [Applause, and
cries of We'd deserve it."l
Fellow-citizens, If l may be per-
mitted to utter word upon such sub
Iject, 1 would earnestly counsel forbear-
ance and patience in reference to those
charged with the administration of our
Government. Cries of Good I"
=" Good !'e Before criticising their con-
lduct we should remember thatwe may
not see all the field of action, and may
not be in condition justly to appreci-
ate the difficulties which are to be over
come lhf'lo Iio Gag 1'F9 Gfal 'iisf'
No man can doubt the courage or
loyalty of the President of the United
States, a burst of applause and enthu-
siastic cries of /" No % "no !''1 or his
determination to suppress the rebellion.
TO him, under the constitution the pop
ular voice has committed, absolutely,
the fate of this Republic. His hands
are entitled to be strengthened by ours.
That which weakens bim, weakens
yourselves, and weakens the struggling
country which we are all struggling to
save. Applause. He is at this mo-
ment, overwhelmed with mountains of
toll and responsibility, such as have
rested upon no public men in our his
tory, and is fully entitled to all the sup
port and consideration which gener-
Gus and warm-hearted patriotism can
yield. Loud cheers. 4,,-,-..,.-. ....
Fellow-citizens, admitting all the dis.
couragements which surround us, /
have still an unfaltering faith in human
progress, and in the capacity of man
for self government. Cheers. be-
iieve that the blood which the true
lovers of our race have shed upon more
than thousand battle fields, has borne
fruit, and that that fruit is the Republic
of the United States. 1t came forth
upon the world like the morning sun
from his chamber; its pathway has
been pathway of light aud glory, and
it has poured its blessings upon this
people, with the brimming fullness with
which our rivers pour their waters into
the sea. l cannot admit to my bosom
the crushing thought that in the full
light of civilization, in the nineteenth
century, such Government as this is
fated to perish beneath the swords of
the guilty men now banded together
for its overthrow. Cries of" Never !"
and cheers. "' e-i@"
l cannot, 1 will not, believe that
twenty millions of people, cultivated
loyal, courageous-twenty millions of
the Anglo-Saxon race, bearing the
names of heroes of the revolution, and
passing their lives amidst the inspira-
ton of it's battle felds-will suffer their
institutions to be overthrownl by ten
millions, one-half of whom are helpless
slaves, with fetters on their hands.
Loud applause. No page Of history
SO dark and so humiliating as that has
yet been written of any portion of the
human family, and the American peo-
pie had better, far better, never been
born, than that they should live and
have such a history written of them
selves Cries of "That's So" and
cheers. Let us then, fellow-citizens,
nerve and rouse ourselves fully to this
great work and duty. If it is to be
done well, it should be done quickly
If we would economise both blood and
treasure, we should move promptly
we should move nightly. Applause. |
1t, at this very moment, it were possi-
BILE to precipitate the whole of loyal
States on the fields of the South, it
would be a measure not only of wis
dom, but of economy and humanity.
Loud cheers. TaLet us then have faith,
and hope and courage, and all will yet
be well.
Fellow citizens, I feel that l may
have spoken to you to night with more
emphasis and more earnestness of sug-
gestion than ] am privileged to employ
in your presence. (Cries of "No, no!')
If / have done SO, you will forgive the
freedom. O / know you will, nthis con-
Junction of public affairs, in which il
has been my fortune to address you.
If had more interest than you-in the
tragic events which we are placed, you
might we'll Imistrust me but, / ehave
precisely the same.s If the Union is
dismembered, and the Governments is
overturned, the grave of every earthly
hope will open at my feet, and it viii
! open at yours also. (Applause.) Ir
the lives of families and of nations
there arise, from time to time, emergen
cies of danger which press all Their
!. members into the same common inter
est. When the storm is shrieking ani
the laboring vessel groans in every
joint, all on board-the humble sailo
and the most obscure passenger-hav,
a right to speak upon the same ques
ton of self-preservation; and even so
4 amid the heavy current of this Nation
al crisis, T., an humble citizen of thi
distracted and bleeding country, hav'
ventured to lift up the voice of counse
in your midst, and 1 thank you TO
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