The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-09-05
- u l. l. G. ii
HON. JOHN G.. DAVIS,
DELIVERED AT THE
Democratic Convention In Johnson Co..
SATURDAY, AUGUST "a, 1861.

Fello,o Citizens: For tn first time in my life
appear before my friends in Johnson county.
IN here upon the invitation of the Chairman of
your Democratic Central Committee. l regret
that nm laooring under disease. and that there
fore, not address You ~ such length, and
with such .horoughness as the Importance OF the
questions of public policy which have called you
together, demands.
am here, fellow citizens. to illustrate the free
dom Of speech under the Constitution. Free
speech has been threatened all over Indiana
Personal violence has cen t'reate ed against
those Who would attempt, in this crisis of our
country TO orci>e the bertv .he guarantee right
Of speaking their honest sentiments upon public af
fairs winch concc n the whole people | shall
express mysclf, on this occasion. without
gard whatever to any threats Of personal violence
from whatsoever source. II the time has come
when a free American citizen. before his country
men. speaking about matters OF legislative di>
cuSsion. cannot express himself. freely. fearless
y and fully, then is military dcspotism estal'-
shed and every man who hears me is nov slave.
no WAS it that threatened personal violence to
cerning The Welfare of the whole people Ii
the very man who. twelve years ago, denounced
the Mexican war as unrighte0us and unholy. Old
Abe-Uncle Abe--not very smart man, but the
hone toad in the whole puddle at Washing
ton Old Abe himself had denounced the Mexican
war. Old Abe was not ut that time threatened by
Democrats. who were fighting the battles of the
ith any vi. ,lence tuse oC
free utterance OF his opinion Old Abe. Uncle
Abe, or in more respectful terms. Pres dent Lin
coin, at that day given by all Democrats full
lea &c and lcense TO proclaim whatsoever he con
ceived in his brain. no matter to What extent he
proposed to aid by his words the enem es then in
arms again the United States and arrayed i'll
deadly confic: against our brave soldiers who had
rallied for the flag.
IL these men who threaten personal violence
believe they are right why do they not come up
and discuss tie questions which concern us be
fore the people = Twelve years ago old Tom
Corwin discus, ed questions before the people and
no Democrat interrupted him. lie hoped that our
volunteers, the of our wi, es aud mothers
here in Indiana among the .est. might be " wei
What Democrat. in all the length and bredth OF
this broad land. then threatened Corwin with per
sona violence for his unpatriotic speech "a
speech unpatiiotic because then At war
with foreign power. This man-this Tom Cor
win-this unpatr'otic and dsioyal cit zen. IN
1861. WAS now appointed under Abraham Lin
coin Minister Plenipotensiary and ambassador
Extraordinary to the very country that was then
at war agalnss us.
few weeks ago-talking further about these
tn, eats OF personal vioence--they got alarmed at
indianapolis, and the Governor of the Ssaae sent
down car load OF arms to Parke county. in or
der. as he sad To suppress rebellion. and then.
upon n pass ,nger tram he came himself This
Governor of GUS looks like an owl. hut is not half
rs wise respectable bird of that genius. Hc
came on fools errand. accompanied by the cd-
tor of the Journal, lii Exceilency's monkey witt,
spec,aces, to suppress-wht kind of rebellion,
fellow citizens, do YOU think had taken the
ground, before my fellow countrymci, that this
war in which we are nos engaged Elnltca
and ought at once TO be settled bv concession OH
both .ides aud by compromise. hl .xressed
these sentiments, the like of which express be-
fore the Democracy who heir me today, AMI IL
+ WIS this rebellion that the Governor came down
!. with his car load Of arms, accompanied by his
monkey. to suppress. IL was the rebellion ol
free speech. my fellow citizen, that his hslfEx
celle, cv-for never knew him 10 have whole
Frcell.ncv in hi. life--,ame TO overthrow