East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-09-24
DANIEL s. 'DICKINsON's SPEECH,
In Cortland County, Tuesday Sept. 3d. '6l.

=
as Americans; but as the people. Seeing
that the enemy are at the gates of the
citadel, seeing that armed rebellion Is
threatening us, we come together to stay
up the hands of the Constitution and
cling to its pillars, swearing in our faith
If these institutions fall, as the people we
fall with them. [Cheers. The ques-
tion is not "Who is at the head of this
Administration" and l shall not inquire
whether bis name be Abraham Lincoln
or Andrew jackson. He is the peoples
representative of the Government, and,
for those who like him and confde in him,
it is their duty to do all they can to sus-
tain him, and those who do not, it is their
duty to do much more. [Cheers.]
shall not adopt your political princi-
pies, if you are an opponent OF mlne-as
many of you are-and i don't ask you to
adopt mine; but / ask you to go with me
in great aud common duty, which con-
Germs us all alike: to shield the Govern
ment first from rebellion and destruction;
and then, if there is a question who shall
govern it afterward, we will discuss that
on another day. Cheers l 60 for the
preservation of this Government, and |
90 to ceave him down, as Saul did Agag,
who undertakes to destroy it; and 1T is of
little consequence to me whether the en-
emy Of the Government il in arms, or
whether he is aiding the armed, whether
he is a rebel or au aid to rebelIioni
whether he points the fatal knife at the
bosom of his fellow man, or whether he
aids or encourages another to do 1t
whether he applies the torch to the cap
ital of our country, and attempts te burn
It to ashes and destroy its archives, or
whether he is an apologist, and connives
and encourages it under the tongue of
peace.
The very existence of the institutions
under which we live are threatened, and
there are but two sides to this question.
One is in favor and the other is against it.
There can be no doubt of the result of
this matter if properly prosecuted, and
we are annoyed more to-day by attempts
to connive at the iebellion within than we
are at the rebellion itself. For there is
strength enough; and power enough Of
men, and money, and material, and deter
mination to crush this rebellion to the
very earth, where it deserves to be crush
ed There is no other way to deal with
it. The Administration has unquestion-
ably put forth its best efforts. L am not
the chosen defender of the administra-
ton. am itslpolitical opponent when L
act politically; but in emergencies of this
kind l intend to rise above political con-
siderations entirely. ILoud cheering']
change no political opinions. / say
political opinions have nothing to do with
the question, one way or the other. 1t is
not who shall govern and tenant the cap
ital. 1t is not who shall govern this
great State and Nation. 1t is "Shall it
be preserved for any party to govern Z"
[Cheers.
Now none shall escape from that issue;
there are no filthy and slippery stepstones
by which political Office seekers crawl
away from that, either up or down. 1t
is question of existence--our existence
! and he who is not for maintaining that
existence is for destroying it. The Ad.
ministration has come in with thousand
embarrassment around them-corrup-
tion and treason in every department to
the very lips; military officers betrayihg
their command-navy officers stealing
their ships-oiiicers in the mint and IN
S the custom-houses, and in every depart
ment, stealing its property or turning 1t
to the enemy; and new Administration
with new Cabinet coming in as a party
Administration, having only the conf
dence of part of the people, had all
! kinds of embarrassment on its hands,
y But so far as they have done what | com
:, mend, commend them for it. If they
$ have not done all would myself have
s. done under like circumstances--if they
have been remiss, it is the province OF
the people to call them to account, and
n ask them to administer the government
so as to put down the rebellion at the
y, earliest moment Now, the sin that
most easily besets the American people
: : is politics Everything is politics in this
st country. Like the frogs and lice, anc
Il locusts of Egypt, it comes up in the bee
!. !. and the kneading- trough. Politics Is
what ale was to Boniface: we eat, anc
drink, aud sleep on politics laughter anc
applause; and if ] wish to find traitor
to heaven and earth, and find name tc
curse the knave, | would call him mean
managing grog- shop politician. Laugh
ter and applause. Even in the matter
- of this great crisis, which threatens on
p, very country and existence, there is al
ID attempt going forward to raise politica
Ut party upon it. "Why don't you rally VI
to sustain this Government" Why
:, those Abolitionists kindled this fire.
I. "Well, what difference does that make
by Does it burn any more than if Democrat
had kinded it?" The question is, hoy
can we arrest the flame, not who kindle'
it. The house is on fire and burning, an,
threatening the destruction of the dwell
= ing beside it, SO that
"Tho blackness Of ,shes shall mark where II stood,
And wild mother scream oer her furnishing brood.
to But the Baptists say that the Method
las lists set it, aud the Methodists say tina
ne ne both of the others set it, or might hav
st., prevented it, and no one will endeavor