The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-10-18
Senator Wnkins0n ON the War. and
the Duty OF Patriots


the Duty OF Patriots.
The following passages are extracted
from, and show the tenor of, speech lately
delivered by the Hon. M. s. WILKINSON.
at Mankato:
TO day the whole border line from K an,
sas to Fortress Monroe, is besieged bv a
powerful army, raised and brought into the
field by those who are determined to destroy
this government. At this hour, two hun
dred thousand men are in sight of the Ma
tional Capital, who threaten to seize and
destroy it, and TO overthrow the govern.
ment of the United States. The question
and the great question of the hour is, shall
the destroyers be driven back, broken and
demOralized, and this wise and good gov
eminent saved from ruin, or shall we meek
ly and cowardy submit our necks to the
yoke which traitors would place upon them.
Rrather let us say with the noble Clay,
"Let US arise and shake off the dew drops
that have gathered on our garments, and
once more march forth to battle and to VIC
tory"
TO do this we must be united, bold, de-
termined and energetic. 1t is idle, yea, it
is suicidal for US to talk of political parties
and local divisions, when the very fOunda.
tions of the Government are being broken
up. Tell me if you can, what all the par
ties in the nation are worth if this great
Government is to be destroyed? l say
here to night what have said before, that
ignore and cast behind me all party or
personal considerations when they in any
wise distract our people and stand in the
way of Union and victory.
say plainly that l will not urge my
own or my party's claim upon the people
whilst two hundred and fifty thousand OF
my fellow citizens have offered their lives in
defence OF the Government.
In great revolutions like that which is
upon the country, men and parties alike
dwindle into nothing--they are as trifing
as "tbe snow flake in the river, or as the
light foam upon the angry waters" when
compared with victory or defeat Every
thing worth preserving in our nation de-
ponds upon the success of our arms in this
great struggle.
The world knows we can conquer our
enemies if we Wilt knows that we have
the men and means to ensure success, if we
possess virtue enough and courage enough
to do it. If we fail we will have no record
and no history worth preserving.
Nations are judged by their valor upon
the battle field; and if they have not an
honorable record there, they have nothing
to which their sons can refer without shame
and humiliation. Greece would scarcely be
remembered to-day were it not for the rec
ord which has been preserved of Leonidas,
Thermopyla, and Marathon. The battles
of Marius, Scipio, Pompey and Caesar have
preserved the Roman name and the Roman
history, to be read and admired by the wise
and good of all nations.
What would the history of France be
were it not for Napoleon, Austerlitz, Ma
rengo and Waterloo? And what would
our history be worth if the names of Wash
ington, Bunker Hill, Saratoga, Yorktown
and New Orleans were blotted from it's
pages? Without these names our history
would be poor indeed.
And if we fail now to sustain the lofty
character which the valor and heroism of
our fathers have won for US, we will not be
entitled to, and we will not receive an hon.
orable place upon the page OF history. Our
name, and our national honor, and glory
will perish forever.
But l am confident we will not fail in
this great struggle to win new laurels, and
to add new and brighter pages to the
already glowing history of our fathers.
Already have some of our undisciplined
volunteers exhibited a courage and vaIor
which was never before excelled upon any
battlefield. When the history of the battle
where the noble Lyon fell shall be duly
written, it will be found that some of our
western regiments maintained their position
without faltering or falling back, even after
they had sustained losses equal to that oil
the Light Brigade at Balaklava, whose
gallant ride in that bloody storm has been
immortalized by the glowing pen of Tenny-
son,
If we are wise, virtuous, self sacrificing
and courageous, we will succeed in main
tanning "a more perfect union" But if we
do not exhibit these lofty qualities, we will
fail and be Inundated and dishonored for
ever