Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-05-25
Senator Bakers Speech.

Senator Bakers Speech.
Delivered at the great Union meet.
ing in New York, April 10.
Senator BAKER, of Oregon, was in
troduced, and said: The majority of
the people is here today to sustain the
majesty of the Constitution cheers
and I come wanderer from the far
Pacific, to record my oath along with
yours of the Great Empire State. ZAP
plausc and three cheers for Baker. I
The hour for Cancellation has passed !;
the gathering for battle is at hand, and
the country requires that every man
shall do his duty. Loud cheers.
Fellow-citizens, what is that country
Is it the soil on which we tread? Is it
the gathering of familiar faces? Is it
our luxury and pomp and pride :? Nay,
more than these! Isitpower and might
and majesty alone? No; our country
is more, tar more than all these. The
country which demands our love, our
courage, our devotion, our hearts
blood, is moro than these loud APP
plause our country is the history of
our tathers-Our country is the tradi-
ton Of our mothers-our country is
past renown-our country is present
pride and power-our country is future
hope and destiny-our country is great
ness, glory, truth, constitutional libcr-
ty-above all, freedom for ever! EN-
thusiastic chccrs.] These are the
watch-words under which we fight
and we will shout them out till the stars
appear in the sky, in the stormicst
hour Of battle. [Chcers.]
l have said the hour for Cancellation
is past. 1t may return, but not to.mor-
row nor next week. 1t will return
when that battered flag pointing to the
flag of Fort SUMTER, is avenged.
Prolonged and enthusiastic cheers.
1t will return when rebel traitors are
taught obedience and submission 1t
will return when the rcbellious Con-
federates arc taught that the North,
though peaccab!e, arc not towards
though forbcaring are not fearful.
(Cheers.] That hour of Cancellation
will come back when again the ensign
Of the Republic will stream over ever
rebellious fort of every confederate,
State. (Rencwed cheers.] Their, as
Of old, the ensign of the pride and
power and dignity and majesty, and
the peace of the Republic will return.
Applause. Young men of New
York-young men Of the United States
You are told this is not to be a war
Of aggression. In one sense this is true;
in another not. We have committed
aggression upon no man. In all the
broad land, in their rebel nest, in their
traitors camp, no truthful man can
rise and say that he has ever been dis
turbcd, though it be but for a single
moment, in life, liberty, estate, charact-
err or honor. Cheers and cries Of
"that's SOL Tho day they began
this unnatural, false, wicked, rebel
lious warfare, their lives were moro Sc
cure, their property more secure by US
(not by themselves butby us,) guarded
far moro securely than any people ever
had their lives and property secured
from tho beginning Of the world. Zap
plausc. We have committed no OPP
preston, have broken no compact, have
exercised no unholy power, have been
loyal, moderate, constitutional and just.
We are majority of the Union, and
we will govern our own Union within
our Constitution in our own way.
CCries Of "Bravo' and applause. =
We are all democrats. We are all re-
publicans. We acknowledge the sove-
reignty Of the people within tho rule
of the Constitution; and under that
Constitution, and beneath that flag let
traitors beware. Loud cheers. In
this sense, then, young men Of New
York, We are not for war of agrees
sion. But in another sense, speaking
for myself as a man who has been =
soldier and as one who is a Senator,
say in the same sense, I nm for q war
Of aggression. propose to do now az
we. did in Mexico-conquer peace.
loud cheers.1 I do not design to re-
main silent, supjne, inactive, may,
fearful, until they gather their battal.
ions and advance thoir host upon our
borders or in our midat. would
meet them upon their threshold, and
there, in the very State Of their power,
in the very atmosphere Of their trea.
son, ! propose that the people of thia
Union dictate to these rebels the terms
Of peace. Loud cheers.1 Il may
take thirty millions-it may take three