Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-05-30
ARMED NEUTRALITY.
speech of Ex-GOv. u. VI. stewart.
at Jefferson city, Missouri,
on Monday, the 22md Of April.

the history of nations, as of individuals,
when their whole destiny hangs on the
decision of an hour. Missouri, nay the
great American Republic, is in the midst
ofsuch an epoch this moment. God gave
America to be free, and the Genius OF Lib
erty, after long centuries of darkness, per-
il, and persecution, amid the despotisms
of the Old World, fled across the stormy
wave to seek home, shelter and safety
in the New. Thro' the long struggle Of
the Revolution, when our fathers went on
pilgrimage for Liberty, staining their
pathway with blood, and paving it with
their bones, this spirit of freedom cheered
them on to do, and endure, and dare, and
die, in the holy cause of freedom. We,
their sons, have come into possession and
keel ing ofthis more than royal Inheritance
Shall We barter it all away for less than a
mess ofpottage?" Shall we give strength
to the crumbling tottering thrones ofdes-
potism and proclaim to the civilized world
that free government is an impossibility?
Shall we, by our action, crush out the
last hope of the world, cause tyrants to
exult, and struggling humanity to weep
in shame? God forbid!
The responsibilities resting upon us
now are greater than at any moment since
the birth of the great American Republic
If there had been falterng or failure, dis
aster or defeat at Lexington or Yorktown
the evil might have been remedicd, for
those men of lion-hea and iron nerves
al l.; nd ro.
their defeats tell for liberty. But if they
fail to preserve what they bequeathcd, all
is lost, not even saUing honor. The in
tercsts that cluster around this day and
hour are greater than any other we shall
find this side of the grave. Let us not be
governed bv the madness Of the moment,
but examine onr position and seek for
our duty in the sober light of reason.
1t is no time, fellow citizens, nor is it
my purpose to talk about old political
platforms, or discuss dead issues. "Let
the dead bury their dead" The plat
forms and issues of the past are all swal
lowed up in the great facts of the present
politics must succumb to patriotism OF, w,
are lost beyond the hope of redemption
Nor do | propose to utter one railing ac
cusation against those who first inaugur
atcd this terrible revolution. 1t is enough
for us to know that the happiest, richest
and most prosperous and powerful natior
on earth has commenced the unnatura
work of destroying itself that thirty mil
lions Of people, bound together by every
tie that can unite civilized men, have
deliberately cast aside the implements o
labor, abandoned the instruments ant
agencies of wealth and knowledge, and
commenced the "work of cutting eacl
others throats, .
The Border Slave States have not ye
Joined the murderous fray; some of them
Missouri among the number, have no
yet armed their citizen soldiery. Wha
is the true policy of these States? Wha
is wise, Just, and honorable course fol
Missouri? for she is large enough, ant
has sufficient interests at stake to be
leader instead of meek follower, at
time like the present. But two alterna
tives are left to the Border States. w,
must either dsSever our connection witt
the General Government at once, anC
ioin our fortunes with the Southern Con
iederacy, (provided they are willing t.
receive us) or we must take the position
of armed neutrals, standing like a ball q
fire between the belligerants North an,
South, and demanding speedy an
peaceful termination of the unnatura
war.
Some suppose that the former cours
would result in immediate negotiation
, and treaty of peace that should secur
their Just rights to all parties. If | be
lieved this to be even probable, l woul
vote with both hands for immediate SEP
aration. But ! believe that the presel
secession of the Border States woul
only serve to prolong and intensity Il
bloody struggle and throw tho who
weight of the war directly upon the Bo
der States themselves, where it was il
d tended that it should fall by those wh
f inaugurated this revolution.
People Of Missouri, beg you to col
slider for moment what must be the r.
suit of an immediate and violent separ
= ton from the Government with whit
we have been connected since our eXis
, ence as Territory. And here, allow n
to say, that whilst regard with utter al
horrence the principles of the Abolition
lists, and with equal disfavor the poliC
of coercion, see nothing in that poliC
but destruction to our dearest interest
= the moment that we abandon our presel
W vantage ground and cast our lot with Il
Confederate States. What, my friend
are some of the evils that we may reaSo
ably count upon as the result of immed
4, ate secession? With the present temp
of the Administration and the united II
I'M ton of the North in its support, we mi
Ter safely calculate upon every annoyance al
~ injury which they can possibly inhict.-
=. The first blow at our commerce Will cor
u. pletely annihiate our foreign and dome
" tic trade. With the Mississippi block
ded at Cairo and intercourse broken
Eat with the East, and the destruction of t
Se market hitherto existing on our weste
no border for stock and produce to supp
Els the army on the frontier, we shall be
ay fectually cut off from trade and int
course with the rest of the world.
desolating fire could not more eileetua
destroy our river marine and river tow
- and cities, whilst the stoppage of
mails and the immense falling off of
ternal trade and travel, would leave {
great lines of railroads that have cost
J, people nearly thirty millions of mon
-, to rust out and 90 to destruction.