Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1861-07-31
MR. HoLr,s spEEcH.-coNcLusIoN.

i
after it has been fought and won, will return
to the camp, we'll assured that if cannot
claim the laurels, / will at least enjoy the
blessings of the victory 70 Is this all that re-
mains OF her chivalry of the chivalry OF the
land of the Shelbys, the Johnsons, the Aliens,
the Clays. the Adairs, and the Davises9 Is
there Kentuckian within the sound of my
voice tonight, who can hear the anguished
cry of his country, as she wrestles and writhes
in the folds of this gigantic treason, and then
lay himself down upon his pillow with this
thought of neutrality, without feeling that he
has something in his bosom that stings him
worse than would an adder? Have we, with
in the brief period of eighty years, descended
80 far from the mountain nights on which our
fathers stood, that already in our degeneracy,
we proclaim our blood too precious, our treas
ure too valuable, to be devoted to the preser-
vation of such Government as this? They
fought through seven years. war with the
greatest power on earth for the hope, the bare
hope, OF being able to found this Republic,
aud now that it is no longer hope nor an e1-
pertinent, but glorious reality which mas eA-
cited the admiration and the homage OF the
nations and has covered us with blessings, as
ssthe waters cover the channels of the sea,
have We, their children, no years of toll, OF
sacrifice, and of battle even, if need be, to
give to save it from absolute destruction at
the hands of men who, stepped in guilt, are
q
for which verify believe the blackest page
of the history of the worlds darkest period
furnishes no parallel! Can 1t be possible that
in the history OF the American people we have
already reached point of degeneracy so low
that the work of Washington and Franklin, of
Adams and Jefferson, OF Hancock and Henry,
is to be overthrown by the morally begrimed
and pigmied conspirators who are now tug
ging at its foundations 1t would be the over
turning of the Andes by the miserable reptiles
that are crawling in the sands at their base.
But our neutral fellow-citizens in the ten
derness OF their hearts say ssThis effusion Of
blood sickens us.' Then do all in your pow
er to bring it to an end. Let the whole
strength OF this Commonwealth be put forth
tn behalf of the government, in order that
the war may be terminated by prompt sup
preston of the rebellion. The longer the
struggle continues, the fiercer will be Its spir-
it, and the more fearful the waste of life at
tending it. You, therefore, only aggravate
the calamity you deplore, by standing aloof
from the combat. But again they say, sswe
cannot fight our brethren" Indeed But
your brethren can fight you and with good
will too. Wickedly and wantonly have they
commenced this war against you and your in
stitutions, and ferociously are they prosecu-
ting it. They take no account OF the fact that
the massacre with which they hope their
swords will ere long be clogged, must be the
massacre Of their brethren. However much
we may bow our heads at the confession, it is
nevertheless true that every free people that
have existed have been obliged at one period
or other of their history to fight for their lib
critics against traitors within their own bo-
SONS, and that people who have not the great
ness of soul thus to fight cannot long continue
TO be free, nor do they deserve to be so.
There is not and there cannot be any neu-
trail ground for loyal people between their
own Government and those who at the head
of armies are menacing its destruction. Your
inaction is not neutrality, though you may
delude yourselves with the belief that it Is SO.
With this rebellion confronting you, when
you refuse to cooperate actively with your
Gorernmont in subduing it, you thereby con-
demn the Government, and assume toward it
an attitude of antagonism. Your inactivity
is virtual Endorsement of the rebellion, and
if you do not thereby give to the Rebels pre-
cisely that 'said and comfort' spoken of in the
Constitution, you certainly afford them M ost
powerful encouragement and support. That
they regard your present position as friendly
TO them, is proved by the fact that, in recent
enactment of the Confederate Congress con-
fscatipg the debts due from their own citi-
zens to those of loyal States, the debts due to
the people of Kentucky are expressly except
ed. Is not this significant? Does il leave
any room for doubt that tho Confederate Con-
guise of your neutrality lnrking sympathy
tor their cause, which entities you to be trea-
tod as friends if not as active allies? Patri-
otic as was the purpose of her apprehensiye
statesmen in plscing her in the anomalous po-
sition she now occupies it cannot be denied
that Kentucky, by her present attitude, is ex-
ertiug potent influence in strengthening the
Rebellion. and is, therefore, false alike to her
loyalty and to her fame. You may rest well
assured that this estimate of your neutrality
is entertained by the true men of the country
IN all the States which are now sustaining the
Government. Within the last few weeks, how
many of those gallant volunteers, who have
left home and kindred, and all that is dear to
them, and are now under southern sun, ex-
posing themselves to death from disease, and
to death from battle, and are accounting THEN
lives as nothing IN the effort they are making
for the deliverance of your Government and
theirs; how many of them have said TO me in
sadness and IN longing, sWIll not Kentucky
help me l'' How my soul would have leaped
could l have answered promptly, confidently
exultingly, eyes, she WILL" But when
thought of this neutrality, my heart sank with.
in me, and did not, and could not, look those
brave men in the face. And yet could not
answer ssNo." / could not crush myself tc
tho earth under the establishment of such a
reply. ] therefore said-and may my coun-
try sustain me-'sI hope, l trust, pray, nay
believe, Kentucky will yet do her duty"
Ifthis Government is to be destroyed, ask
yourselves, are you willing, it shall be record
ed in history that Kentucky stood by in the
greatness of her strength and lifted not hanC
to stay the catastrophe {? Ii it is to be saved
1 verify believe it is-are you willing il
shall be written that, in the immeasurabls
glory which must attend the. achievement
Kentucky had no part?
will only add, if Kentucky wishes the
waters of her beautiful Ohio to be dyed il
blood, if she wishes her harvest fields, nov
waving in their abundance, to be trampled un