Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-02-21
GREEN MOUNTAIN FREEMAN, FEB. q, 1861.


Mr. Lincolns first speech after leaving home
was at indianapolis, Indiana, and was as fol-
lows
Ftl'olc Citizens Of the State Of Indiana -
| am here to thank you much for this magnlti-
cent welcome, and still more for the very gene
rous support given by your State to that poit-
ical cause which think is the true and Just
cause of the whole country and the whole world
!; Solomon says, There is a time to keep silence
and when men wrangle by the month with no
certainty that they mean the same thing while
using the same word, it perhaps were as well
if they would keep silence. The words coer
!, clon and invasion are much used in these
days, and often with some temper and hot
blood Let us make sure, If We can that we
do not misunderstood the meaning OF those who
use them. Leet us get The exact definition of
these words, not from dictionaries but IRON
the men themselves, who certainly dcprecate
the things they would represent by the use of
words. What then, is coercion -? What Is
inyasion?' Would the marching of an ar
my into South Carolina, without the consent of
r her people, and with hostile intent toward
them, be invasion? ! certainly think it would
: be coercion also il the South Carolnlans
were forced to submit But the United States
SHOULD merely hold and retake Its own forts and
other property and collect the duties on for
eign importatioDs, or even withhold the mails
from places where they were habtually viola
ted, would any or all Of these things be inya
sion or coercion?' DO you protested lovers
OF the Uuion, but who spitelully resolve that
they will resist coercion and invasion, under
stand that such things as these on the part OF
! the United States would be coercion or invasion
. OF State ? If SO, their idea OF means to pre-.
serve the object Of their great affection would
seem to be exceedingly thin and airy. If sick
> the little pills of the homeopathist, would be
much too large for it to swallow. In their
view, the Union, as family relation, would
, seem to to no regular marriage, but rather u
i, sort Of free love arrangement, to be maintained
on personal attraction. BY the way, in what
: consists the special sacredness of State2
f speak not of the position assigned to State In
the Union by the Constitution, for that by the
bond we all recognize. That position, how
ever, q State clnnot carry out of the Union
with it. | speak OF that assumed primary
right Of q State to rule all which is less than
u itself If a State and . county, in given case
should be equal in extent Of territory and equal
in number OF inhabitants, in what, as a matter
OF principle, is the State better than tho coun
e ty? Would an exchange of names be an ex-
+ change of rights? Upon principle, on what
rgbtiul principle, may u State, being no more
than one fIteth part Of nation In soil and
> population, break up the nation and then co
i cree proportonably larger subdivision Of itself
d in the most arbitrary way? What mysterious
!. right to play tyrant is conferred on district
of country with its people by merely calling it
( a State Fellow-citzens, am not asserting
: anything, am merely asking questions for
y you to consider. And now allow me to bid you
farewell"
!, The President arrived at Cincianali on the
c 18th. Of the reception, q correspondent says
: " The reception here lust finished has been
Q q thorough and magnificent success Not less
than one hundred and fifty thousand people
crowded the depot and thronged the streets
> through which the Presidential cortcge passed
Z The city has waved with flags upon which
n the number of stars was undiminished,) with
9 handkerchieis, brandlshcd by fair hands, has
resounded with the thunder OF guns and the
roll of music and the tramp of feet and peal
u OF countless hurrahs. 1t HAS taken on it's
d robes OF festival and greeted the Republican
II chici with even stateler grace than that with
which, lew months since, she welcomed the
vonng prince who dropped in upon her en- pas
sant, tasted her toasted pig, (luxurlous hut pm.
= itental Wand )lookcd at her villas, talked to
her bores danced with her pretty women and
whlrled away The ovation in honor Of Lin
coin quite eclilscs that in honor of Albert Ed.
ward, and | am assured by enthusiastic Oldest
citizens here that the splendors of all preceden;
It festivals and days Of display which Cincinnati
n has witnessed are eclipsed by that of to day.
= Mr.. Lincoln replied to the official welcome Of
a the Mayor as follows:
l. Mr.. Mayor, ladies and gentlemen: Twenty
!. four houls ago, at the Capitol OF Indiana Isaid
to myself have never seen SO many people as
sembed together in winter weather am no
1t longer able to say that But it is what might
l. have been expected-that this great city of Gin
in cinnatl would thus acquit herself ON such an
II occasion. My friends, am entirely over
E, whelmed with the magnifcence of the reception
ID which has been given, will not say to me, but
$ to the President elect of the United States Of
m America (Loud cheering Most heartily lo
h thank you, one and all for it. Applause
am reminded by the address of your worthy
;" Mayor that this reception is given not by any
~ WV IVi''Nai pultl anu even III Hhu HOl uceil
Mt so reminded by his Honor could not have fail
. ed to know the fact by the extent of the null
tltude see before me now. could not look
ne upon this vast asscmbage without being made
is aware that all parties were united in this re
IN ccption. applause This is as it should be.
NJ 1t is AS it should have been if Senator Douglas
had been elected, 1t is $ it should have been
- ii Mr.. b. Il had been olectcd-as it should h"ro
o. been if Mr.. Breckenridge had been electe,l--as
a 1t should ever be when any citizen is consttu-
lie tionally elected President Of the United States
a Great applause Allow me to say that
:" think what has occurred hero TO day could not
a have occurred IN any other country on the face
as OF the globe, without the influence of the free
e institutions which we have unc ssingly enjoyed
Tor three-qaarters of century. (Applaus' }