Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-01-11
Hickman's Speech.

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on the 20th Dec, Hon. John Hickman
was present and made the following Speech,
Which, as foreshadowidg the policy to which
tie obstreperous shareholders will be bro't
in obedience to the Constitution and laws,
we present to our readers, We believe
four ffths Of. the country will approve of
every word, and that the time has come
which will teach lessons of wisdom and hui
millty to our very wicked and insufferably
naughty southern brethren
Mr.. President and gentlemen of the Pco-
Pies Party Of Philadelphia I thank you
tor the opportunity you have afforded me
Tor giving expression to my devotion to the
Constitution and the Union. | love the
Constitution because it secures the Union,
and L love the Union because it gives to
US security and prosperity. Without them
we should fall into anarchy; and worse
still, without them brother would be array
ed against brother and blood would run
down your beautiful city.
1t is not necessary for me to declare to
you who are apprised of transporting events,
that they are both in danger, and that nei-
Their Of them will be preserved by paper
resolves. The time has arrived for action
rather than for expression. No man can
maintain the integrity of the Union by pop
ular assemblies declaring devotion to the
Constitution. The time has come when
every man has got to define his position in
the great struggle which is about to come
oft between rival sections and rival inter-
ests, No greater truth was ever proclaim
ed III the hearing Of the American people
than that there is an antagonism between
freedom and slavery. [Applause.1 And
let no man console himself with the refec-
tlon that this antagonism is to be Quoted
by the palliatiyes Of compromise A voice
OR by public meetings. ] You cannot
form truces between them which will last
1t is as impossible as to dam up mighty
rivers and to say that from such a point
the dry land shall appear. As long as the
free sentiment Of the North shall invade
the territory of the South, so long the
South will have complaints, and you have
now to make up your minds whom you will
serve-whether you will serve God or Be-
lial. Applause.
his Is not the first time in our history
that these difficulties have come upon US,
and when the safety of the country has
been imperiled. In 1920 we comprom-
lsed, IN 1882 We compromised, in 1854 we
compromised. for the purpose of making
peace between these rival and conflicting
interests, and in every instance in which
compromises have been entered into, these
compromises have been followed by increas-
ed difficulties and dangers. And now it is
proposed to Us with all the experience of
the past, that we shall again endeayor to
make lasting truce between freedom and
slavery, | have said at another time and
in another place, that air lines may divide
rival States. but they can never bound con-
ficting sentiments. The lights of the press,
the wares Of proficient craft, the mechani-
cal tendencies Of highly productive art
these will always make an impression upon
the weak and the impotent. My fellow
citizens | put it to you, sober, staid. SEN
sible men, to give to me the lines Of COM
promise which shall give to Us rest. VIII
you restore the Missouri Compromise line
I voice, "No" enacted in 1920 at
the demand of the South, and repealed in
1884 at the sans demand? VIII you re-
enact it again? A voice, ''Not by any
means" Not BY any means. No, /
would rather suffer my ri ght arm to be sew
cred from the shoulder chcers7 than to
place upon myself any such mark of hunil-
jation and disgrace, Removed cheers.
Are you willing that this game of bat
tledore and shuttlecock shall longer be
played between the North and The South?
If you are I am not and the line is drawn
between US as distinctly as it is drawn be-
tween the North and the South. i voice,
Hes exactly right" and cheers As for
myself, [ say it here, and say it distinct
ly, desiring not to be misunderstood by
any man, land you will find I will carry it
through my life = no more compromise,
T Cries of Good, " and vociferous and long
continued applause [ love the Constu-
ton and the Union equal to that Of any
other man, but I VIII not buy them from
any man who does not Exclusively own
them. T"Good, :" and cheers. If the Con-
stitution and the laws will not secure the
fealty of every right-minded citizen, is it to
be expected that fimsy compromise,
patched up by members Of Congress, is 90
ing to do what they cannot effect? Nv
motto is s'DTillions for defence-not one
cent for tribute" Cheers.
It is proper, my fellow citizens, that we
should look at the realities Of the times.
South Carolina declares that she has al
ready seceeded from the Union; that the
bonds have been severed which bound us
together. | contend that if South Carroll
ma is out Of the Union there is no State in
it cheers for there is not vitality or pow
er in the bonds which we supposed held us.
But I give it as my opinion, as my convic-
ton, that she is not yet out Of the Union,
and l also give it as my opinion that, with
the blessing Of Almighty God, she never
will be out Of the Union. Tremendous
applause and wild enthusiasm. IF you
feel as | do, I know she will never be out
of the Union, cheers and I repeat to-
night what I have said on former occa-
sion, that the eighteen millions of the
North, the toiling millions VINO monopolize
all the art, industry, and intelligence of the
country, are not to be overcome, paralized,
and moulded into shape by eight millions
IL