The Nevada journal., 1861-05-17
DaKER,s SPEECH.


Baker of Oregon was introduced; and said
The majesty of the people is here to day
to sustain the majesty..of the Constitution
1cheers land come wanderer from the
far Pacific, to record my oath along with
yours of the great Empire State. APP
p,ause ard three cheers for Baker. The
hour for conciliation has passed; the gath
erinp for battle is at hand, and the country
requires that every man shall do his duty.
TLoud cheers Fellow citizens, what is
that country? Is 1t 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, is it power and might and
majesty alone? No; our country is more,
far more than these. The country which
demands our love, our courage, our de-
votion, our hearts blood, is more than all
these-Tloud applause our country IS
the history of our fathers-our country Is
the tradition of our mothers-eur country
is past renown-our country is future hope
and destIny-our country IS greatness
glory, truth, constitutional liberty-aboye
all freedom forever! Enthusiastic cheers. ]
These are the watchwords under which we
fight; and we will shout them out till the
stars appear in the sky, in the stormiest
hours of battle. [Cheers.l / have said
that the hour for conciliation is past. 1t
may return, but not tomorrow, nor next
week Ii will return when that tattered
flag 1pointing 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 rebellious Confeder-
ates are taught that the North, though
peaceable, are not cowardly-though for
bearing are not fea rful. Cheers The
hour of conciliation will come back when
again the ensign of the Republic will
stream over every rebellious fort of every
Confederate State Renewed cheers. Then
as of old, the ensign of 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 Unit
ed States--you are told that this is not to
be a war of aggression. In one sense it Is
true; in another it is not We have COM
mitted 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 disturbed, though
it tc for Il single moment, in life, liberty,
estate, character or honor. Cheers and
cries of That's SOL The day they be-
gan this unnatural, false, wicked, rebellious
warfare their lives were more secure. their
property was more secure by US mot by
them, but by us), guarded far more secure
lv than any other people ever had their
lives and property secured from the begin
| ming of the world. Applause. We nave
committed no oppression, have broken no
compact, have exercised no unholy power,
have been loyal, moderate, constitutional,
and just. We are ma jority of the Union:
and we will govern our own Union within
our Constitution, and in our own way,
Cries of =" Bravo" and applause. We are
all Democrats. We are all Republicans. We
acknowledge the sovereignty .of the people
within the rule of the Constitution; and un-
der that Constitution, and ben cath that tia g
let traitors beware. Loud cheers. In this
sense, then, young men of New York, we
are not for a war OF aggression. But in
another sense, speaking for myself rs a
man who has been soldier and as one
who is Senator, | say in the same sense,
| am for war of aggression. lpropose to
do now rs we did in Mexico-conqucr
peace. Loud and enthusiastic applause. |
propose to go to Washington, and beyond.
| T Loud cheers. | do not design to remain
silent, supine, inactive-nay, fearful-until
thev gather their battalio&s and advance
their host upon our borders or in our midst
| would meet them upon the thrcshhold,
and there, in the very state of their power.
in the very atmosphere of their treason, |
pr ,posc that the people of this Union die
tate to these rebels terms of peace. Loud
cheers 1t may take thirty millions it
may take three hundred millions. What
then? We have it. Cries of Good " and
applause Loyalty, nobIy. grandly do the
merchants of New York respond to the ap-
pcals of the Government. 1t may cost us
seven thousand men it may cost us seven
ty-fve thousand men in battle 1t may cost
us seven hundred and fifty thousand men.
What then? We have them. Renewed
cheering The blood of every loyal citi-
zen of this Government is dear to me. My
sons, my kinsmen, the young men who have
grown up beneath my eye, they are all dear
to me: but if the country'S destiny, glory,
tradition, greatness, freedom, Government
written constitutional Goyernment-the
only hope of free Government demand it,
let them all go. Enthusiastic cheers. |
am not here now 10 speak timorous words
of peace. but to kindle the spirit of manly,
determined war. l speak in the midst of
the Empire State, amid scenes of past suf-
fering and past glory; the defenscs of the
Hudson above me, the battle field of Long
Island before me and the statute of Wash
ington in my very face loud and eathusi-
astic cheers], the battered and unconquer-
ed flag of Sumter waving in his hands,
which | can almost now imagine trembe
with the excitement of battle. [Great en-
thusiasm.] And as speak, | say my mis-
SION here to-day is to kindle the heart of
New York for war-short, sudden, bold, de-
termined war. [Applause.l The Seventh
Regiment has gone. [Three cheers for the
Seventh Regiment Let seventy and sever
more follow. [Applause.l Of old, said
great historian, beneath the banner of the
Cross, Europe precipitated herself upon
Asia. Beneath the banner of the Consti-
tuition let the men of the Union precipitate
themselves upon disloyal, rebellious Con-
federate States. Tremendous applause.l
few more words, and have done, [Cries
of "Go on" 4" You're the man." We'll
hear you till night."1 Let no man under
rate the dangers of this controversy. Civil
war, for the best of reasons upon the one
side, and the worst upon the other, is
always dangerous to liberty always
bloody. But fellow-citizens, there are yet
worse things than fear, than doubt or dread
and danger and blood. Disholor is worse
Prolonged cheers.] Perpetual anarchy is
worse. States forever commingling and
forever severing is worse. (Renewed cheers]
Traitors and Secessionists are worse. To
have star after star blotted out-fcries of
"Never! never! Ito have stripe after
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