The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-02-21
The President EEa Route.

EIr. Lincolu's journey toward Washing
ton city is more like triumphal march
than anything else Everywhere on his
route he is met by crowds on crowds, who
testify their admiration of the man In ev-
cry conceivable manner. He has made a
number of speeches, one of fwhich--dellv-
cred at Indianapolis-we here give:
FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF
INDIANA: l am here to thank you much
for this magnificent welcome, and still
more for the very generous support given
by your State to that political cause which
| think is the true and just cause OF the
whole country and the whole world. Sol
omon saws, ssThere is a time to keep 81
lence," and when men wrang'e 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 coercion" and
''invasion" are much used in these days,
and often with some temper and hot
blood. Let Us make sure, if we caE, that
we do not misunderstood the meaning OF
those who use them. Let US get the exact
definitions of these words, not from die
tionaries, but from the men themselves,
who certainly deprecate the things they
would represent by the use of the words.
What, then. is coercion :" What IS ''ln-
vasiong" Would the marching of an ar
my into South Carolina, without the con-
sent of her people, and with hostile intent
toward them, be invasion? L certainly
think it would be coercion - also if the
South Carolinians were forced TO submit.
But II the United St,tcs should mereIy Lotd
and retake its o,rn forts and otter property,
and collect he duties on JoreiJn in,pOrtattoHS,
or erea uciihhoM tie niaiiS froD, l,ifces iohere
thsy trere hoJituq}ly cioSafcd, aeoWtd any or
| all these things Le ''dtvosioA' or ''coercto', ?
Do our professed lovers of the Union, but
who spitefully resolve that they will resist
coercion and invasion, understand that
such things as these on the part OF the
United States would be coercion or snva-
sion of a State? If so, their idea Of means
to preserve the object of their great atfec-
ton would seem to be exceedingly thin
and airy If sick, the little pills of the
homepathist would be too large for 1t to
swallow In their view, the Union, as a
family relation, would seem to be no reg
ular marriage, but rather sort of free-love
| arran cement, to be maintained on passion
al attraction. BY the way, in what con-
sists the special sacredness Of State? l
speak Aot of the position assigned to a
State in the Union by the Constitution,
for that by the bond we all recognize. That
position, however, Il State cannot carry out
of the Union with it. ] speak Of that as
| sumed primary right of State to rule all
which is less than itself, and to ruin all
which is larger than itself If State and
| county, In given case, should be equal
in extent of territory and equal in number
| Of Inhabitants, in what, as matter OF
| principle, is the State better than the
. county? Would an exchange of names
be an exchange of rights Upon what
principle, what rightful principle, may a
| State, being no more than one-fftieth part
Of the nation in soil and population, break
up the nation and then coerce proportion
ably larger subdivision of itself in the
most arbitrary way? What mysterious
right to play tyrant is conferred on a dis
trict Of country with its people by merely
calling it a State? Fellow-citizens, | am
not asserting anything, | am merely ask
ing questions for you to consider. And
now allow me to bid you farewell.
| The President arrived at Pittsburg on
Friday evening, where he was welcomed
by an immense outpouring of the people
He made an excellent speech the next
morning, after which he was csc )rted to
the Allegheny city depot, where he took
the cars for Buffalo. Thence he proceed
ed to Albany and New York. To-day he
leaves for Trenton and Philadelphia, and
tomorrow friday he will visit Harris,
burg.