Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-09-20
Speech by Daniel 8. Dickinson.

L
call signed by $500 voters, Hon. Daniel S
Dickinson delivered an address at Ithaca, N
Y. It will be remembered that Mr.. ID. ha.
been Democrat all his life, and in the las
Presidential campaign supported Brcckin
ridge. We can make room but for a portion
here you have it, and you never read any
thing better: - 1ag,g g5ra-as.1 sas
- *9+ With the very flrst booming q
the gun that fired upon Sumter, I declared
in moment that was in the field against
the rebellion. Cheers] The first news told
me that there would be meeting in New.
York. l flew there as on the wings of the
wind, to declare my principles, that I might
summon my friends to initiate my example.
[Amen.l believed then that had the hiss.
ing, deviish, disunion serpent by the neck.
and now know have. daughter and
cheers When l see such an assemblare as
this, it tells me more, it speaks to tho heart
more eloquently than all the tongues of
preachers and speakers; than all the lessons
the press can give-it tells me that the
popular heart is sound to the core. Cheers
l see before me and all around mo tremblins ?
old ago leaning upon his -stalwart
manhood, with strong muscles in his arm
youth, ready to bare his bosom in battle
woman, with her gentle and anxious face,
pleading for her country-maidens, trcmbl.
ing, fearing that some great calamity awaits
their happy family-and little children. with
their cunning, inquiring eyes, wishing to
know why this vast concourse. and whv that
old man with white hairs talks so carnestlv
on subject in which they intuitiveley feel
danger, but do not fully comprehend. All!
my fair-haired boy, it is that this Govern
ment may be saved to you; that its blessings
ofliberty may not be " rested from you, but
that your little cyebals may not be blasted,
nor scared, nor your hearts wrung with this
accursed destroyer, disunion that no evil
shall come to blast these fair and fertile fields,
I have the monster disunion, as the infant
Hercules had the serpent, by the throat. Let
it hiss on-let it struggle, with it convoluted
folds! have it. Let it writhe in death
like contort.,rs, Il it can, from my grasp
grasp it in he name of the people-in the
name Of liberty, and hope and lawn the
name Of humanity; and l will strangle it
forever, before l release it. [Great cheering
What are all the miserable party ties Of the
day worth, compared to such Government?
Parties shoot up from the Government, Gov
does not shoot up from them
Party platforms, party ties and all that re-
lates to parties, are as the idle wind, unless
you have Government for them to stand
upon. And when your Government stands
fairly and firmly, then it is that parties may
take their rise, and make their issues. And
they are useful--useful to watch each other
in free Government-useful to purify the
political atmosphere which they sometimes
as part of the machinery of
a Government founded on an independent
Constitution. feel strong in the pride of
my position, not of myself, but as your re.
representative of the national
sentiment. have stood in the high places
Of the land, in scnatcs and in forums, with
the great and honorcd of the land-thc Clays,
the Websters, the Bentons, and the Calhouns
and feel that | stand on higher grounds
to-day, as free American citizen, vindica-
ting the integrity Of our Government against
traitors and their rebellion, than ever before.
Tremendous cheering, breaking forth in loud
hurrahs.l Funky politicians and bastard
Democrats fear l am going to my political
funeral. Well, l shall have, from present
appearances, pretty handsome procession,
and don't want them for mourners. Great
laughter and cheering, and cries of "Good!''l
You know perfectly well what have been my
political antecedents. II is not material for
the purpose of this question. l hold this
question to have nothing to do with political
affairs one way or another. And know of
no man-no Abolitionist so ultra, nor Re-
publican so hostile, no American so bigoted,
nor no Democrat so detestably faithless, but
l will 60 with him to perform this great work,
if he will go in good faith, as would 60 to
perform any other work involving the exis-
tence ofmy country. Hay aside my politics
l ask you to lay aside yours. / shall not go
to yon politically do not ask you to come
to me, and any one who will attempt to man
politics out of this matter, or drag
political parties into it, is no patriots
and little better than those who
assail the country with arms. AS to the Ad-
it was not the Administration
Of my own choosing care nothing for that.
Where it is right, mean to sustain It; where
it is strong l mean to aid it; where it is not
strong, l will help it to be stronger. And it
is the duty Of every good citizen to stay up
the hands Of the Administration in order
that it may do its whole and its perfect work.
Suppose your village was on fire, your pub
lie edifices and your beautiful dwellings were
on fire or were threatened with flames, and
your fire department should come out en-
dcavoring to arrest the conflagration. One
says the engineer is not qualified; he is unfit
and inefficient, the department incapable, and
he will let the village burn. Are youa mad
man? Why for Heavens sake, let US help
them. Hand along the buckets take hold
there and work the engine; raise the ladder
and mount to the roof and try to arrest the
destruction But no; VIC hear that Mr.. Lin
coin and his Administration arc not able to
conduct the Government successfully. For
Heavens sake, then let us take right hold
and help it-not attempt to discourage it and
put it down. And it is my position that every
friend of the Administration should help, and
that every opponent of the Administration
should help them twofold-all should take
hold and perform this great work, not as
Democrats, not as Republicans, not as Amer
leans, not as Abolitionists, nor anything else,
except as American citizens, having dcsti-
ny, country, a heritage that concerns us all.
But there is an attempt to engraft political
parties upon this disturbance shame that
it should be so. + It is the great
struggle for free government on earth. This
is the last resting place for liberty. Who is
disposed to tamper with such dangers Twill