The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-08-29
SANDS OF GOLD.
Speech of Hon. Joseph Holt.

FELLOW CITIZENS "A few weeks
since, 10 another form, | ventured freely
to express my views upon those tragic
vents which have brought sorrow to eve-
~ hearth stone aud to every heart 10 our
distracted ooautry, and it is rot ny pur
pose ou those views, or to engage 10 any
extended discussion Of the questions theu
examined 1t is not necessary that
should do so since the argumcut is tx
hausted, and the popular mind is perfect
~ familiar with it in all its bearings. /
sill, however, with your permission, sub
init few brief observations upon the ab-
sorbirg topics of the dag. aud 10 so
with an earoestness and emphasis due
like to sincerity OF my convictions and to
the magnitude of the Interests involved,
it is trusted that none will he offended,
not eGcn those who may most widely diff
fer from NE.
Could one, an entire stranger to our bis
torg, now look down upon the South. aud
zee there bun fred or hundred aud ff.
t7 thousaad mer marching 10 hostile ar.
ray. threatening the eaptnra Of the Capi.
tory of the Republic; aud could he look
again and see that this army is marshal
led and directed by officers recently oc,
cspyinE distinguished places in the civil
and military service of the country; and
further, that the states from which this
army has been drawn appear to be one
vast seething csldron of feroeious passion,
be would very naturally conclude that the
Government Of the UDiri States had
committed some great crime against it.
people, and that this uprising va in re
ti5tance to wrong and outrages which had
been boTae until endurance was 10 lon
ger possible And yet DO conclusion
could be further from the truth than this
The Government of the United Sictos has
maintained tie national honor at bone
aud BIZ It's prawess, It's wisdom, and its
Justice has given to the title CT an Amer
;ean eitiz'n an elevation among the IA
tons of the earth which the citizens OF no
seputlic have enjoyed since Rome was
mistress Of the world. Under its admin
istratiou the national don ain has stretch
ed awag to the Pacific, and that constel
lation which announced our birth as a
people, has expanded FROM thirteen to
thirty four stars. all. until recently. mo
wing uudistuIbed aud undim med III their
orbs OF light and grandeur The right,
OF DO states hage been invaded; DO man
pro..crtT has been despoiled, 20 mans
liberty abridged, no mans life oppressive
ly jeopariized BY the action o this gov
erDmeut Under its b nisn influences
the rilIs Of pablic and private prosperity
have swellcd into ri7ulrts, and fro N riE-
ul-ts into rivers ever bri 20 ming III their
fuliness, aDd everywhere. and at all Pc
riods Of its history, its ministrations have
fallen as gently on the people OF the Unl
ted States as DO the dexs Of summers
nj .bt on the fower's and gress of the gar
dens and fields.
Whence. then, this revolutionary out
break Whence the secret spring of this
gigantic conspiracy, which, like some huge
boa. had completely coiled itself around
the limbs sud body of the Republic, be-
fore single hand was lifted to resist it !
Strange aud, indeed, startling, as the an-
nounoemeut must appear when it falls Cd
the cars of the next generation, the na-
tioual tragedy, in whose shadow We stand
to hight, has come upon US because. 10
Noveuber last, John G. Breckenridge was
pot elected President OF the United States
and Abraham Lincoln Bas. This Is the
whole story. And ! would pray now to
know on what was Jobo G. Breokinrldg ge
fed that be bas grown 70 great, that
republic founded by WASHINGTON, and
cemented by the best blood that has ev
er coursed in human veins, is to be over
thrown because, forsootb. be cannot be
its Pre-identl Had be been chosen, We
well know that We should not have heard
of this rebellion, for the lever With whlcs
it is being moved would have been want
ing TO the bands of the coDspirators.-
Even after bis defeat, could it have beer
guaranteed, beyond all peradyenture, tha
JEFF. Davis or some other kindred spiri
would be successor of Mr.. Lincoln, pre-
sumo we bsssrd nothing in assuming
that this atrocious movement against tn
government would pot baye been set OF
foot. This great crime, then. with which
we are grspplipg. sprang from that "slI
by which the angels fall''-an unmaster
ed and profigate anbition-an ambition
that would rather reign in bell than t
serve in heaveD"-tbat would rather rul
supremely over shattered fragment Q
the Republic than run the chances of sha
ring with others the hooors of the wbol'
The conspirators of the South read !
the election of Mr.. Lincoln declaratlo
that the democratic party had been pros
trated if not 6Ualy destroyed by the sel
fish intrigues and corruptions Of its lead
ersi they read, too, that the vicious, eua