The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-09-11
OTTUMWA IOWA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER IL, 1861.

pecially my Democratic fellow citizens,
whether they are troubled about the integri-
ty of Kentucky ky--whether they think it is
necessary to stay up the hands of rebellion
in Kentucky, SO emphatically condemned
there And now repeat that the only
practical cause of dissension was the fugi-
tive slave question and that appertained to
States that could only be drawn or dragon.
ed into the folly of Secession. Gen. Butler
has had this question on his hands. As long
as the Constitution was acknowledged, all
conservative citizens admitted that it was
the duty Of the Free States to restore the
fugitive who was fleeing from the service Of
his master. Gen. Butler has found the res
toration of the fugitives impracticable in ma
ny cases. The master had thrown off the
Constitution. What was the result? He
was obliged to receive hundreds Of contra
bands, and retain them. I do not know
what he will do with the question but sup
pose he is going to do with them something
as the Irishman was going to do with Widow
Mslone's pig. "Did you steal the widow
Malone's pig, Patrick ?" asked the Priest
"That did," "What made your Think
when you will stand, you hereto, in the
Great Day, when shall be there, and you
will be there, and Widow Malone will be
there, and the pig will be there" "And will
your riverence be there ?" eyes" "And the
Widow Malone there ?" eyes" "And the
pig there ?'' eyes" "Well, I should say,
Widow Malone, take your pig Laughter.
Now, do not know but Gen. Butler is going
to take as long credit as did the Irishman.
But, when we have Constitution and when
they acknowledge its force, have no boubt
but every just citizen will be for seeing it
complied with. Now, have just as much
confidence in the masses of the Southern
people as in the masses of the Northern peo-
pie. Both are alike. The masses are hon.
est. To be sure, their institutions, their
means Of communication, render them more
excitable, more easily led, and more relying
upon their leaders for public information, and
therefore more liable to be misled than North
ern people. Nevertheless, have confidence
in the Southern people; and the result of the
great conflict in Kentucky assures me that
the Southern heart is with the people, sound
to the core. Though terrified into seeming
Secession, with the exception Of one or two
States in the South, am well satisfied that
if the question of Union or Disun:on were
submitted to the people to day an overwhelm-
ing vote would be given for the Union and
its Stars and Stripes. [Applause.l Every in
dication has shown that whenever there has
been an election in any Southern State. and
fair opportunity given, you have seen that
the Union sentiment has prevailed. You
will see that it is by military power, by threats
intimidation, destruction, marder and arson
that they have succeeded in getting in ad-
vance the cause of Secession. In some States
as for instance Louisiana, they never SUBJ
mitted the question to the people at all. 1t
is base humbug of Davis, Cobb and Co.,
to place themselves in power.
The election of a political opponent is never
cause of Secession or for disturbance: and
if those Secession leaders had opposed Mr..
Lincoln's election from the time of the
Charleston Convention, with half the peril
- 7 hn, 1
been elected charged in all my public
speeches that they connived at that election;
and the same has been charged home upon
them by their own people in the South
Their time had come. 1t must 60, or they
would be ruined. They remind one of little
boys who want to ride horse. Those in
the city get them hobby-horse, and they
can ride that. This knot of ofice-seekers,
failing to get horse to ride, or even hobby,
have mounted this poor stick Of aSouthern
Confederacy, and are riding that. 1t is just
such ambition as caused the angels in Heav-
en- to rebel. 1t was not because we had a
good Government, not because they could
npt rule it. Call them Democrats, or enti-
tied to sympathy from Democrats, with arms
in their hands red with the blood of our mur-
dered citizens! They are enemies Of their
country; they are traitors against the Flag
and Constitution; and as such arraign them
in the name of the Constitution and the
Union. aIraign them in the name of Civ
ilization; I arraign them in the name of
Christianity; Iarraign them in the name OF
the fathers of the Revolution, who poured out
their blood to gain the Liberty transmitted
to us. arraign them in the name of the
soldiers who marched barefoot to secure our
blood bought Liberty. arraign them in
the name Of the holy memories Of the women
of the Revolution, whose pure and gentle
hearts were crushed and broken. In the
great Day Of Accounts, the savage Brant
and more savage Butler, that deluged the
beautiful valley Of the Wyoming with blood,
will stand up and whiten their crimes, in
comparison with the perfidy of the men who
now attempt to divide and destroy this Union.
The ferocious instincts Of the savage taught
him that he might be doing a duty to his
people; but these men were born in a land Of
civilization, and baptized in the name of the
Trinity, and they should be held to an ac-
count for the abuse of the trust which has
been confided to them. Who are these men