The Goodhue volunteer. [volume] (Red Wing, Goodhue County, Minn.) 1861-1864, 1862-04-09
EfHERiDGE's SPEECH
AT NASHVILLE:

that Hon. Emerson Etheridge would
address the people Of Nashville in the
Court House, and accordingly before
seven o'clock persons began to assem-
bic in the large hall, where band was
already stationed, and which soon af
ter enlivened the room by sweet strains
of music. BY seven O clock there were
probably four hundred persons in the
room, nearly one halt Of them in mill
tary uniform.
At half past seven Mr.. Etheridgc
appeared, escorted by another brass
band, and after being introduced to
the audience, addressed his hearers for
two hours in a speech more amusing
than forcible.
"The United States government" :"
said Mr.. E., twas made for the poor
mantle rich can take care Of them
selves anywhere" and after adverting
to some of its benefits, and condemn
ing the various political parties or par
tizans, other than the Republicans, he
said the Breckenridge Democrats
turned Secessionists just as naturally
as tadpole turns into a frog. There
was no cause for secession The South
had always obtained all she asked from
Congress; and would have continued
to triumph had not South Carolina
seeded. Northern money and votes
bought Louisiana, Florida, and Texas;
and California was acquired to satisfy
! the South and not the Northern States.
The South never asked anything from
the United States Government which
she did not obtain, and never protest
cd against the passage Of any act with
out effect.
Those among the secessionists who
never owned house talk Of burning
towns, and cotton and tobacco are to
be burned by those who own not a
particle Of either. He alluded to the
speech he had made a few days ago,
and said now he had determined to
preach to the citizens in that room,
that they might hear the truth, ''not
newspaper articles written by boys
and whiskey drinkers" He said one
reason given for secession was that
certain States had enacted Personal
Liberty bills. "No one had ever been
punished by them, and no negro had
ever been liberated by them. 'John
Bell, he was sorry to say, was a
rebel, and Breckenridge was a rebel,
Mr.. Lincoln alone was true to the Con
stitution and his country.
Ho 1hnr o1I.loI <o 4lo 81 nn,,
promises, to the Territorial question,
to the amendments to the Constitution
and to the hoary- headed secessionists.
The people Of Tennessee were in favor
of the Union and the Constitution un.
Ill the bombardment Of Fort Sumter
when they turned rank secessionists,
without being able to give any reason
for such action. He then instituted a
comparison between Jefferson Davis
and John Brown, asserting that the lat
ter was traitor and was hanged, and
the former was traitor and ought to
! be hanged also. lie believed in God
Almighty, big guns and plenty Of pow
der" He said Davis was more Of an
abolitionist than John Brown, because
he possessed more power.
Mr.. E. advised old men and women
to call home their children; to re.
nounce their folly and return to thei,
allegiance. The Banner and WAig
he said, had denounced Toombs and
J! Davis year ago, and afterwards be
came their advocate. He promised
Glands and negroes to Union men
while secessionists will not have place
whereon to lay their heads" He al
luded to "Armageddon Baldwin -
Rev. J. S. Baldwin-who had sold hi!
Savior for Jeff: DAVIS Why should he
not ? Did not Judas 1scariot sell Jesus
Christ for thirty postage stamps?'
The poor man must take care Of the
government. 1t was instituted for him
Rake the bottom of hell for the worst
crime God ever damned, ,and you woult
fail to find a crime so great as seces
sion. Secession commenced in perjur,
and is continued by perjury and de
ception. More niggers have bee,
r stolen by jeff: Davis and his follow
ers than was ever taken under thu
United States Government"
Mr.. E. here desired to tell the peo
Iple of Nashville plain truth -yos
) have got to live in the Union-witl
your niggers ifyou will without then
: |if you will. The Union is worth more
than all the secessionists and niger:
in the world. At the beginning Q
, this rebellion, President Lincoln asked
you to lay down your arms. You re
, fused. He called for $4,000 men t.
enforce the laws, and contratary t
the constitution, you force an alliance
l with the traitor" In alluding to sla
. very he intimated that he was not Ger
t tain Tennessee might no: desire to SCI
Dit abolished. "The whole civilizet
>|world denounced it long ago.
g He then glanced over the old worls
: aud remarked that Protestant Eng
t land was separated only by narrow
r channel from her neighbor France
r but she had another religion, and he
; slpeople spoke another language. Ger
l many, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey Rus
: sia, ETC., the same; but the people Q
1.-The United States, extending from tn
Atlantic to the Pacsfie, professed th
. same religion and spoke the same Ian
{ guage. Everything forbids a divi
: sion of the country. God himself de
-Imands that we shall be one, as we ar
= -InakuralIv. in religion. language by in