The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-06-28

Convention in Indiana, which we copy
from the indianapolis State Journal,
June 10Th
SPEECH OF MR.. sEACRIST.
| feeEery grateful to this audience
and its presiding officer for the honor of
addressing you at this time. | am I'M
prepared, even with notes, to speak to
you but the heart speaking from its
warm impulses to fellow hearts is proba-
bly, the best, as it is the freshest, con-
verse we can bold together. | have no
speech to make to timid mcr. If there
are any here who doubt our capacity for
republican government; who thinks
there will not be vigor and permancnce
hereafter, " let him slide.'' Laughter.
| talk to men who love their country,
and would perish IA her thln see it per-
ish. | have been a partisan thirty
years. | have no regrets for it now. |
look back upon my career with PRIDE
Mistakes have been made, but it is
! human to err But when | look back
upon the achievements of that man of
iron will and incorruptible honesty, who
crushed the rebellion of South Carolina,
| have no regrets. The day of heroes,
political heroes, has gone by. Jackson,
who was in heart and soul above any
other man Of his age, who had no kim
drcd, and placed his country above all
else, that man would have stricken this
rebellion down at once with an iron
hand, without calling out an army of
SOC, 900 men.
My political education began under
the tn elage of jackson. .Nine Of US
lcho held The first Democratic Coauemt,on
In Iadaann, IN 1927, IRE here TO, dny.-
They are for the country, and the Union
and the triumph of the laws. have
always supposed it was The duty of every
citizen, without regard 10 party, to stand
BY his Government, rs the child stands
by its mother. This was the doctrine
of ancien. Democracy. This was the
spirit rmbued into me when child. |
sprang from that class which furnished
common soldiers in our early wars mon
Of the frontier, hardy and undisciplned,
but who would take II battery from. the
British, or chase the Indian from the
woods and swamps, whenever duty called
them. This origin implanted in me a
bitter hatred of auti-war mon. For
myself, | adopted the motto of the
lamented Decatur I" In time of war, |
am for my country, RICH or wrong" l
supposed this was the doctrine of the
Democracy. 1t is true that no Demo-
cratic creed had provided for such an
emergency, but | should have thought
that every principle of the party, and
even lis animal instincts, laughter,
would have forced it to the support Of
the Government in this war. If not, !
would cast such a traitor party from me-
There might be circumstances when
might fail to support my Government
IT there was an attempt to establish a
despotism, to destroy the institutions
that protect us, would fight against it,
But | would be an open enemy. | would
give it written release from all pro-
lection, and all claim to any rights
under , and leave it, | would never
fight the battle Of trail ors on the soil Of
tie Government Iapplauscl which pro-
;ectcd me. If ! were S5ecessonist |
would 60 South. LGreat applause and
cries of " Good."l
1t is said that the s h of January
Convention parry is not an an.-war
party. They argue very illogically-
In this country, and under every free
Government, 1t Is certain that any party
which organizes against the Government,
in Tine Of war. becomes inevitably an
anti-war par Y. The motive may be
patriotic, at first, but they cannot help
drift ing from opposition to the Govern
ment into opposition to the war. How
has it been in this country? Let the
past speak The old Federal party was
composed of men of honor and ability,
who were patriotic and did good service
in the Revolution but ii attempted 10
dictate how the war of 1872 should be
conducted. 1t was opposed to a war
wi h Great Bri ain, but in favor Of one
against France. In proposing to change
the direction of the war, it drifted into
an anti war party. Tile HHrttord Con-
Uentaon discussed The Uery questions
which were under discussion ut the 8fh
Of January Comvcntion. lChcers and
laughter
refer to recent example in point.
Ia The Mexican war The Wing part y
didn't in end to be an an iwar par y
Bat Folks Administration had to be
opposed. They went on, however ten
derby they arrayed themselves, and how
ever slowly they changed, they placed
themselves, at least, in direct opposition
to the war. | opposed them. | de-
nounccd Corwin as moral traitor. l
think so yet. As the Federal party
died of opposition to the war of 1872,
so did the Wing party die of opposi lou
to the Mexican war. 1t made an
attempt to change its position by idcnti-
flying itself with the name and fame OF
; Gen. Taylor, and succeeded for a time
But when he died il died. No party
can array itself against the Government
in time of war without writing its own
dca warrant al the hands of the people.
Political parties always become ami
war parties, if party organization is kept
up in time of war. Even if the Sth oil
January Convention had nominated per-
fectly unexcep ionable men, | would still
oppose Them for | would not consent to
place mvselfin opposition to my Govern