Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1862-11-14


October so, 1862.
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen:
meet and greet you as liberty loving
law-abding. MISUNDERSTANDING and
treason hating men. (Applause.l | do not
appear among you as politician OF the
schools. | am not either pervert or con-
vert The mere political opinions of any
man arc not now of the slightest conse.
quence. tApplause.) The nation is in
the midst of terrible struggle for its
life, and how best and quickest to savett,
is the all-ahsorbug question Of the hour
Everything must a. subordinate to this
because everything e.se Is less than this
War, terrible, ruthless aud unprovokc1
is being made upon people who lose
peace. and desire to pursue It. Sach war
having its origin ia peeHiatjon, treason,
aud fraud. must be allowed but one end
absolute, unconditional sayuga,ion Of
the traitor. who have male 1t aui who
are continuing IT against u. Twenty
millions of frocmcu are au44clously chal.-
lenged by the foe to yiei up Their Hbcr.
ty, their property aud their government.
This is the sole issue To thus shall al.
dress myself Its gravity demands that
it be considered plainly, deliberately aud
truthtully.
The issue is one Of individual as well
as national concern. It affect. the well
being of all As much as the well being Of
each. Its consideration cannot be- avoid
cd or postponed We are hand to hand
in a conflict with naughty. Hiek@i aud
INSCRIPTIONS enemy; an enemy that dl--
likes US ani our principles, tastes and
habits an enemy that tiuntio.ly boast,
of himself, Of his superiority IN a that
goes to make up wise, intellectual min.
hood that plumes himself on his chlyal.
ry, aristocrAcy ani cotton, and couslsns
US to the Inferior condition o! Yankee
mudsills and greasy mechanics
1t Is well 10 understand what the con.
fct is, which is now being wagei by Us
upon these scli.adulatory ncighbors-slan-
dering and liberty stealing warriors. Il
Is a war between darkness aud light-he-
tween slave pens and school houses (cheersl
between labor aud capitalization de-
mocracy and aristocracy-(cheers) be
tween the rights Of man and the illegally
gotten and fraudulently held privileges OF
the few-betwecn violence aud law-be-
tween slavery and Iibcrty-betwecn false
hood and truth Now, God defend the
right!
This war i. not prosecuted to determ-
L. knh al, ha
but to decide if there shall be any gov
ernment left to administer nor shall the
empire be divided n twain, but shall the
nation exist; not to settle the question OF
what laws shall prevail IN the territories,
but whether there shall be any domain,
State or territorial.
1t is not a war to ascertain who shall
exercise the elective franchise, but wheth-
er there shall be any elections held. Its
objects are to establish the individuality
Of constitutional selection of the ruler
Of the American people-to overthrow
and prevent adherence to all forms OF
governmental law. and establish nation
upon ths basis Of perjury, treason anl
fraud.
The people OF the states are not called
upon to choose between the different
modes of collecting revenue or laying I'M
ports, or TO decide whether a protective
or prohibiting tariff will best serve the
national interests, or national bank be a
benefit or bane.
The question which confronts this peo-
pie to-day is existence or death. The
Union, with all its attendant blessings and
powers, its history from experience, its
achievements and hopes, or disunion with
a long train of necessary calamities that
attend upon such measure. The qaes-
ton, sir, is not so much whether slavery
shall continue to exist in South Carolina,
but whether freedom shall be the rule in
Massachusetts, and the navigation of the
Mississippi shall be unobtsructed. Cheers
The question is whether you will have
Governor, Senator and Representative
of your own selection. These are the
general characteristics of the slavehold-
er's war. The details are to be found in
current history, and need not here be en-
tered into or dwelt upon,
If | am right in my diagnosis, it these
attempts to destroy this government OF
the people be the result OF unhallowed
ambition, frenzied hate, or a wicked and
designed cause o. the love of power and
the pride Of life, it cannot and will not