Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-08-06
VOL. S.--N0. 10.
SPEECH OF DANIEL DoUeHykTY

fn Independence Square, PhHaYcgpbfg. an
Saturday, July PC.
We are assembled, Americans, to decide
whether our country shall live or die whether
we shall DO freemen or slaves whether peace
shall here again permanently dwell, or this
become a land of dead mems skulls whether
the fires Of freedom shall blaze in beauty uuttf
all the earth shall enjoy the perfect day Of con-
stitutional liberty, or the eternal night Of dss-
poiiSm shall in our times descend upon the
world These are considerations that tower
in sublime proportions above all meansr
thoughts. and will tell the historian whether
We are an heroic or degenerate race whether
this is the golden age, or these the accursed
days that sold and sacrificed, when they
might have saved, the unborn millions Of tbs
future.
To address you, Americans, on such =
theme, fills me with awe. and makes me- bow
in humble supplication to the All perfect One
praying His omnipotent aid To inspire me Tor
the cause
In the midst OF uurivaled prosperity, With
Government the best that morfals ever made
with argosies proudly blowing the waves Of
every sea, and the mighty ornaments OF every
Power doing homage TO cur flag. conspiracy,
long meditated and dimaturely planned has burst
into bloody treason and rebellious war. Per
Jured lngrates, on whom the choicest hOnOrs
of the Republic had been showered lead on
the legions resolved TO kiIthcir country. The
tyrahas OF the earth are laughing our woes,
aud, with malignant Joy, regard the people "a
their slaves again.
1t is in vain to dwell upon the past. b.
hold the awful present The traitors Of tho
South, with hendlike fury, are striving 10
Wrest from us three-iorthS OF the Republic
our most sacred localities, the battle-felds OF
the Revolution, the graves Of the immortal
dead, the cities built with Northern hands
aud beautihed by Northern taste and wealth
aye, the Capital, with its unnumbered millions
OF property, the statues of our benefactOrs
the priceless memorials OF the past, the tro-
phies of glorious wars, tie heirlooms and
archives of the nation. All are IN imJnInens
jeopardy
Nay, more if they succeed. our Northern
cities will be sacked, our homes desoIsted
our women and children exposed to the pOI-
luted touch OF their brutal soldery the Union
spit into twentylfragmentS, each warring with
the other not alone in the regular battle
but with poisoned cup, the rope. the torch
the axe and the knife ; anarchy following, IN
tll the living in very agony, cry out for the
protection of a monarch, yield submisIveIy
TO despotiSm. These the terrific reafi-
ties that even now cast their shadows on this
continent.
cannot pause to argue. They are clear to
the mind of every thinking man. If We tail.
they are suTe to follow as II an angel of
heaven, with pen of fire. had written our fato
along the midnight sky.
OH Oou Shall IL De, tnat the people, crush
ed since creation, when at last, the priceless
boon Of liberty was their own 10y their own su-
pineness permitted it To be wrested from their
grasp forever? Shall The fruits of the Rev
luton wItber in our deeping
What will ye all combine to tie a stone
Each to each others neck. and drown like do-s
Within the tide Of time and never aoat
To after ages, at best but float
buoyant pestilence -
Men of America, awake arise from your
sleep, and avert the impending dOvm Let
the craven who talks of peace-the wretch who.
prateS of party-the tiends who coin money
from their country's woe, or speak encourage
ment to her foes, be anathema
Let our rulers remember that on their fdeIi-
~ is staked the fortunes of a hundred genera
tionS. Let those who can, fly to the field
Let those who remain, with generous hand
give TO the glorious cause Let every man
hold his all at the call of his country
The unburied dead cry aloud for eengssncs
and for war. war on the land and sea- war
with no hope of peace bat subJugati0n war
that will teach the parricides that the Repcb-
lie can be as terrible in strife as she was gen
tie in peace
Ny COUNT ymen-all differences forgotten--
let us here, on this consecrated spot, swear by
the honor OF our mothers-by the memory Of
fa.hers-by the blood of the wounded-by the
dead bodies of martyrs-this war shall
never cease until every who treats this
soil owns allegiance to the Union, or the
whole land becomes one sopulcbre