Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-08-12
8 r e E & III
HON. W. A. RICHARDSON,
OF ILLINOIS.

HON. W. A. RICHARDSON.
OF ILLINOIS.
At the Democratic Mass Con.
ventIOn held az India polls,
Indiana, July 80, lS61.
MY FELLow-CITIzENs lit has been nv
pride and my pleasure frequently to al
Jude to the greatness of our country, and
the prosperity and hsppiness of our peo-
pie. The sun Of heaven never shone on a
oeople 80 prosperous and happy as we were
two years sgo. Our people, from three
millions. had increased to thirty millions.
From little line of population along the
Atlantic. We had grown and spread until
our shores were washed by two oceans
We had stretched out our arms from the
lakes of the North to the Gulf of Mexico.
We embraced every quality Of soil and
every kind Of production The sails Of
S ~ - 49, sssSz e. sss e.
deck of his vessel. looking proudly M at
the stars and stripes floating eloriou "
above him. and felt that in that flag he had
safety ard protection everywhere. Around
every freside were contentment; happiness
and plenty. But what is the scene that
meets our eyes at the present timer From
the pillow and from the anvil-from the
physician's office and from the halls Of jus
tice-we are hurrying to arms.
The Union has assumed the appearance
of one vast military CAM. The tax-gath
erer, toe, will soon be upon US, to wiring
from US our substance. There are grave
ard important questions far us to decide.
How can we return to that hammers and
prosperity which we once enjoyed? /
would answer, it can only be dune by en-
forcing everywhere the constitution as it is
and the Union as it was. Whatever amount
Of power is necessary, and in whatever
form, TO enforce that principle, ought to be
and must be employed. A r, bellinn ems
bracing thousands of our former fellow
citizens now arrsyed in arms against the
government must be put down by force of
arms. Aud, at the same time that this is
being done for the rene lion il the South,
that class of our fellow citizens in other
parts of the country vino are seeking by
other means than those OF Cannon shot
and bayonets to destroy the government,
must be driven out Of place and power, and
other men, who will acknowledge their OBJ
legations and perform their duty 20 the
country must be put in their places.
To accomplish that object depends upon
you and upon me, but more upon you than
upon me. You will have to begin the work
right here If you have already begun
this good work, as trust in God you have,
let me urge you to keep it up by every
means in your pOwer-fnr, remember, the
government. the ve.y existence of the coun
try depends upon it.
l am aware, my fellow.citizens, that
those persons who have deceived you here
tOfure will enGeavor to do it again. They
always promise what your interests seem
to demand, but their performance is very
poor.
Let US inquire little into the past his
tory CT these men, and see whether they
deserve 30 be trusted for the future YOU
remember shat few years ago we warned
the people that the formation Of eections
parties was dangerous 60 the Uniun anC
the constitution. You will reccliect tina
these men then sneeripgly said TO us thai
we were reconstruction and Union savers
They ted ynu then that sli talk abIut dar
ger TO the Union and the constitution wa,
the merest braggadocis. They asserted
that there was no danger of the South re-
cedIng-that you could lot get them out u
the Union-the'r slaves would up and muir
der them. Well, we did not find that ex.
sctly the case, did we? These men cheat
ed you then, didn't they? Some of then
cheated themstl, es others, and by far tn
largest portion Of the party, did not, al.hu
| thew cheated you.
Well. we passed along as usual, and whs
turned up next7 When there began to b
signs of trouble in the southern country
we conservative men stepped forward an,
said, Lets compromise" They replied
No! we will never compromise with reb
els in arms" They prolessed the pro
fcundest contempt for the South-said on
women wouli go down there and driv
them all together into the southern ocea
it was mere breakfast spell. Agai
they cheated you. Again they prove
false prophets. and. like false prophets d
old, they ought all to be stoned to death
[Cheers and laughter. No they would nc
comprumise. They wanted little bluod
Ietting-it was absolutely necessary for th
future peace. They said it would M
come to much-these people down Sour
would not fight at all and when at lengt
your President called for an army of sew
enty-ive thousand mer, you were told tina
they would make rapid work of the rebel
ion. 1t was to he annihilatcd at singl
blow. So said these men. Well, no,
does the matter stand nOwi We have a
ready mustered in six hundred and ninety
three thousand, and still there Is room fo
more. Laughter. Alb, my friend,
these men were never more mistaken i
their lives than when they assume to plac
such a slight value upon the strength {
the rebellion and the courage of the peopl
Of the South. 1t is no particular credit ,
any american II say that he will fight
that is one quality that is common to th
American race. They have always dis
played that characteristic wherever the
have been. These men, therefore. whe
they told you that Southern people won!
not fight, either did not understand III
subject. or they willfully misled you.
Well, what next? They come now ate
they have found out that the southern so
diers will fight. they come to you again an
cry, 1--WE have been mistaken this tim
but we have il now--just arm the negroe
and the work will be finished in short OF
der" Fellow-citIzeDs, as often as he,
a man talking in that way. come to Il
conclusion that he wants 80 find some e,
cuse for changing the issue SO as to q
come one else to DO the fighting. lie duD
want 10 volunteer Laughter No ma
of common intelligence can be induced
believe that the negro, naturally an inf
rior race, and DECEASED by ignorance as
is, can ever compete with the white ms
upon the battle field, any more thar he Cd
anywhere else. Set them against eaC
other, three to one, and the white man wi
be all the time the victor.
In Mexico. where our soldiers fought
mixed race, they were victorious on esel
battle field, although outnumbered in Il
ratio of five to one. Now. if the Africs
is afraid Of anything on this earth, it
gunpowder. In what estimation can VI
huld that man who tells yuu that the N
erty. independence, and constitutional %
} eminent of the country depend upon fe
, miserable, ignorant, cowardIy negroes 7.
We have a population Of twenty million
OF white people, and Immense ~ealtt
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