Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-08-14
SNistellaneous.
THE ISSUES OF THE DAY.
SPEECH OF
Hon. VIM. A. Richardson.
OF ILLINOIS,
At the Democratic Mass Convention, ,
held at Indianapolis. Indiana,
July SC, 1859.

My FELLOW CITlzENs.-It has been my
pride and pleasure frequently to allude to
the greatness of our country, and the
prosperity and happiness of our people.
The sun of heaven never shone on a peo-
pie so prosperous and happy as we were
two years ago. Our people from three
millions has 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 embraced every quality of
soil and every kind of production. The
sails of our commerce whitened every
sea, and the happy American tar, stand
ing upon the deck of his vessel, looked
proudly up at the stars and stripes float.
ing gloriously above him, and felt that
in that flag he had safety and protection
everywhere. Around every fireside were
contentment, happiness and plenty. But
what is the scene that meets our eyes at
the present time? From the plow and
from the anvil-from the physicians Of
flee and lom the halls of justce-we are
hurrying to arms.
The Union has assumed the appearance
of one vast military camp. The tax
gatherer, too, will soon be upon us, to
wiring from us our substance. There are
grave and important questions for lis to-
decide. How can we return to that hap
piness and prosperity which we once en-
joyed ? l would answer, it can only be
done by enforcing everywhere the Consti-
tuition 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 en-
ployed. A rebellion embracing thou
sands of our former fellow citizens now
arrayed in arms against the government
must be put down by force of arms
And at the same time that this is being
done for the rebellion in the South, thai
class of our fellow citizens in other parts
of the country who are seeking by cthel
means than those Of cannon shot ant
bayonets to destroy the government, mus
be driven out of place and power. ant
other man, who will acknowledge thei
obligations AMI perform their duty to tn,
country. must be put in their places.
To accomplish that object depends up
on you and upon me, but more upon yo,
than upon me. You will have to begil
the work right here. If you heave al
ready begun this work, as l trust in Go'
you have, let me urge you to keep it VI
by every means in your power-for, re
member the government, the very exis
tence of the country depends upon it.
l am aware my fellow citizens, that
these persons who have deceived yo1
heretofore will endeavor to do it again
They always promise what your interest
seem to demand. but their performance
is very poor,
Let us inquire little into the past his
tory of these men, and see whether the,
deserve to be trusted for the future. Yo,
remember that few years ago we warn
ed the people that the formation of sec
tional parties was dangerous to the Un
ion and the Constitution. You will
recollect that these men then sneering
ly said to us that we were "Con
stitution and Union savers" They tol
you then that all our talk about DANCE
10 tu6 pnlOH anu INC CONSTITUTION wa
the merest bragadocio. They asserte
that tho re was no danger of the Sout
seeding-that you could not get ther
out of the Union-their slaves would II
and murder them. Well, we did nc
find that exactly the case, did we ?
These men cheated you then, didn't they
Some of them cheated themselves otl
ers, and by far the largest portion Of th
, party, did not, although they cheated yo,
Well, we passed along as usual, an
what turned up next? When there b,
gan to be signs of trouble in the Soutl
ern country, we conservative men steppe
= forward and said, "Let us compromise.
They replied. "No; We will never con
promise with rebels in arms !' The
professed the profoundest contempt f
, the South--said our women should s
down there and drive them all togeth
E, into the Southern ocean-it was me
s breakfast spell. Again they cheated yo
Again they proved false prophets. an
lihe false prophets of old, they ought
to be stoned to death. Cheers a.
a launhtar I NJ kbor ruarfl -. ~,