Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-11-18
speech of General Garfield.

OeDcTdi OdTHSAuf UhO hdS uct E0buEucO
from the Army ofthe Cumberland, made
the following eloquent speech at the great
Union meeting held in Baltimore or
Wednesday evening:
"Fellow-citizens, if ever | had right
/ to speak have lost it. / have no right
to stand before you tonight 1t is only
because want to see the faces of these
men that | consent TO stand out and look
at the faces before me. | have said for
the last two years that this is the time for
work and not the time for talk. But /
have not, since the 18th of last month,
seen such mass as this. II was INV
pleasure then to see the men who had the
| sharp, decided argument in their hands
on the plains of Georgia, and am glad to
tell you that they were, like you tonight,
/ unconditional Union men. On the other
side we're our enemies, just as on the 9th.
| er sids Of the ballot-box you will have
your enemies. The 18th of last month
was precisely what the test of next month
will be to you-the same sharp, determin.
ed, unconditional test. And though there
was blood, mutilation, and slaughter, yet
as the Union men stood in their bloody
boots until night came around them, and
as they won their great campaign, thro'
much blood, you Will win yours. On the
! 18th of this month we had the pleasure of
voting for John Brough-some voted in
cartridge boxes, some in cigar boxes, but
We all voted. You are in such a contest
as never dreamed of seeing at this early
day in the State of Maryland. That word,
that talismanic word, which above the
r,el J.. 81
ing her clear brow, and is shining out in
the smoke OF this contest, and we shall
see her eye to eye. As | came through
Tennessee and stopped at her capital, l
found gathering like this, though not so
large. They offered some resolutions
which 1t would have doneyour hearts good
to hear. The first resolutions was, We
will support the Union at all hazards and
forever and, secondly, in order to do
that most effectually we will put down
the last vestiges of slavery from our State.
To put that down most effectually we will
put blue coats and blue pants on every
capable black man in the State. We will
increase the power of the Union army by
decreasing the power of those who sup
ported aud voted for disuniOn and rebel
lion.' The soldiers and loyal men OF Ten
nessee are unit on this question. / beg
leave to announce to you that the in State
of Tennessee slavery is dead, and only re-
mains to be buried. Laughter and ap-
plause.
81 would that / could tell this audience
tonight the character of those men we
have met in the mountains of Tennessee
and Georgia. As our army advanced they
came from the caves and rocks where
they were driven by their oppressors.-
They have come down TO Join their hands
with as, intending to stand by US in arms,
until the last vestige of tyranny and Sc
cession are rotted out foEever. And next |
to the joy of their 6eliEerance was the Joy |
Of those men when they grasped the old |
banner again. Applause. have seen
the old men come out and draw from /
their breasts the little flag of freedom
which they have worn for months in their
oosoms, rejoicing TO be able to float it
Igain in the light of Gods sun. APP
1lause. Never was there such a time
or such people. The people ofthese States
md say that this Union shall be preserv-
ID, and everything shall be put out of the
way. You are putting one thing out of
he way in Maryland. 1t is being put out
f the way in Missouri and in Tennessee,
nd 1t will be put out of away wherever
NJ armies advance, until the nations
hall shout, Glory! glory! freedom from I
lavery and oppression Applause. /
ave but one sentence to add. For these I
go and half years have been where | :
ould see something of those men who are '
to bear down our country. .
ave talked with many of them, and they h
re bold to avow that they propose to \
uild up. as the Right Reverend General q
ok told me, not q common government, =
ut government of gentlemen, of men n
money, men of brains, who hold slaves; y
government such as the people of the n
Id World will not laugh at. They in =
md to have their Count Bragg laughter q
nd their Ny Lord Beauregard. You :,
who rejoice that God has given a
ou strong hands and stout hearts-who !,
ere not born with silver spoons in their Il
to be mud-sills a long time
This is the dream these fanatic men h
ave before them. And it is that dream q
hich the upholders of the Union are I
,out to dispel forever. When these
Iings are done, the Union is redeemed,
aryland is redeemed, and we are one
epple again.
Il have no right to talk with you, my 81
lends; you have to hear who belong to n
u. Cries of go on and applause i b
I've seen what the people of Ohio have II
me; have only to rejoice that here, +
here the blood ran in your streets only b
few years ago. now no freeman's blood a
n be shed with impunity-" IApplause. Q, .,