, 1863-04-17
THE GREAT UNION LEAGUE
MEETING IN NEW YORK,
Speeches Of General Sigel and
Hon. Schuyler Colfax.
Letters from Admiral Paulding,
General Hooker, Gov. Cannon,
Gen. Dig, and others.

Al Inc great Union League meeting in New
York, stand No. 9, Gen. sigel addressed The
crowd:
Citizens Of New York, I greet you. I am
glad to see q peaceful army around me. ZAP
planse.l am glad to see the people Of New
York 60 faithful to their Government, aud SO
decided Ii maintaining the great principles
Laid down in the Declaration Of fndcpend-
enco and In the Proclamation Of Abraham
Lincoln. {Great cAecrs.] There are some,
my friends, who say that the safety Of this
country will depend on the muscles Of men
are some who say so now. Ianswer them, in
the name OF great people, that the rights Of
men and Republican principles are stronger
tlan the muscles Of q few thousand lema.
gogues. Tremendous cheers and q voice,
That's the talk.'l Now, my friends, we are
not lighting new battle. This time is not q
new time for , the American people. It is the
spirit Of 177G [applause] which is making its
tour round the globe, and which is revived in
the hearts of the American people. Renewed
app}auEe.l MY friends the spirits awakened,
and We have to muintain it. It not only is re-
rived In tho hearts Of the American people,
but it oas permcated France and Italy; 1t has
revived Germany and Hungary; it has put the
scytle and the lance into the hands Of Kos
clusko, Microslawski and Langievicz, and It
even hes frightened away tina. Gtr-away grizzly
bear Of Petersburg. And Europe hooks upon
~ you as those who have to fight tho battle.
which has brought forth this great movement,
the French Revolution, and all tic revolutions
following; and 1t is in this country where the
last blow must be struck, and where the last
battle must be fought. [Cheers.j You arc
not Of the opinion Of those who think that
this war must be ended now, aud must be
ended very quickly, and am not Of that opin-
len either. Europe has for thirty years fought
for religious sindcpendenceand for the freedom
Of conscience. We, the American people hare
to fight for republicanism and for the indepcn-
dence ef nations. fCheeree.J We must not
get tired. Your ancestors fought seven years
that the principles for which VIC are now bat
tling and fighting are worth that We at least
spend half that time for their maintenance.
[Applause.1 They Say that this war is led on
slowly. 1t Is true. But the first year, you
know vcry well. ras spent in experimenting,
in Illusions, in false hopes; the second year
was hardly sufficient to gather our forces and
the third year, ] think, will be sufficient to
draw the iron band closely around secession
Ism, to strangle it. (Cheers, and voice
Ten thousand men for sigel."] thank you
to engage In the bueiness fspeech.makiny.
am only here on an erraud, and hope will
not be here very long. ] thank ron for your
sympathies, and make room for somebody
better.
SPEECH OF THE HON. SCHUYLER CoLFAx.
The afternoon Of this April day, oday, in
Charleston, has an atmosphere hanging over
1t1ous.. I TI,erc ,r,ves ~ thn onn b,,1 ~.
palmetto 1ag Of treason which scel. 4 ~ ~ ~.
Vide this nnh3e conntrv Tho hnritaCa ~ onr
fathers; and above You, SONS and brothers
worthy sons Of worthy sires-1oats tho BAN
IN the fce cf any fe KIT 1h;ci fss pnea he
sonrht to trann1e In the dnet fanTian.e
and voice ttThey can't do it"1 NJ frinnIs
in the hour when our county comes tn maIe'
bercd in our heart Of hcarts-those msn who
went forth from this city-from INV District
in the far Western State OF Indiana, and every
other loyal District in the Uiion.-so1ne in
the freshness Of life's June, and some in
the full maturity Of llfc's October, to give
try-those men whose example shall live as
long as history, and whose memory shall bios
SOM even in tie very dust Of the grave, Their
names shall be written high upon the scroll Of
American tame. God Bless them today!
Nay the God Of Battles that stood bY orr
fathers In the infancy Of this country, and out
Of weakness :g.ve them strength and power,
stand by our noble defenders to-day. Zap
plause.] My friends, want You to remeln-
her one thing more about that gallant army.
The men who arc Cnder the folds Of the Amer
can flag qnarreled in the past, as y2u have, in
regard to transltory Issues They quarreled
at The primary meetings, at the polls, every
where where men could honestly difier in the
exercise Of freeman's privilege. Int Thcn
their country was in danger. when the iss1,e.
Of national life and dentl, hing tremhlIno IN ne
balance, theT threw aray from them al these
pctty differences. and rruck hands torcfhor
a. noble patriots nnder onr conntry's fiar
Whv canned We initnte their noh1e cramn1a
he,esat homr. f1r TO-DAY fhe nnest;on !. ~
he minor issnes Of the past wbich are hnt ~ t AZ
dust IN fhc balance II f. tf'e orcat.r +ha ~ ~.
h1cr the rnnra fr,nnrf.nt orosffon- ,.fr