Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1863-09-03
GEN. mCCLERNARD's GREAT
SPEECH.

StGECd.
Delivered at tho Mass Meeting of the
War Democracy held at Indianap-
oils, August 10th, 1868.
Fellou Countrymen;
We have met here to take council with
each other concerning matters affecting the
honor and existence of the Democratic
party. Demagogues beguiling the conf
dence and fomentlng the passions and pre-
judice of the Democracy, are hurryine
them hsadlong into the yawning abyss o
infamy and ruin. The occasion is urgent
the danger imminent. and appeals to every
true Democrat to put forth his hand tc
! avert the threatened catastrophe.
What do we see? What do we hear:
Men mouthing the enchanted name of Dem.
ocrat crying, compromise! compromise
Ieacel peace! when there can be no com.
promise short of consent to disunion-
short OF grounding our arms to rebellion
When. indeed. every loyal impulse aud
instinct is struggling and striving to pre-
serve the national existence. And shall
this be? Shall our victorious armies stay
are fertilized by the carnage of martyrs for
their country; shall the towns and cities.
the great rivers and immense States that
have been wrested from the enemy; shall
the millions of treasure that have beer
drawn from the toll and substance of a
generous and patriotic people: shall all
these be ingloriously surrendered, that the
devilish work of disunlon of these States.
and disruption OF this government, may be
consummated in peace! God forbid.
| Yet. alas! such is the plan of the peace
mongers. Tell it not it Gath; publish it
not in the streets of Askalon." Not only
would they do this, but they would do
more. They would ratify the spoiiation
of our land, our public editces. our ships,
our arms and our treasure; nay, a mon-
strous conspiracy to subvert the Govern
ment itself by signing a treaty recognizing
the independence ci the rebel Government.
And what concerns you and | cectionally
and directly. they would surrender the
highway OF the mississippi TO foreign
jurisdiction. reServing. perhaps. in doubt
full diplomatic forms, the privilege, not
the right, to navigate it.
And are you gentlemen prepared for
such cowardice, such dishonor, for such
an act of self destruction? Are the fire.
breathing thunder-spoken Democracy pre-
pared for it? Are the restless and daring
spirits OF the great Northwest prepared
Tor it? Not so-War, war to the bitter
end first. Perish, rather. "leaf by leaf.
land by land. flower by flower. flood by
food. and hill by hill away" Perish all
these first. The outraged ghosts of 300.-
600 brave men who have fallen in battle
or by disease in the field, would shrek
aloud their condemnation of such ignom
my Our own iniamy. too, wonld sink
us down, down, far below the reach of any
mortal power of resurrection or redemption
If, like lost spirits. we were fallen SO.
Tbe season of compromise is past.-
There was the Missouri Compromise OF
1921. which. after enduring the lite time
of a generation. was unwisely sundered.
and all Of the public domain north of 80
80 north latitude opened to the spread of
slavery. And what was the result? Did
the leaders of the south exercise q forbear
ance worthy of so momentous an occasion?
Admitting that the great slave hold
ing States Of Missouri and Arkansas had
grown mp under that compromise, candid
ly truthiully admitting this. did they say
to the north. take your country north of
that parallel; it belongs to you in Justice,
under 10 bond; take it in peace. Did they
say this? Far from it. On the contrary,
they hurried band of armed adventurers
into Kansas to seize and force upon her an
unwelcome institution. to drag her into
the interests OF slavery. And when they
found that the competition OF freedom was
about to foil their purpose. combining
fraud with force. they forged slave con-
stiiution, and with the aid of President
Buchanan and Federal bayonets. strove to
fasten it upon her.
And what though fanatics and faction
lists from the North. also committed cruel
and shameless excesses. and that too in the
name of freed ON? That constitutes no
Justification CT the want of southern gen.
erosi.y and Justice. There stands the ab-
stinence of the North from any interfer-
ence south OF $3.50. AMI the attempted
usurpation Of southern leaders north Of
that line-the observance of filth on one
side. and the. violation of it on the other
there it must ever stand.
There too was the compromise offered
by you and me, AMI the great body of the
Northern Democracy-the compromise Of
abstinence by Congress from any interfer-
ence either to establish or prohibit slavery
in the Territories, and leave the whole
question in the Terriiorits. as in the States,
to the decision of the people OF the Terri
tories. And how was this offer received?
With scorn and contumely by the slave
holders. Thoy answered: mol Slavery is
not local, and municipal, but national
and normal, and must be protected by
Federal Legislation, and Federal bayo-
nets. throughout the length and breadth
of our vast domain" They answered
that the rights oil slavery were older than
constitutions, and were above and superb
or to them. In other worlds. that sover-
eighty was subordinate to slavery. Such
was the doctrine OF the Lecomption Con-
stitntion. upon which the North and the
South Joined issue; and now twice
the issue is joined. and tho South
has appealed from the ballot box to the
sword to defend it. let the sword decide it.
This is my voice, All but. says peace
monger. there is the Critterdsn Compro-
mise-what have you to say about that?