The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-06-25
slavery the means by which to secure it.

produced this state of things. My friends,
we have not had an election in this country
that has not had this element in it, except
lug one, perhaps-that Of 1910 for know,
to my deep chagrin, that in every instance
where the Democratic party have taken a
successful part in the elections of the coun-
try, they have been compelled to 60 to the
Southern States for their man, or take a
man which those Southern politicians haG
bound hand and foot before his nomination.
When you come down to the election of
1865, which is said to have been sectional
in in its character. I will show that the elec.
tion of Mr.. Lincoln had no more to do with
the Inauguration Of this rebellion than wo'd
an act ofths Chimes Emperor in his kingdom
have done. That it was issued, as pretext
will admit, but that it was moving cause
deny. These things have been gradually
working to their issue for years. The south
ern politicians saw what every one else has
seen, that on account of the institution of
slavery, the political power of the govern
ment was passing out Of their hands,
They found out long ago. what the world
could have told them much sooner, that civ
ilization and material prosperity could not
go band in hand with slavery they found
that by the laws of population, while they
were loosing their political character and
strength. the virgin soil of the great north
west was being occupied with hardy and
thrifty people, who were not only extend
ing the area of freedom, but what they dis
liked more than all else, extending the area
of votes that the time was not far distant
when the States north of Mason & Dixon's
line would control the destinies of this
country. What was to be done? Then
came up the dogma that slavery must be the
balance wheel in the Government, and reg
ulate the admission of free States into the
Union. They therefore said to the North
you must adopt the rule that slavery shall
go hand in hand with freedom, in order to
preserve the equilibrium of power. Well
the Democratic party had shouldered
great many things in its time, till. to use
steamboat expression we used to employ
under such circumstances, they literally
loaded us down to the guards-they gave
US, as Virginian would say moro than we
could tote. What was the result We
struggled under it as long as we could, but
when they piled on this additional amount,
the Democratic resolution staggered at it.
They of the South said, ii is either that or
we will secede and dissolve the Union.
stood upon the pavement in Cincinnati
when Buchanan was nominated, and every
five minutes heard the threat from some
southern nabob !: you are bound to take
this thing or we will secede. Well, they
patched up another compromise and nom-
mated Buchanan, and he wauld have been a
wise man who could have foIetold the re-
suit.
Four years of another Democratic admin.
istration rolled on, Southern men had got
bond and security for another four
years; but they were pretty sure it could
not be obtained again, for there was nobody
that would glveit. During that administra-
tion, it was notorious factthat men were
called into the cabinet from the Southern
States who made themselves busy as bees
preparing for this conflict. The Secretary
of the Navy sent forth all the ships of the
fleet to far distant seas, whence they could
not be recalled short Of a year or two. The
Secretary of War took from the arsenals in
the North, all the guns and munitions he
could get at, and crowded them into south
ern hands, who had been taught to use
them. For four years they were busy dis
arming US, and quietly engaged in placing
the arms among themselves. Yet in the
face of these facts it is said that they sece-
ded only because Mr.. Lincoln was elected.
Well if they did they made an almighty
good preparation for that event. Laugh.
teri More than that, they actually went to
the existing administration and asked the
President, how far will you let us go in our
peacable measures of separation before you
bring to bear upon US the power of the gov
ernment? Don't you wish Old Hickory
had been there to have been asked that
question: He would have taken his pipe
out Of his mouth, drawed himself up, and
swore, fyou go single step, by Heaven,
| will hang every one ofyou. [Applause.
| say to you, my friends, that right sorry
am that when the pen of the historian
fills up this page of our history, there will
be found many q record over which the
patriot will shed tears Of shame, and it
will not lie IN the power of the recording
angel to blot the record out.
Well, you want to know what is going to
be the future of this contest, you want to
know what will be the state of things when
we subdue the rebels-for have Q reason
able belief that We are going to whip them
them after while. Some one is troub led
for fear there will be vast number Of ne
groes turned loose, who will come up and
interfere with northern labor. A voice.
There have been good many here for
long time."l Yes there were some here be-
fore | left, thirty years ago, and there is no
use to argue on this question, for where
they win 60 or what they will do, we must
leave for the future to determine. There
may be portion Of the blacks that will
scatter throughout the North, but small
portion, for climate. and the character of the