The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-03-06

or latteriy the issues between the Demo
cratic and Republican parties, there wa
waving over all the stars and stripes. Al
parties We'd in their fealiy to the Cons,itu
ton and devotion to the banner of ou
country Let me ask ms Republican friend
and my Democratic friends whether th'
contest has not been as to which would bes
promote the prosperity Of the Unl"n ant
preserve its existence On all public meas
ures the contest was whether the policy o
either party would best preserve the Unior
and prosperity Of the States. All agreed
in the supremacy Of the constitution and
Uni1n Of States. What are we doing about
this matter now? These defenders of the
South profess 10 find reasons for the men
for whom they sympathizs.
At the last election Lincoln, Bell. Doug
las and Breckinridge were candidates. and
they all profe ,sed to be strongly devoted to
the Union. l made speeches for John c.
Breckinridge. for the same reason | would
have spoken for Douglas. had been living
in a free State, because he was the strong
est man there, aud by supporting him we
hoped to bea. the candidate of the Rspub-
lican party. This is the truth. and will
not lie about it. We repudiated all idea
that Breckinridge was a disunionist. Each
party was especially devoted TO the coun-
try. To satisfy my Democratic friends that
he was professed Unionst, l will read to
you few extracts from his speeches. We
all know no y parties divide. some going
one way. some another. and We had as well
admit it as honest men that thousands of
them have their sympathies based on old
party bases. Ii we were deceived ia it
any reason why we~would turn traitors ?
He deceived me thsn-that was his fault
II he deceives me now it would be any fault.
IF God f,rgives me for advocating the
claims OF one who turned traitor, pledge
this assembly that l will never again be
guilty of a like otfrnse.
Gov. Johnson quoted passages from
Breckinridge's speeches. which he had
used during the campaign to prove him a
devoted Union man, referring to his speech
on the occasion Of the removal from the old
Senate chamber to the new. when he proph
esied that the execrs,ion of manki d would
rest on any one who attempted To disrupt
the Union. They were used by his advo
Gates TO convince the people that he
i the most devoted Union candidate
! Now, what has transpirrd since the Pres
ideutiaI election to make the Uoion 50 od'
Gus and the Constitution inefficient and
lily calculated to benefit the country ?
What has been done to destr y the Union
Of the States Can any one tell Let me
ask nv Republican and Democratic friends.
in the language of soberness and truth, TO
day, do you believe i; Joha C. Breckinridge
had been elected, could We not have stood
this Constitution and this Union at least
four years longerl Cries Of eve do
The question resolves itseli into this. -
One party was in power, and after the elec-
ton il saw the sceptre of the Union had
gone from it. For. even looking to the ex-
piration of Lncoln's term Of four years,
there was, even if Mr.. Lincoln was not re
elected, other organizations coming up to
retain the power from them. and they knew
it. Now. they said. is the time t. strike
and make the slavery question pretext to-
unite the Southern States. We see to-day,
in this terrible war. what it ended in. Let
me ask this audience 10 day. if we are to
have civil war after every election. BE-
cause one party or the other is defeated,
what are we coming to Look at Mexico,
torn with internal dissension. too feeble to
resent foreign oppression. What Is 1t to
end in? Anarchy, loss of property. of life.
and of national prosperity and honor.
What is our true policy? Beciuse Mr..
Lincoln beat US, and was elected under the
forms of law. he was entitled to come into
'
try prospered we ought to submit to it like
men Ii i, was a bad administration we
coyid oppose as in the pas. We had that of
others Tha, being SO. let me ask every
Democrat in the State OF Indiana, and ev-
cry Democ,a, in the Southern Confederacy,
where was the danger of wrong when Mr.
Lincoln cana into power? Let me be heard
On this point few moments. Ga the 4th
LAY of March, 1861. he came into power.
A new Cangress came in. In the House
was q majority of Representatives against
him. In the Senate there was majority of
six sgains, him. There could be no dagger
frou, his administration. He must bring his
Cabinet about him, whose nomi la;inn must
be confirmed by the Senate. II he aitemp
ted to bring into power men opposed to the
interests OF any one section, they had the
power to reject them. He could not make
Cabinet without their consent. We had
ii in our power to make the whole Cabinet
to suit ourselves. Where was the danger.
then. from his administration He could
not send out a foreign minister without our
consent. Every treaty he made must be
submitted to US for ratification. Nor could
he appoint Consuls. Nor draw his own
salary unless weappropriated it f.r him
Hence, you see, there was on the part nf
these snen 6xei determination To break
and destroy the government. This is no
new thing. will read YOU one or two ex-
tracts iiom Southern papers. to show you
how disunion has been going on from time
to time. There was determination to break
up the government. and the great difficulty
WAS making an excuse for it.
Governor Johnson then read from the
Montgomery Ala Daily Advertiser. which
said that it was 20 preci ptste rebellion {"
They could have stayed in the Union aud
arrested every uniriendly measure One Of
their organs says III has no, been a precip /
itate revolution. but with coolness aud de /
liberation has been thought of for 40 wears. |
For ten years this has been the alI-sbsorb- /
ing question" will read nothing further
to show tha, il was their design in 1860 tina,
the Union should be broken up. l might
introduce other auth critics.