Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-07-16

by storm. No report eau do full justice
to such q. sneaker as Gov. Yates, out we
present, from pretty full notes, the SUBJ
Istance of his remarks, which were con-
tinnaly interrupted by applause.
I SPEECH OF GOV. YATES, OF ILL.
EFelloso Citizens Of Wisconsin :-You
have received me with presentation be-
fore my address, of the glorious tune Of
Dixie, the finest tune in the world, except
Yankee Doodle. think, when it is pro-
perly understood, it is as fine as Yankee
| Doodle; because
SIN Dixie's land we'lltake stand,''
(Cheers and laughter.l Eighty-seven
years ago to day, ffty-six farmers, traders
and merchants were assembled in an old
hail in the city Of Philadelphia, to delb.
crate upon great and important affairs;
| cannot go into history, bot suffice it to
say, that after mature deliberatiop, they
came to q most astonishing conclusion,
which was, that all men were created free
and equal, and endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights, among
which were lite, liberty, ana the pursuit
OF happiness.
Since that declaration, we have grown
to be the greatest nation in the world
have set before mankind the greatest gov
eminent that ever existed since the bega-
| ming of time down to the present, III
which there has been Liore peace and
prosperity, and wider diffusion OF edu-
cation; higher appreciation of religion,
and purer and more exalted morality
than in any government which has existed
since the ;Touldation of the world; our
boundaries are tar and wide; and, fellow
citizens, notwithstanding one million peo-
pie are in arms against this glorious gov
eminent of ours, Notwithstanding we
have traitors in the South and traitors in
The n orth, that proud declaration stands
stands in the purity and grace Of its na
tive expression, not a .jOt or little erased,
despite the opposition OF traitors North or
South, and by the blessing of God,i shall
stand forever. (Cheers.)
This Government was the very bright.
est of the nations of the earth. until the
poisonous lizard of Secession entered it.
[ love this Government. Oh! what un-
dying memories cluster around it! What
joys, hopes, fears and purposes are associ-
ated with it since it was first established
by che men who, in 1776, struggled upon
the glorious fields of American liberty
, (Cheers.l
| love it because it is the best Govern
1 ment on the earth. [ love it because it is
based upon the great doctrine of the equa
rights OF man, and of the right of ma
iority to rule, and to elect their President
Congressman and Supreme Judges. Be-
7 cause it asserts the dignity of man, and
rests the right of man to equal citizenship,
: on bis inherent, God-created manhood.
| love it because it conters upon every
man equal privileges. No man Is inferior
to another, and each man is equally bound
: with his brother man to keep up al un-
firing vigilance against the exercise of de
r signing aristocratlc power, and maintain
q our efficiency in protecting the interest OF
f the States. Where is there a Government
T so tree as this? Where does the poor
: man enjoy such rights and privileges
n where is labor so much respe cted, anC
If where does it receive such ample rewards
2 | love it, fellow citizens, because 1t gi0e:
f eoery poor deoiS an this country chanc.
to get ahead. You here all heard of s
;. rali-splltter down in our State, who man
y aged to become President of the United
I States, and recollect poor boy who
came out West several years ago who by
|
=. less presumption, is now Governor of The
f fourth State ia the Union. (Oheers)
love this country because it makes no dis
4 tinction where man is born. 1t opens
= wide its arms to the foreigner as well a
3 to the American and allows you here il
Wisconsin to elect a noble, able and clio
, quent German for Governor. | love it
: too, because ala able to get to Wiscon
sin without knowing when | cross tn
f State line.
+ 1t was the Government of Washingi on
It 1t was the privilege of our fathers; an.
$ who would not fight and die for such
Government? There are gentlemen VIII
n talk about compromise-talk about com
n promise, when the enemy is upon you
n and is laundering at our very gates! &
, the great Union convention, when it wa
If proposed to pass resolutions in favor c
If Union, secessionists voted it down. An
j.. when our Northern friends got IN the dir
# and abjectly begged them to have tn
question referred to a convention of til
+ States, tor such measures to be adopted q
q should secure to their sister States th
n fnll enjoyment of such rights and priv
ar leges as they might desire-they voted
10 down. Talk about compromise, when nc
- | d
ar so-caled Confederate States, or OF an
,e Governor of Southern State-not pub
u lie speaker or newspaper in the South ha
h proposed it--talk about compromise whe
N they defy and ridicule the idea of eve
IS forming part of our government; whe
IL they call our glorious stars and stripes
= bated rag; when they say that if peae
ii was established they would not associat
d with Northern copperheads without hold
Jag their noses (Laughter) [ say tn
n craven hearted wretch who talks OF com
q promise under these circumstances is
,e traitor to his country. Fellow citizens,
e am sorry to tell you to day that peace
impossible. was conversing with dis
e tinguished leader of the Democratic part
= the other day, and says l to him, " Let u
d see how this nation can be divided.
e WELL" said he, in the first place, W
q will kick off New England -" There,
" laid !, 81 cannot agree with you. Their
n is Lexington and Concord and Bunke
3 Hill, and there they will remain. Their
e was the home of the pilgrim fathers, VIII
e escaped in the May Flower, and erecte,
Y in this land the temple of everlasting free
}. dom and Christianity. And although
a sm a southern man myself, yet New Eng
If land is mine, and all her glories are mine
# Again, could we abandon the Missssip
pi to foreign power9 10 1904 We pur
@ chased the Mississippi river from France
: st cost of fifty millions of dollars. W
]. purchased all the territory bordering OF
d that river, at cost OF twenty-five millions
II and every inch of this territory belongs t.
1t the Union. 1t was purchased by TIL
d Union when it was solitary wilderness