St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-12-03
SPEECH OF COL. G. G. ANDREWS

SPEECH OF COL. G. G. ANDREWS
Col. G. @. Andrews, Of the Sd Min
aesota Volunteers, in command Of The
Post of Little Rock, Arkansas, having
been invited by number Of the citi'
zens of the place to address the Union
Club, responded on tho 18th ult. in q
stroSg and thoroughly loyal speech.
After stating that. in times like the
present, decisive blows in the field are
of greater moment than words and
speeches, and that they are the most
convincing orators who travely con-
front and defeat the enemies Of ou'
country, the Speaker proceeded to re-
view the great increase Of Union feel
ing in Arkansas, Notwithstanding SC
many who expressed it had fallen vie.
tims to the fsndish brutality of the
rebels.
Concerning the "objoct Of the wal
and character of the rebellion" Col
Andrews said: -.
We arc carrying on this war not e
explore and define new principles bu,
to preserve and vindicate time honored
principles. The people Of the United
States undertook to suppress the rebel
lion because they were bound by every
sense of honor to maintain the unity
and nationality Of their country, be-
cause having enjoyed the blessings,
they have complete faith in the sue
cess of popular self-sovcrnment; and
because having the manhood Of true
Americans they could not and would
not surrender the liberties and the na-
tionality inherited from noble sircs.-
They saw that the rebellion was step
backwards. A step towards aristocrat-
ic doctrines-a step towards the fcndal
ages. They saw that if the uneasy sui
'cidial doctrine of secession was tolcra-
ted it would finally lead to unending
war and ehaos-to war between States,
to war between counties. The rebel
lion was not resistance to any oppres-
sion, or intolerable grievance. 1t was
naughty, disdainfuf, contcmptous
and malignant breaking fepoRship With
men who held progressive views. And
therefore VIC are testing the question
whether set Of conspirators who had
been nourished into too much impor-
tance by previous indul lSenco, can sue
cessfully accomplish their uefarious
plot.
The rebellion was started not in the
hours of cool reflection, but at a time
of intense political excitement. None
of you would think Of buying a yoke
of oxen, much less farm with your
minds so excited. How absurd then
to thiul Of changing the destintes of a
great nation uuder the influence of
transient political excitement. The
spirit aud behavior Of the conspirators
showed their inherent antagonis,n to
the principles Of popular government.
They refused to compromise on any
terms. And then the absurdity of their
pretexts for dissolving the Union -
Some of them put it on the ground of
the Personal liberty bills; some on the
tariff, some on danger apprehended to
slavery, some on Fishing Bounties -
And yet they knew very we'll that Con-
gress and the Supreme Court had fresh
ly fortified the rights of slave holders,
they knew that Abraham Lincoln was
pledged to execute the fugitive slave
law, they knew that out Of regard for
the sensitiveness Of slavery the govern
mcnt had continuously refrained from
acknowledging the independence of
Hayti. We refused to receive q min
lister fiom Hayti because he was black
and represented blacks. But the courts
Of Europe receive the colored ENJOYS
from the Enperor of Hayti, and if the
Emperor Napoleon has over allowed
MIR. Slidell to attend his diplomac din
ners, which is hardly probable, l sup
pose Mr.. Slidell has sat beside his ex-
cellency the Haytian minister. The
people | say had acquiesced in the re-
fusal Of the government to acknowledge
the independence Of Hayti, and had
acquiesced, and for the sake Of tho Un-
ion, intended to acquiesce in many
things that were disagrecable. But it
is idle now to talk about these things.
It is eaoush to declare the great and
glaring fact, = fact patent to all man.
Kind and which will 50 appcs:: in histo-
~ that more unjustifablc, a moro
wicked more devilish rebellion has
not occurred among civilized men.
I acknowledge the splendid valor
and the tepacity Of purpose which the
Southern army has shown, and which
are worthy better cause. But the ex-
cesses tolerated and the policy Of war
fare pursued by the leaders betrays sig.
pi6caAtly the spirit of despair. On the
liad shey have Rtaetlsed. tdgbery, ,apd i!
piracy on the 3Ea. Wotse than Sylia
who cut down the sao1ed gf65t4Es IF the
academy, they in Tennessee broke into
tho temple Of knowledge ane stole away
the precious fund for common schools.
They have organized the system of guer.
riIla warfare 30 repugnant to the laws
Of war: 1t is thus they burn and lay