The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-07-10
SPEECH OF HON. c. A. ELDRIDGE,
Representatives in Congress from Wseonsin.
Delivered 1t the Mass State Conyen-
ton in Milwaukee, June Is.

Delivered 1t the Mass State Conve0.
ton in Milwaukee, June Is.
You will no doubt understand the EN-.
barrassment under which appear before
you at this time. You have just been en-
tertained by the very eloquent gentleman
from the State Of Ohio. But this is a
time and this is An occasion when, il the
mouth should refuse to speak, think, the
hearts Of men would cry out. l had not
the satisfaction of listening to the eio-
quence Of the gentleman who has just al
dressed you. Therefore. in the arguments
I shall make to you, cannot avoid any
subjects he has discussed.
l cannot, in addressing you, forget the
fact that only two years ago this ration
was at peace; that, ss a people, we were
happy, prosperous and respected by the
nations OF the world. l cannot either for.
get the fact that we are creatures subjec,
to change that every day and every hour
circumstances operate upon US to change
our views, our feelings and our ideas; and
[ could not if would, and would not il I
could, forget the fact that this great ma
ton whose highest authority and doctrine
has been "peace on earth and good will
to men, and to each other, is to-day en-
gagged in the unnatural avocation of war.
Let US 60 back two years and review
what has tran.pired since; look at our
selves in the glass and see what we were
then, and what we are now, and consider
what circumstances have caused the change
in our national condition and in he popu-
lar feeling
When, two years ago, II wa. announced
to you that thousand of our fellow-citi
zens had fallen in battle, We could not 90
to bed at night; We could not leave the
telegraph Office, but fingered around for
news. To-day We cannot appreciate bat
tie. We cannot stay up nights for one
hour unless il is announce! that ten thous
and has fallen, and then we are mos: CON-
placen,Iy tod that only ten thousand have
fallen.
These are strange changes going on
We do not know ourselves. Had it been
declared BY any person two years ago that
in this year the war. instead of being p
war to enforce the constitution and restore
the Union, would become war for the
abolition Of slavery. the whole nation wo'd
have cried out against the war. Even the
republican party, AS much as it is attached
to it's party measures, if you had then pre-
dicted that the war would become a wal
for aboli'ionism instead Of a war to sustain
the whole Union, would have called YOU
liar, as they now call you = copperhead
for telling them the truth.
What lesson are we to draw from these
things! What is there taught us in these
changes we bave seen! The very facl
that We have so changed, the very fac.
that public feeling has undergone thi,
change, admonishes US like voice from
Heaven to beware TO what extent we shall
be led by the pleadings, passions, theories
and partisan interests of men in power.
What is the nature Of this struggle i,
which we are engaged? Suffice it for me
to say, in general terms. that we warned
the members of the party this day domin.
ant in office, that If their leaders ever Oh.
tanned power, that moment dissolution
Of the states would inevitably follow
They laughed Us to scorn, and cried ont in
their madness and folly: You are "Umon
savers" A voice. Doughfaces."l Yes
" Douehfaces." They said to Us: You
perfer the south to yourselves, and every
effort in behalf Of the Union was sneerel
down as work for slavery. When the
sad results evinced the democracy to have
been correct in their prediction, our politi
cal enemies for the first time began to see
the propr'ety Of supporting the national
administration in power.
The people Of this country and of all
friends Of liberty in Europe have believed
the true policy Of the war should have
been to sustain the Union of the con,ti,u-
ton, regardless Bipartisan issues. Tn the
first hour Of peril you found the whole
democratic heart beating 10 unison in be-
half Of the Union and the constitution
Wnen the president began to receive re-
cru'ts for our army, yeu poured so many
men upon him that more were refused. -
A patriotic people poured into the lap OF
administrative power their treasures 50
lavlshly and vast that the whole world
stood aghast with wonder and surprise -
When our rulers had obtained these i'm
mense treasures of money aud men. then
we saw the scene change.
80 me-. reminded Of a story appIica-
bic 10 the facts, r";c~n :'''' tell you -
An old river captain, veteran in sin,
used to run boat up and down a certain
river, and the water being rather low he
often got aground, ana would call to his
relief the neighbors on the banks. lie
became so profanely wicked that the peo-
pie refused any longer to assist him. ex
cert upon the condition that he would
abandon his offensive practices. On Sun
day morning on nearing village bv which
his course ran, he got aground and know
ing he could not get of without assistance
resolved upon a plan TO extricate himself
from his diicultv. Going up into the
village hs told the people he had experien.
ced religion, ,had.felt a change Of the heart
had quit the service Of the devil. was now
serving the Most High and tina. there
would be preaching on bis toat At 10
o'clock that morning. The protested
change was accepted A mos. vondarfa,