The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-01-10

! for themselves slavery and its effect upon
both master and slave, they learn to hate
| it and swear eternal hostility to in their
hearts. Fighting for their country, they
learn doubly to love it. Fighting for the
Union they resolve to preserve, at all ha-
yards, the glorions palladium ofour iber-
| ties
The tone of the numerous letters we
! constantly receive from the army, throw
at. least shade of suspicion upon the
truth of this assertion as to the unanimity
of the soldiers on the negro question. As
| for himself, the Governor says, in conclu.
sion,-
That may relieve myself of the charge,
by any one, of attempting to cast censnre
on any particular party, here let me say,
that, as Commander eff the army
OF this State, l know that the troops of
Illinois are composed of both Republicans
and Democrats l cannot say definitely in
what proportions, but ! can say thai both
are largely represented, and that / have
| found no reason whatever to complain of
either.
1t also affords me great pleasure to say
that I believe there is no considerable
portion of any party in the State of Illinois
! in favor of a dissolution of the Union
have been in a position where could
Judge, ana must condemn, rs uncharita-
bic, the judgment of some friends, and
say to them. that traitors, men who would
pull down the pillars of this fair fabric Of
American independence of ours. are "few
and far between" Indeed, | assert that
any party in Illinois would soon meet with
overwhelming popular condemnation, in
the attempt to divide our blood-cemented
Union by any imaginabse boundary lines.
| under any pretences, however plausible
they might be.
regret that appeals are being made to
the masses by few public lr sses in the
country for separation from New England
Not a drop of New England blood courses
my veins; still | should deem myself an
object of commisseraiion and shame "
could forget her glorious history If
could forget that the blood Of her citizens
freely commingled with that of my own
ancestors upon those me orable fields
which ushered in the millennium dawn of
civil and religious liberty. propose not
to be the euiog:st of New England but
she is insiissolubly bound 10 Us by all the
bright memories of the past, by all the
glory Of the present. 10y all the hopes cf
the future. / shall always glory in tIc
fact that | belong to a republic in the
galaxy of whose stars New England IL
among the brightest and best Palsird
be the hanI that would sever the ties
which bind the East and West.
There are differences of opinion as to
the best mode OF restoring peaceful re-
union and the healthtul authority Of the
Government; but do not for moment
tolerate the idea that any considerable
portion Of either party. would upon any
compromise or terms whatever consent to
a ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the Union. Even
opposition to the policy Of the Admins
tration does not necessarily imply opposi-
ton to the Union. But here | desire to
make a remark TO which | invite the pa
triotic consideration of the members of
the General Assembly. 1t certainly is not
unreasonable for the party, which has
been placed in power under all the forms
OF constitutional usage and requirements,
TO ask at the hands of the opposition, du-
ring the term of its administration, a tole.'
rant support of the measures which it
adopts for the restoration OF the Union
leaving the question of perty supremacy
to be determined at the regular recurring
elections. Our ship of State is on the
stormy wave amid the rocks and breakers
IL we step to decide whether we shall
have new captain she viii 90 under be-
fore we have decided Let every man be
at his post, on the quarter deck and prov.
at helm, sail and rope, fore and aft, and
all say to the captain, I'VE will see you
through. Let's save the ship"
In any event, may we be able to act
worthy part in the trying scenes through
which we are passing; and should the star
OF our destiny sink to rise no more, may
we feel for ourselves and may history pre-
serve our record clear before heaven and
earth and hand down the testimony TO
our children, that we have done all. peril
led and endured all. to perpetuate the
priceless heritage of Liberty and Union,
unimpaired to our posterity.