M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1863-07-16
ountry to the very verge of destruc.

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Once more | come before you, to offer
again an earnest prayer, and bid you
to listen to a warning. Our country
is not only at this time torn by one Of
the bltodiest wars that has ever Iav.
aged the face of the earth, or of which
history gives an account, but, if we
turn our faces to our own loyal States,
how is it there ? DO you not find the
community divided into political par
ties, strongly arrayed against each
other, and using, with regard to each
other, terms otreprosch and deGaEso
Is it not said by those who support
more particularly the Administration
that we who differ honestly, patriot.
ically, sincerely, from them with re-
gard 10 the line of duty, are men OF
reasonable purposes and traitors to
our country L"Hear, hear."l But,
on the other hand, ia it not true that
many Of our organization look upon
this Administration as hostile to our
rights and liberties look upon our
opponents as men who would DO us
wrong in regard 10 our most sacred
franchises 2 need not call your at.
tcntion to the tone Of the press or to
the tone Of public feeling, to show you
how, at this moment, parties are thus
exasperated, and stand in almost de.
fant attitudes to each other. A few
years ago we were told that sectional
strife, waged intimes like these, would
do harm to our country but you have
seen tho sad bloody results. Let us
be admouished now in time, and take
care that this irritation, this feeling
which is growing up in our midst,
shall not also ripen into civil troubles
that shall carry the evils of war into
our very midst and about oUr own
homes. Now, upon one thing all
parties agreed, and that is this;
Until we have united North we can
have no successful war. Until we have
a united, harmonious North, we can
have no benedcient peace. How shall
the unity OF all parties be obtained
| wish to say few words to you upon
this point, which, | firmly believe, is
one OF the most important considera,
tions to which | could call your atten.
ton. Is harmony to be coerced |
appeal to You, my Republican friends,
when you say to US that tho nations
lie and eH1stanco hangs upon har.
mony and concord here, if you your
selves, in your serious moments,
believe that this is to 90 produced by
seizing our persons, by Infringing
upon our rights, by insulting our
homes, and by dopriving us Of those
cherished principles for which our
fathers fought, and to which we have
always sworn allegiance 2 Great ap.
plause. / co appeal to you, my Re.
publican friends, and beg that you
will receive this appeal in the earnest
and patriotic spirit which prompts me
to make it. lappeal to you if you
are not doing yourselves and your
country great wrong when you de.
clare that harmony and unity of par.
ties are essential to save the nations
| lie, essential to the highest interests
Of our land, and yet stigmatizo men
as true and honest as yourselves. and
whom experience has proved to have
been wiser, too, as men who do not
love their county, and who are untrue
to their Institutions.
HOw, then, are we to get this indis-
pensabIe harmony-tIlis needed unityl
1t is not to be obtained by tramplng
upon rights it is not TO be obtained
by coercion; it is not to be obtained
by attempting to close our lips when
we would utter the honest purposes of
our hearts and the warm convictions
of our judgment. But, my Republi.
can friends, there is a mode by which
it can be reached !; there is a mode
by which the nations life can be
saved ; there is a mode by which, in
tho end, will restore this Union OF
ours, and bring back those various
privileges which were so wantonly
thrown away. We come to you in no
spirit OF vengeance. We do not come
to you asking you to make any con.
cession Of advantage to US. On the
contrary, we only say to you, holding
in your hands and in your control
almost all the political power of your
country, to exercise it according to
your chartered rights. Tremendous
applause. We only ask that you
/ shall give to us that which you claim
for yourselves, and that which every
freeman, and every man who respects
himself will have for himself-free-
dom of speech, The right to exercise
TALL the franchises conferred by the
Constitution upon an American.
[Greatlapplause.] ] ''.no2 GF jI.