The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-03-28
Bubble affairs.
speech of Andy Johnson at the
Great Union League Meeting
in New York.

In appearing before you to-nlgh |
may ask the ques ion in what condi ion
is the country and what has involved It
in this civil war, as it is sometimes called.
l anu not in the habit of calling i a civil
war, as am in the habi of calling i Il
Hebellon-- which was anticipated and
provided for by he Constitution of the
United Staes. Il is Rebellion in the
proper and Constitu; ional sense, and
inquiry very naturally comes up, why
this Rebellion and villa. has caused it {!
Has any portion of our fel!ow-citizens in
their State capacly or in any other
capaci y, been deprived of their rights
or privileges under the Constitution Of
the United States, such as would justify
them in Rebellion! a Rebellion is
upon us and we are called upon in The
Constitution to suppress il, and the
question comes up, are we going to be
so divided, North and Sou h, as to de-
prive the Government Of the power to
suppress l., as an icipated and provided
for In the Cons tuition This Govern
mcnt, like all other Governments, has
three trying ordeals through which it
must pass. First, Government mus.
struggle into existence. Af.et having
to submit to all the privations and bard
ships incident to the formation of IL Gov
eminent, your government has been es-
ra5lished. 1t took s posi- ion among
the nations Of the ear b. Il succeeded
in passing its first ordeal. Then the
next ordeal through which nation has
to pass is maintaining S nationality
among the NJ ions of the earth. 1t sue
cecded in passing this ordeal. We had
the war of 1872 and he war with
Mexico, and we then confirmed ,hc opin-
ion of the civilized world hat We were
able to maintain our nationality among
the nations of the earth. Then we come
to our present condition, the third ordeal,
and ,ha! is the one i'll which We are now
engaged, con ending with intestine foes,
treason, and traitors 4: home. Will NC
begin now to talter, excite doubts, raise
questions Of difficulty while we are in
this third struggle! Have we become
dissa islicd wi b that manhood which
was handed down 10 US by our fathers
Has our blood grown pale, and have we
become SO degenerate as to surrender
the bes' government thar the world ever
saw If we pass through this ordea.
our Government will be established
upon hrmcr and more enduring basis
than ever before. IApplause. But
the query c mes up, how are We to get
through this third ordeal In the be-
ginning Of this rebellion il was said ibat
there must be no coercion, lest we
should have war. Now that VIC have
war upon us, we have set Of crokers,
or sympathize,s with treason, among us
who say the true way to pass the Gov
ernmont through this third ordeal is
"Compromse Armisticc," Compro-
mise Armlstice' Are we prepared for
this Why, the very instant you talk
about compromise, you repudiatc the
idea of preserving he cxls ence of :he
Government; the very instant you talk
about compromise with traitors in arms,
You acknowledge and indorsc the Rebel
lion applause j the very instant you
propose an arn,is ice, or make one, they
take 1t as a concession, and In settling
the question By compromise or by pro-
posing armistice, you but acknowledge
the Rebellion, Yes, Compromise ! Com
promise repeat his term many tunes
when am talking on this subject
Compromise Who are we called upon
to compromise with There stands the
traitor, the rebel, upon The viola ed
Cons tuition, with arms in his hands,
tina haroJpt rt lo,n.n h.,
your throat, and talk about compromise
This talk about compromise is mere
preiext. When you talk about COM
promise, are you going 10 the Sou hern
States, which are now under the control
of trai ors9 If you compromise vi h
them and take their necks out of ihe
halter and rcinstate them, VIVA; will you
do with the downtrolden Union men
who are struggling for libertys We of
Tennessee do no come here to demand
your sympathy, but we come here to
demand our constitutional rights. APP
plause. When we turn to the great
charter of human freedom, tho Consltu-
ton, what do you find That the Con-
s,itution of the United States Shaii, not
may, guarantee to every State in the
Union republican form of governmens.
[Applause.l We come with the Consti-
tuition, and insist upon the enforcement
of its guarantees, and we demand of the
United States, in the name of a bleed
ing country and violated Constitution,
republican form of government, and,
in doing that, we demand that the Re-
bellion shall be put down. Applause. |
Great complaint has been made about
the suspension of the writ of habeas
corpus. Well, there is one thing clear,
that somebody has the right or the
power to suspend it, and that it can be
done in time oc rebellion. There is
another thing that is ADM ted by all
that there are great many in the land
~ who ought to be suspected. And shall
we fall out and quarrel when the power
exists soAewhere And when there is a
large number of persons that ought to
DC arrested, shall we divide and break
up the Government on the question. who
shall exercise it! And who is il that
complains of the exercise of this power 2
Is there any man or woman throughout
this vast assembly, who has no treason
lurking in their bosom, that is apprehen
eive of an arrest [HNo - <sNo -,