The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-12-03

Stewards Speech ai Gesiysburs%a
70 response 10 serenade at IGeitys-
burg on the occasion of the National
Cemefry meeting, Mr. Seward appeared
on the balcony Of bis hotel and spoke
as follows. Copperheads will not b
pleased with his words. 49,
MR. sEwARD's SPEECH. ~
FELLOW CITIZENS: am now sixty
years old and upward Il lave been in
public life practically forty years Of that
Time, and yet this is the first time that
ever any people ar community SO near
to tire border ofiMaryIshd was found
Yilling to listen to my voice; and the
reason was, / said forty years ago that
slavery was opening sbefofe this people
a graxeyarl that ~as To be flied with
brothers falling III mutual political'com-
bat j knew that the cause that was
hurrying the Union into this dreadful
strife, was slavery, and when ! did cle-
vate my voice it was to-warn the peo-
PIE to remove that canse when they
could hy, constitutional means, and 90
avert the catastrophe Of civil war that
now nhhapPiIy ha. fallen upon the ma
,ion, d-luging it in blood. That crisis
80
came, anil we see the. result. I sm
thankful that, ypu ase,4wiIling to hear
ME at last. i thank my God that be-
|lieve this strife i. going 10 end in The re-
moval Of that eyil. which oughtte have
been removed by, peacefsl means. and
deliberate councils Good. T. Ttfank
my God for the Iiope that ibis is the last
fratricidal war which vii, ,fall .npon the
country ~ aocOnntry;s rouichsafedi by
lIeaven-therichest, the broadest, most
beautiful, most magnificent and capa.
cious ever yet bestowed upon people,
that has ever beer. given 10 any part of
the. e.human race. Applatise.] And /
thank God for the hope that when that
raiise is removed, simply the operation
LIT a'pllshing H., as the origin Of the
grem treason that is ,c,thout justified
lion end ,eithons pardlzsl., zoe shall
menceforM be united, be Only one coun.
t'y, horiny only one hope, one anadi-
tion, and one destiny a[Applause.l
Then we shall know that we are not
enemies, Lut that we ale friends and
and brothers; that this Union is a real
ity; and we rball mourn together for
the evil wrought by this rebellion. We
are now near the graves of the mis-
gnided, whom we have. consigned to
their last resii,ig-place with pity for
iiieircrrors, aud xith the same heartfull
of grief .wi,h which We mourn over the
brother ,hy whose hand. raised in de-
'fense'of IDS Government, that misguid,
ed brother ,perished. When we part
to morrow night, let us remember that
We owe il TO our country and to
mankind that this war shall have for
lis conclnsion the establishing of the
principle of democratic government
The simple principle that. whatever
rarty, whatever portion of the Union
prevails by constitutional suffrage in
an election, tina, party is 10 he respect
Cd and maintained in power until il
; shall hal slYe ,llaee, on another trial and
anotLer verdict, to a different portion
"f the people. (Good.) lfyon done
do that, y.n are drifting at once and ir.
r9ee,ssiisiabIy TO the very verge of the de-
strnetion of your government. But
with that principle this gnsernment of
"urs-the freest, the best, the wseest,
and the happiest in the worfd-mpst
bc,and, 50 far as We are concerned, prac--
tically wilLbcimmortal. tApplause.1
: -s.sls iIs-------<.<.~ 80