The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-06-05
Tiffin M'rrklp Tribuur
SPEECH OF COL. J. G. LEE.
History of the 55th O. v, l,
THE BATTLE OF CHANCELLoRs.
VILE, VA,

PhonographleSlly Reported for the Tribune
by w. [. Myers
Mr.. President, Ladies and Gentle
men :---Whcn | say TO you that am in
strange surroundings tonight il is but the
single truth. Since have left my home,
have scarcely seen an OsscmblOgc of
citizens or Of people Of any kind IN the
clothing of their own choice. Only the
uniform of the soldier, represented ot
times by few, again by hundreds aud
thousands OF patriots. but my fellow
citizens, they were assembled under cir.
cumstanccs very different from this.-
They were assembled in territory whose
government was very different from this,
aud they have been engaged III duty,
the gravity of which is of the highest
character. My mind to-day was borne
back TO the hour when il was announced
in this town, in 1861 that South aiOlina
had ordered the firing upon Fort Sumter,
and that order had been executed.
The magnitude OF the conspiracy itself
staggered our belief in its existence. 1t
was scarcely within the power Of the
most sanguine Imagination to believe
that the combination was such as TO aim u
blow ut the destruction of this govern
mcnt, but such II was. When we were
diycsted Of all disbelief in IL by the re-
duction Of Fort Sumter, you remember
that the words flew from lip to lip like
tho lghtnings from mountain top to
mountain top, and the people were urous-
ed to the awlulness OF the COZ ditinn of
cur country, | remember the gathering
of the first volunteers in this county. /
remember their first organization within
this hall, and likewise the perfect lurore
of excitement that ruled throughout the
country. | remember the assembly upon
the corner of the Court House grounds.
| see araip the citizens from different
parts of the country and | hear again the
remarks nude hy them as TO the proba-
bic continuance of the war upon which
we were then entered. 1t was supposed
that il would pass by in from ninety days
To six months. Volunteers were called
for three months. IL was believed that
six months would see the end of II and
| am sorry these cxpcctations have not
| been fully realized. But. INV friends, il
were not pussible that n war precipitat ed
upon US like that could pass away in any
such time. There had been not only con-
ventions and agreements between those
who were determined 10 oyerturn the
government, but there had been full and
thorough material preparation. Our navy
was in the hands of Il man who was con-
stuntly in conclaye and acting in concert
with those who were undertaking the
conspiracy. You well know Secretary
OF War Floyd had in charge our urmy and
nrsenals, who made eyery possible dlspo-
sitIon of them that he could make to ia
yor the immediate military movement of
the re be Is, md our government awoke to
find that il was without an my or navy
-that it had scarcely shadow OF mill
tury force at its command. Perhaps
may not agree with those who hcur me
when say to you that the original mo-
tive power of this rebellion consisted in
the want Of more extended power on
the part of those who inauguruted it,
For long time there had been pre-
dominating influence in the government
held by these who are now in rebellion,
and the lote election had demonstrated
to them that thereafter there could not be
at leust more than an equality in the share
of the power in the administration of tn is
government. That purty had long learn
ed-going back .fyou please 20 the time
when the original inhabitants of Virginia
planted themselves upon its soil, passing
down to the time that a. Jamestown
from the Dutch the first slaves were pur-
chased, TO the duy of the opening Of the
rebellion, during which time the feeling
had grown that they were born to rule
and by Doture and cultivation had attain
ed a degree of fitness to rule that we do
not possess. On the other hand those
who are now loyal had by long continuep
course of concession and forbearance, of
deyotionto no personal interest, and by
an APPARENT Welding TO them shown a
fitness tn he ruled. 1 claim TINT Slavery
was moi The originating cause of this war:
and / wish 10 be Understood distinctly
not 10 haye nny one drop the qualifying
phrase--tbe ORIGINATING cause OF this re-
bellion. do claim that by it's presence
in the country il had famed into flame
almost, this passion for power and il was
continuing 10 do SO, but that il was the
orjqinatin1 cause, / do not believe. 1t
was lhe anxilliary element developing the
passion for the bower | huve naued.-
But the war has progressed and we now
find ourselves where we did not stand at
the ouenino of il. We find that US il has
progressed new features have appeared.
We find that il has become necessary to
Gull into requisiuon agencies that at