The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-08-13
WHOLE NO. a53.

- "s 'oi TIC arrest ol tne leading reb-
els who were then on the floor of the SENATE
at Washington. OH for jackson In these
tunes. lApplause.) Oh! for a race Of men that
would follow the precepts of Jackson and nro-
vide halters for traitors instead of callino brck
the troops that went to subdue them. (C6eersl
Negotiation with them would be useless,---.
IL would be unworthy Of us. They would
send delegates to treat with us upon no point
but the one OF separation. They once sent
such delegates, and our government h.d
sense OF manliness and honor sufficient IN
spurh the messenger which came from a rebel
~ ~ treat with his government as an equal But
u u we would receive any such messenger
!ney would treat upon the basis not Of re-un,
,on, out upon the basis of separation; and be-
hy any sucn treaty as that Is entered into.
ip, op1 70 see tne last man in the North. the lsst
ioyai man North and South, sacrifice every
dollar of his property, every dron of his bles'j
ana the last breath of his life. You can't A.
y upon the basis of peace conventions. We
nave had congregation of such. AZ We have
once seen, at Washington: such AZ We h.ve
once partaken Of In Baltimore and Charlesfon.
and some of us know how harmonious and
how productive Of good results they wereI
II we cannot treat with this so-caIled Con-
iederacy itself, neither can we treat with the
organized governments Of the individual "a
Deilious States, for they are actuated by the
same spirit, and like the Confederate govern
ment VIII impose upon US terms such as our
manhood never will submit to. / do not mean
to say by this that would not be rnagnani-
nous, that l would not be generous, that /
would not be more than generous, and elem
ent and magnanimous to foe; but mean 70
say that II the individual owed allegiance he
should come up TO an unconditional allegiance
before manifested my clemency or INV mag
nanimity. know from experience that YOU
cannot treat with these organized individual
states. fou may go on, you may occupy one
OF these States OF the rebellion, you may seize
upon its commercial capital as we seized upon
the commercial capital Of Louisiana. You
may seize Baton Rouge and you will find ey-
erything different from what has been the case
with every ancient nation. When q victorious
army has occupied city, the constituted au-
thorities have been willing to yield a qualified
allegiance for the protection OF its citizens
But they spurn your efforts, despise your en-
treaties-and will have none ofyour negotiations.
You shall find rs fast as you labor 10 treat
with these men. they win fee away and escape
you. They have boasted that my quondsm
friend and predecessor, Gov. Moore, kept Just
sixty miles ahead Of Gen. Banks army. have
travelled from the southeast TO northwest
part Of Louisiana In search OF IN peripatefic
government, 10 try 10 get ittonegotiate atreaty
with Us. have never been able among the
neetest horses Of the South to find one fleet
enough to overtake rebel State government.
when have around and about me victorious
army.
If we cannot treat with the States lea9ued
together In rebellion; Ii we cannot treat with
these State governments in their organized
capacity, how shall we win these men back
again? How assert again over them the su-
preinacy Of the law. and maintain the integrity
Of the Union. The problem does not strike me
as one so difficult. II seems TO me to be very
simple II we look into the history and philoso-
ply Of this movement. and see how this re-
bellion had it, inception and progress. and thus
far It's success. How was It? II was in the
first place by so organizing State governments
that the few should constitute the dominant
party IN the State, that they should he able TO
override the opinions and the will Of the many.
and to control the dcstinies and control and
regulate the Legislation of the State 1t was
Ia this way. by putting down a fair expression
OF the people and by substituting in its place
the expression Of the interests. the passions
and prejudices of the dominant class - the
wealthy planters in each State-that they were
able to organize rebellion and frame new
government IL was because the State gov
ernments OF the South represented the views
and interests OF the class that was dominant
in social life, dominant in the field of politics
and dominant In the halls OF legislation. Il
was thus. singly, separately and individually
tbht tht Stttt- NtAl VI tttt OnlDu< al
though the people OF many of the States were
loyal. IL was thus that, Individually and sep
arately gone out, they formed collectively this
league or confederacy.
Now reverse this process, ignoring this
league of the rebellious States, ignoring All
these State governments, all leaders, all poll
ticians, and go directly TO the people in these
States, and as these States went out separately,
take separately the people Of these States
ha f,f
State, come 70 the people Of that State, ofYer
them every opportunity, every indueuhent 20
become loyal, every inducement TO repudiafe
their allegiance to the rebellion and to renew
their allegiance TO the Union. Take, then.
these loyal citizens, few or many, for they con-
stitute the State ; traitors are no part Of fhe
State the men who are trying 10 pull down
the governmgnt have no right TO be consulted
In its construction, its modification or In the
mode in which It is carried ON and wherever
in state or city. you can find ten loyal men.
let them save the Sodom Of rebellion. There
is no difficulty. know from my experience In
Louisiana, in finding material with which you
can go to work and reorganize a State. IL
will be done there. The State will return TO
the Union. The State win return to the I'm
ion by the act of the people not by compul
sion, but BY the free, voluntary act Of lis own
loyal citizens. sF
Nay, more by the blessing of that Provi-
dence which Is bringing good out Of evil, and
which ordained that the first gun that was
discharged against the walls of Fort sumter
should sound the death knell of the Institution
which has been the cause of the rebellion.
there the applause was loud and long contin-
ued,l IL will return to this Union. BY the free
and voluntary act OF Its own citizens. and viii
inaugurate, form and establish, as believe. in
the State of Louisiana, a civil government
which shall provide Immediately, or In the fn-
ture by gradual process, for the destruction
of slavery and the substitution Of the system
Of free labor. Renewal OF the applause.l
Now suppose some OF you call this abol-
tionism. Laughter and applausel Let Us
see whether II is. Let us try that question
a term Of reproach ? Why was a man stig-
citizens, he was undertaking to interfere with
the free exercise of the rights Of loyal citizens
of other States in establishing and regulating
their own institutions. We used to say that
the men in the Southern States had right 10
establish therein their own institutions that
they were guaranteed that right by the con
stitution and We said that our fellow citizens
who, against the guarantees Of the constitu-
ton, desired TO interfere with these rights,
were meddling with that which was none OF
their business. Suppose those loyal people
want to regulate these institutions for them
selves, have you any objection? because il
strikes me, IL you have, you are occupying
precisely the ground Of the old-fashiou abo-
litionists. Laughter and applause.l
Now whatever may think Of the forfeiture
these men have made, by their own repudia-