Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-10-01
/ GaEAT UNION sPEE0Ei
BkN. WADE UPON THE STUMP ;
Humiliation o. the NoEth--Noa Is the Time
OF Her Reuemptioa.

At the great Union Mass Meeting held
al Marietta, September 24th, Senator B. F.
Wade spoke as follows:
LADIES AND GEsTLEMEx: It is not with
out great embarrassment that appear be
eore such an assembly az this TO speak up
on public affairs. Nor is it often that one
is called upon to address such an ass m
blsge as / see before me to-day. In no
other country in the world could such a
multitude be congregated together for the
great purposes that have brought you to-
gether. YCu have not met here to make q
show, to display your banners and to unite
in an imposing spectacle, bat for the pur-
pose Of considering matters Of the grsvest
and most solemn Importance.
Under what government on earth do the
people assemble themselves ogether to
consider the momentous affairs of State
Such deliberations in all other countries
are placed beyond the reach Of the people
4, who are thought incapable Of being in
trGsted with such high concerns. You are
to day called upon to deliberate upon auch
subjects as are in other nations submitted
to Kings, Ministers, aud Senators. II has
been held, hitherto, that the people were
incapable Of understanding these things !;
but in our country q new system Of Gov
| ernment opened a new era in respect to
the source Of political power and responsi-
bility You are sovereign, and you are
held responsible before God and the world
for the Administration and the preserva-
tion Of this Government.
PROUD POSITION OF THE PEOPLE.
would therefore impress upon you the
Importance OF the position you occupy as
men, as citizens Of great Republis and as
the sovereign power of the Government
i You have submitted to your consideration
the most august questions that the wisest
aud the greatest Of mankind were ever
called upon to consider, and of all things
it is most important that you come to right
conclusions.
I an rejoiced to see such a multitude
here before me, possessed, as ! doubt not,
with sense Of the magnitude Of the in
terests involved in the passing struggle.
You have before you and in your keeping
the highest interests Of the coming gene
rations. Such is the character OF the era
in which we sre called upon to act that it
is Of the utmost importance that we all
come TO right conclusions, when we step of
in the great drama tha; is passing before
US. The present moment is big with the
fate Of the coming time, and everything
great and just that can concern genera
tions yet unborn, is dependent upon the de-
cision we shall make to-day. Let US all,
then, feel that il we do not come to right
conclusions we must be numbered with the
worst transgressors. We are intrusted
with the guardianship Of the rights and
liberties Of mankind. The great cause Of
| free Government is now on trial, and if
we fail, the hopes Of the world are gone.
All eyes are watching US. The minds of
all mankind are fixed with inlensest inter-
est con our deliberations ! would i'm
press upon the people the great dignity
with which the Constitution has invested
them. You are the deli6erators and the
actors before the world in the grand pro-
cession Of momentous events, that is pass
ing rapidly onward, and now are we to
meet such responsibilities as never we're
encountered by even the wisest masters of
their day and generation.
THE ENEMY IL THE FIELD.
would not conceal from you the fact
as il appears 10 us and even to the traitors
South and the enemies Of free Government
every where, there is in Ohio q eonsidera-
bic faction conspiring with them for the
overthrow Of free institutions | do not
charge so great offense upon the rank and
Gle, because few Of the people who have no
selfish interest in the contest would delib-
erately, and with Gll the facts before them,
take sides against their country. But they
are misled by those who have reason
enough to know that their arguments are
illogical, sophistical and dishonest.
The great reason why 60 many are mis-
led is becsuse the questions Of this cam
paign are Of 80 great 8 magnitude, that
cunning leaders are enabled to bewilder
and delude those who have not been train
ed to think, nor furnished with the great
facts upon which correct reasoning de-
pends. Il requires the coolest reflection
and the olearest wisdom 10 enable us IL so
pass upon these wonderful issues as shall
secure the preservation OF cur country, and
advance the highest well being Of man
kind. We bear upon our shoulders all that
GIN insure the welfare Of unborn millions,
and glorious will be cur record in history
if we nobly and righteously meet the re-
spopsibility imposed upon MS by the stern
exigencies Of the times We are made the
defenders Of Liberty for ourselves our pos
teTity, and Of mankind. To us is commit.
ted the great question Of human rights aud
their vindieation against the last desperate
and spasmodic efforts Of mOnarchists TO
overthrow them. The enemy Of popnlsr
government is arrayed against as with the
full determination to overthrow the lib
critics Of mankind. The Southern traitors
are assisted by the monarchists Of the Old
World, who sre exceedingly Jealous Of our
growth and prosperity. The voice of the
mass Of the people Of other Governments is
stifled. They cannot dc what you and
can perform in the administration Of af-
fairs. Like the great doctrines of Christi
snity, our doctrines 20 out into hostile
world, and like them are to be pressed with
zeal till they prevail over monarchy, as
Christianity has over heathenism, and thus
complete the liberation Of mankind.
ARE WE RIGHT 2
Therefore, my friends. would first as
certain whether We are in the right. We
can do nothing unless we have Justice for
cur guide. ! an persuaded that whoever
IL not guided by eternal justice and right,
must fail in the object he undertakes.-
Above all things, then, let us not array
ourselves against those principles that are
mightier than human power, for II we do,
as certain as light disperses the darkness,
90 oertsin will the enemies Of truth be
crushed.
Are we in the interest Of liberty, right.
and justice, or are we against them2 This