The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-08-13

stitutional. I don't know what the
people up here think, but down in the
army they had a vivid impression that
allJeff Davis acts were unconstitution-
al; and as we are acting in opposition to
him we think we are acting according
to the Constitution. True some of
their men had deserted from them, and
he didn't know exactly why. He
thought they were poor devils, and lit
tie effort would be made to get them
back. They were generally towards,
or traitors who didn't want the Union
restored. -t '"""
There were objections to the con-
scription on account of its being un-
constitutional; but he did not believe
one in ten of the objeetors had ever
read the Constitution. If they had,
they would not take such position.
Did they not know that every govern
ment in the world had conscription
law? But, then, they did not like the
idea of compelling men to fight when
they didn't want to. He then spoke of
the New York rioters, and the fruits of
that effort of the rebels and rebel sym
patizsrs. Do you hear these men who
object to our mild consoription law, ut
ter one word against jeff Davis con-
scription, which is without and above
all law-simply the dictum of one man,
and every man must come forth and
enrol himself, or be hung to the first
tree. Down there all the men are con-
scripted and carried away, while the
woman and children are left to starve
and our own Government is compelled,
for humanity's sake, to deal out ratiens
to save them from perishing by hunger,
while their fathers, sons and brothers
are trying to break down our Govern
ment. Do you hear the objectors to
our united conscription denounce this
But have been denounced as an Abo-
litionist and traitor. Men would not
come to hear him speak because he
was an Abolitionist. Why? Because
they knew they would hear some-sober
truth, and that is what they can't bear
to hear. My fellow citizens, I speak
for fifty thousand men with muskets in
their hands. If these men are de-
nOunced, they will not act like fools,
by threatening to whip somebody be.
cause others have-but they will sing
Yankee Doodle and thank God that
they can fght-under the old flag. He
had seen men smile when we were
whipped, and frown like an angry cloud
when we were victorious /; but l exhort
all, if they intended to do their families
justice, not to die traitors, on account
of the infamy it would bring upon
their families. l tell you men, we
must be for rour country, right or wrong
A man that is not for his country
would hate Heaven, if he lived there.
He had feared dissensions in the
North-that some would cry for peace,
even dishonorable peace. / want
peace, but / want an honorable peace.
Some were for peace without being
able to say how they expect to get it
and / am sorry to say that some Union
} men are fooled by this cry. l am for
peace by bringing each and every State
; back into the Union, by force of arms,
and until this is done never can we
: have peace. If we are against an Of
fensive prosecution of the war, we
must withdraw our troops, let the reb.
els have it all their own way, and call
us towards. Such peace would open
up a new war in ninety days. We
should have no boundaries, and raids
: would be inevitable. We would have
} new fight about the Mississippi river
! for the rebels would blockade it and
; levy excise and tonnage duties.
: The rebels used to think that one ot
them could whip FIVE Yankees, bu,
, that conceit has been taken out of them
and / tell you now that the only way
to get peace, is to give the rebels q
J Decentralization" flogging. Then the,
| will come back with tears in their eyes
, the humblest people in the world and
the fogging they will get, as sure as
there is God in Heaven, if the people
at home will only let us.
IF you let these people gain their
, designs for q Southern Confederacy
we shall have Northwestern Confed
eracy. There was plan for this be-
, fore the breaking out of the rebellion
, 1t was talked over by men who are
stepped to the lips in treason, and il
we fail to put down the rebellion, oul
| beautiful prairies of the North west will