The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-03-19
Trao DelsocracY,

As remarked on q former occasion, do
not appear here as partizan; but have
not given up my political creed in the slight
est degree. have neither come here or
been elsewhere, to revoke single political
principle which esponsed at the com.
mencement Of my public life. stand
where have always stood, an uncompfH
missing Democrat. ] stand today, IS the
advocate ofthe great Democratic principle
Of self government, that the people are the
source Of political power. In later years I
have come to the conclusion that the Union
Of these States was a fixed principle ofDem
ocracy. Hence, we simply adhere to the
principles Of selfgnvernmsnt, and Of the
people as the source Of power, when We talk
Of the Constitution and Of all laws enacted
under it as abligstory on those who live un-
der it. This is Democracy. This is where
stand. It is true doctrine that the Gov
ernment was made for the convenience Of
man, and not man for the Government;
just as the shoe is made for the foot, not the
foot for the shee. i7sbiys n S.,yo 4
One Of the first ideas learned in con,
nection with the government was the sonl
of liberty and the love Of law. What
Liberty have you without the Constitution
or laws' Take away law, and you haze
vice and anarchy rampant. With law We
hare liberty. II protects the weak against
the strong, virtue against vice. This is
part Of my Democracy. -,
The question resolves itself into this
One party was in power, and after the elee-
ton il saw the sceptre of the Union had
gone from it. For, even looking to the ex.
pirat;on ofLineoln's term Of four years,
there was, even il Mr.. Lincoln was not res
elected, other organizations coming upto
retain the power from them, and they know
it. Now, they said, il the time to strike
and make the slavery question . pretext 10
unite the Southern States. We sec to-day
in this terrible war, what it ended. in. Let
me, ask this audience to-day, five to
have civil war after every election. BE-
cause one party or the other is defeated.
what are we coming to Look at Mexico.
torn with dissension, too feeble to resent foy
eign oppression. What is it to end in,
Anarchy, loss Of property, Of life and Of pa,
tional prosperity and honor. .a
- 4 - g.
Talk about being tired Of the wariasI
kLow it il terrible, and realize its horrors,
bat these are incidents Of : civil war. The
ruin that has come, the blood that has been
shed. are upon the heads OF those who pre-
cipitatsd this civil war, and not on OURS
You who have brought on this war, hato
forced this ruin, set brother against brother
orphaned these children, widowed these
wives, and allied the land with .mourning-
you have done oil this, and lot me ask you
rebel sympathizers to lift up your hands
and see II they are not crimscned with the
blood Of the victims of the rebellion
Whether it comes sooner or later, justics
win come. The slower its pace, the sufer
is its blow. 1t viii como, If we live; and il
we arc not living, when we are dead. Soon
ler or istsr, jqstice win overtake thoss whoss
hsnds are crimsoned with blood.
Tired Of an eighteen months war Your
fathers fought for seven years to establish
this goyerpnsnt sad you sre tired Of tight
ing eighteen months TO defend il. So lAr
~ am concerned, en- ready to fight sevsp
years, thirty years, and would not stop
then, What is war Of thirty years. whsn
you look at the vast results 10 flow fromit
down the sea of time, in laying the POUNDS
tion of government which win live in fu.
ture ages, and rsvolutionise the government
Of tho xords Nothing. You are laying
the foundation Of . government which win
endure while the san rises and SET I say,
to-day not from impulse. but from cool re-
fiecticn, ifmy life was spsred 100 ysara,
would 6ght on and fight ever. would
wn asainst thiss Soothsrn atistoosaey -
ldns g the Nooss did against the Spaniasda
Il