The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-04-23
ADDRESS OF HON. EDWARD
EVERETT.
WeLiueted hefote The 8oaton
Qlnion Sluh, Shutsda4,
RhtH 9th, 1918.

GENTLEMEN OF TIE UNION CLUB:
The struggle, in which the government
and loyal people of the country have been
now for nearly two years engaged, is one,
need scarce ssE, of almost unexampled
magnitude, attended with all the difficult
ties, the sacrifices. the alterations Of sue
cess and failure, which are incident to a
contest ofsuch stupendous dimension. =
Scarce ever have there been arrayed against
each other, in a field Of action so vast, for
ces so numerous, at an expense 81 great,
with such profuson Of material supplies
and financial resources, and, what is inf
ntely more important, with interests so nu.
merous at stske The scene of the conflict,
co-extensive as il is with the settlements Of
the United States this side Of the Rocky
Mountains, is but little inferior in extent to
Europe the military forces in array and
amply supplied with the material of war !,
are as great as were ever placed in the field
in the wars of the French Revolution; the
sea.coaSt held in rigid blockade by our ma
~, is more extensive than that actually
hlockaded by the navy OF G eat Britain du-
ring that war our armies aad navy, owing
to the character of our soldiers and seamen
and tha higher standard Of comfort in this
country, are sustained at greater expense
objects OF the war are nothing less than to
prevent great and prosperous Union Of
States, under one Constitutional Govern
meut, from being broken UP into wretched
fra gments ; to protect the organic life of a
mighty people. in the morning Of their y a.
tional existence, from the murderous and
suicidal blow aimed at it; to rescue the
work nf our revolutionary and constitutional
fathers, he greatest political work ofhuman
wisdom, from ignom;nious ruin, and to hand
down this peerless inheritance of public and
private blessings nnimpaired to our postori-
ty.
The great question which we haye to set
tie is, shall this might aggregate Of prosper
ity perish. or shall it endure? Shall this
imperial heritage Of blessings descend IN
impaired TO onr posterity, or shall it be
ignominiously, proflgately, thrown away
Shall the Territory Of the Union, late SC
happy under the control and adjustment OF
the National and State Governments, be
braken up inta miserable fragments, sure
10 be engaged in constantly-rceurring bor
der wars and all lying at the mercy of for
eign powers, or shall it preserve its noble
integrity Ender the agls of the Nationa
Government Admit the right of the sece.
ding States to break up tha Union at plea
sure, nay. of each and every State to do so
and allow them them to enfore that right by
successful war; deny the authority of the
Central Government to control its mem.
bers, and how long will it be, before the
new Confederacies created by the first dis.
ruption shall be resolved into still smaller
fragments, and the continent becomes a
vast theatre of civil war;. military license
anarchy and despotsm Better, at what!
ever cost, by whatever sacrifice, settle the
question at once, and settle it forever For,
remember, my friends, that in this desola.
ting war, the Government and loyal people
of the country are the party assailed, and
that they are clad in the triple armor Of a
just cause. The pretense is get up by the
rebels that they are contending for the right
of self government; the unfriendly press Of
Europe talks of its being war of revenge
and subjugation. Consider what makes a
just war even If. the opinion Of those who
csndem the North. England, a little more
than twelve months ago, thought it just
cause for war, that merchant packet was
,brought-to at sea by a belgercnt cruiser, in
the exercise Of the undoubted right of
search, AMI that four persons were taken
from it, as she considered, without war
rant in the law Of nations, though she, in
the last general war, had taken more than
j four thousand persons from our neutral ves-
| sells, equally without warrant in the law Of
nations The Federal Government, in the
paralysis Of its powers, caused by the inter-
regnum between the old and new Admins
trations, submitted with patience to the af.
front of having Two ships, laden with sup
plies for fort belonging to the United
States, fred upon in profound peace, by .
pretended Government, unacknowledged ut
that time, even as belligerent, by any for.
egn power 1t was not until the third act
of open, organized war, as mean as it was
murderous -the assault on Fort Sumter,
from eleven batteries, named by eight or
or ten thousand men--a fortress belonging
to the United States, built by the General
Government, upon spot ceded by the
State Of South Carolina to the United
States, and then occupied by one company
of seventy men, provlsioned but for forty.
eight hours not until the threat had gone
forth, on the same day. from the Capital Of
Of the pretended confsderacy, that in three
ss'rss,Umwnn xnythine rccoFdsd IA f;;s