The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-07-01
Speech of John Brough, Esq
..-s' Ar MARIETTA, oH1o, JUNE 10,
On rIse Duty of the Citizen

this mass. of my old friends has extended to
: me to-day calls for an expression of my pro-
found thanks, and an assurance of my most
warm and fervent gratitude Old memories
E have been busy with me to-day; reminiscent
ces of the past have been crowding constantly
upon my mind; but amid those of the future
that may come up to me, either In my wax
ing or sleeping dreams, no remembrance will
!, hold amore precious or greener place in my
heart than that of your cordiality and kindness
to me here to-day. Yet in all this vast crowd,
l miss the familiar face and the cordial grasp
. of one whom it would have delighted me
Enuch to meet-the companion of my boy
: hood, the political and personal friend of my
: manhood, and one whose soul was all full of
honor, and all full of iutegrity-an original
and lifelong Democrat, who was jackson
man when it was almost crime in this coun-
try to be one-a Democrat in all things, With
out guile; and yet, when the crisis of his
country came, he paused not to consider party
{ lines, to see on which side were the defenders
of his country, but went forth, at the head of
TeSluleul, W tlc DdlblG-u0lu, W I16CG QlS-
ease and death in the camp, and was brought
back to be laid in the grave of his patriot
fathers. sPeaceto his memory, and light lay
the sod and green grow the turf on the re-
who knew him we'll, and loved him dearly,
desires to drop alike tear and an evergreen
upon his grave.
4 There is but q single topic which one who
appears before an audience at this time is ex-
pected to discuss, and that is, the condition
of the country in view of the most fragrant
rebellion which history has ever recorded. In
entering upon the discussion of this matter
to-day, 4 desire; inorderto savemyself troub-
i lie and avoid misapprehension, at once to de-
fine my position.
need not tell this vast audience, assembled
in this my native county. that, from the days
of my boyhood up to this hour, have been
ranked with the political party known as the
democratic; and believe the time has never
been known, from my entrance into its ranks
till now, thatI have eyerr4wavered or been
false to it. 8 I am, in all things appertaining
to the general policy of the country, a Demo-
crat to-day, and ever hope to remain one,
without mitigation, without change, in all
those great principles on which political par
ties divide But when a crisis of this kind
arises, it is a principle of my Democracy-
and shall not attempt to interpret other
Igentlemen's Democracy for them-that the
first great duty every man owes is to his
country-that this is where the principles of
his party ought to lead him. .'
Although there is President in office that
did not help to put. there, and although in
all human proba abiIity Iswolld not castsa vote
for him tomorrow, yet in this great contest 1
acknowledge -him-not the head of party,
but as the head of the Government, as the
Executive officer of the nation [Cheers.l
And like soldier fighting in the ranks, I
hold it to be my duty to obey him, my COM
manding officer, in all things without ques-
tioning his policy in this great contest. By
and by may have something, as citizen, to
lssay on this subject; but at the. present time
iEmy duty lies in another direction. 1t is true
that / have differed with Mr. Lincoln on
many questions, but they are minor ones, and
this is no time to cavil. 1t is not whether
i this or that rights have been infringed
4 upon, or whether some cannon-Mheef has
&ibeen run over a corner of the Constitution ;
but the question now is, what is the duty of
every mantoshis Governnen in this contest?
Let us first settle with these rebels, and when
we have done that, we can begin to take
4 matters at home in hand, and have no doubt
we will be- fuliyequafto them. 0 n
In discussing this question, 4 shall necessa-
4 rily refer to a topic which public speakers
4 profess to have great delicacy in treating, but
on which have none at all. T have no more
delicacy in approaching the topic of slavery
than any other but in doing ii. will frstsay
that with slavery as domestic institution,
both as to master and slave, have nothing
. whatever to do. ! have no care in regard to
it. Whatever may be my opinion in regard
c to the relation of master and slave inethe
$ South, is entirely immaterial in this discus
sion; it has nothing to do with this contest
| have always been willing togleave them
/ free in the enjoyment of their slaves; and if
, it be their carse;I have no right to complain
: that they hug tito their bosoms. And as
between the master and his slaves, I have
always been compelled to believe that the
servant had the best of it. have been con-
tent that the Southern people should have all
the laws they desired for the recovery of their
slaves when they escaped from their bondage
and Isweuld beswiliing to it now..ssis )
4 | don't wish to disturb the relation existing
between thems if they will keeI their rela-
tons to themselves, and away from the pco-
4 pie of the free States, I have no disposition
: to meddle with it. y It has cast aablisht and
"a mildew over their whole country, but it has
cast none here, nor doswedesire that it should.
III But there is another character of the insti-
e tuition Of slavery, and againstitI do fight
;. Its the political character which has been
given to it for the last i've and twenty years;
+ and that is the character which,ou people are
$ looking to to-day. Sc long as the slavehold.
o er was content to keep the institution in ,his
n own territory, it didn't become an ,l element ol
alarm to either section of the country but
there came, up as long ago as the nuliacatior
o times of Calhoun, the idea that slaverry, wa.
ol to be made the balance of political power il
Z this country st twas eontended, on the par
,elof Southern statesmen, that whenever fre,
!, State should be admitted into this Union,
e. slave State should enter at the same time
THAT Congress free and slave States were t,
be represented equally When speak %
n sIaye,v in II dos;ro ~, h, nv,