The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-06-05
Speech Of Hon. Dan. W. Voorhees,,

/ - - O'"ii1-h-o Oii t"hI"S 'hS '.alr As
President Of the great Democ,a rnee,ino
at Indianapolis, lndj.~.na. on the 19tb nit
al "hien seF@,.ty ,ave thousand people were
present;
ny Democrat; Felow-Citizens of the
| State Of Inuiana For the distinguished
| honor which YOU have just conferred upon
me IL calling me 10 accept this elevated
position, | return to you my sincere aud
! heartfelt thanks At such time and un-
I der such circumstances as those which sur
round this hour to be called upon to pre-
| side over such an assemblage as the one
/ before ne, is An honor to be remembered
to the latest hour Of life, and to be treas
ured up as one Of the highest, proudest
| distinctions ever conferred bv my fellow
citizens. From grateful heart, heart
often deeply touched by the kindness OF
my countrymen, thank you.
/ We meet to day IN accordance with the
time>honored custom of political parties
since the foundation of this government.
/ There is nothing new in this assembly,
| We meet as our fathers met before us ; we
meet for the high ard holy purpose Of ia
king part in the discussion of those mat
ters which relate to the welfare of a GOV
ernment formed and created, and governed
by the people. We DO not recognize the
fact that anything has occurred, Or can oc
cur, to divorce the people Of Indiana from
An interest in public affairs. We do not
admit that the democratic party is IN any
manner oslracised from participation in
matters Of government.
Holding he constitution Of nv country
in my hand, declare that this is lawful
assembly, lawful in purpose and lawful in
fact. Ia this great document read that
it is an inalienable right of the people
peaceably 10 assemble and ask for a re
dress Of grievances. No sadder grievances
ever befeI the children OF men than those
which afllict the people Of the United
States at this time Confusion and lisor-
der darken the sky; the very earth is la
den with the sorrow Of our people; tie
voice Of zoe and lamentation goes mp from
every portion of our distracted country :;
the angel Of death has spread his wings on
the blast, and there has been no sacred
blood sprinkled upon the door post. OF our
homes 10 stay The hands Of the destroyer
1t is IN such a time, my countrymen, that
We meet according TO the plain precepts Of
the constitution, to ask :he administration
to redress those grievances, which bear SO
heavily upon US, and return speedi Y to the
policy inaugurated by the fathers Of our
government-thstp policy which made US
happy. united, aud fraternal people
Such being our objects, who shall tell
Us we shall not meet? Where is the pow
er that shall interfere with or prevent Us
from peaccably exercising our plain consti
tutionaI rights: |, for enc, plant myself
upon the constitution Of my country it is
the rock on which bu;ll The church Of my
political faith, and tie gates Of hell shall
not prevail against it,
Having thus peaccabIy assembled, &C
eC,rding TO the pIrin preccpts Of the cons.i
tuition, We IRE met, however, at ihe very
threshold by an ne which we caunot
avoid, au issue wien il is o't of our pow
er to ignore for sing.e nr-ment. We
are met with a plain, paIpable, and auu,."-
ious denial of The liberty of speech. Aud
when thus met what shall we do +: What
shall we say | turn again to the consti-
tution-to the rock on which the Temple
Of Liberty is buit-and ask what does the
constitution say? Mia. it says, you, fel-
low citizens, and | are willing to do. 1t
is the Iuie Of our conIuct aud we know 10
other. It is safe guide in all cases it
leads US over no uncertain grounds q: i has
been tried. The constitution is al, we
want We will have it as it is, without any
additions or subtlactions. When | am
m=t with a denial Of the right of free
speech, will come TO the constitution and
ask what it says. 1t says that Congress,
which is the only legislative power known
10 tie government, shall pass no law
abridcinc the freedom Of speech or Of the
press Thus saith the book. Let that be
true, though all the world be a liar. If
the Congress of the United States cannot,
under the constitution. pass any law utter
ferino with the freedom of speech. can any
body else DO it: No. This is tne house
Of nv refuge. IIither we will come for
safety we will lay hold Of TIE very horns
of the altar, and, in the name of American
liberty, and with q firm reliance upon
just GOD, bid defiance to our prosecutors.
ask that this book may speak again in
our favor It saws that the constitution
and laws Of The United States, which shall
be made in Pursuance thereof, are the su
preme laws OF lie land. There is, there
can be, no higher law than the supreme
law. You cannot 90 above it. You can,
not escape this conclusion. One Of the
rerIous evils that now unhappiIy beset us
as a nation consists simply in this fact,
that years ago party arose in this coun-
Try proclaiming to the world higher law
than the constitution. tell you that, in
my Judgment lie who proclaims that doc
trirs, and in the next breath swears to sup
port the constitution, is perjured in the
sight Of God and man The institution
IS the supreme law. 1t provides for the
maintenance Of these great rights Of free
dom-free speecb-a free p;ess-and who
/ shall take them away from us?
Yet, my fellow citizens, in the face
Of this fact, we have been told. here in
] Il Io, 4.