The weekly union record., 1864-09-24
An Able Defense of President Lincoln.

speech OF +. Nj. tlxlev al the great | nloo
mass meeting in San Francisco, Sept. 18Th:
| know Of DO sufficient reason whv those
who voted for Lincoln once should not do 50
again. | know OF DO reason why those who
once voted for Douglas should not now sustain
the Administration.
Let Us arraign the President and bis Cabinet
before the bar of public opinion, examine their
acts, consider their motives, a0d. 10 the spirit
of honesty and fairness. determine whether they
are to be trusted with further power When
this Administration assumed the authority Of
government, ii found great war insugurated;
states bad seeded; military commanders had
proved traitors: the National arsenals had
been plundered the navy scattered; the treas
ury exhausted the Capital was filed with
treason spies lurked 10 public positions the
nation was unused TO war; the Government
misapprehended the extent and strength Of the
rebellion it hoped for and believed in az
Union sentiment at the South. which expert
ence has demonstrated did not exist; a navy,
army aud treasury was TO be created a nation
unused to war could not al first accept the idea
of a great army aud great national debt.
The enemy. nerved with enthusiasm, brought
the entire strength OF its population, resources
and gallantry to the opening of the contest. and
seemed for time to threaten our ratioual ex
isteuce. Then Mr.. Lincoln, dscarding and
ignoring all party feeling in his higher regard
tor the country, called to his councils and the
deld the first men of the nation The loyal
Douglas became bis friend General Dix, Of
New York, was honored with bis confidence
Andy Johnson was taken ieto CONSULTATION
Holt, of Kentucky, became Judge Advocate
General; General Mcclellan, Democrat. was
given the command OF the army. tried. and
fcurd wanting, and the insl military authority
Geyolyed upon General Grant, another Demo.
crat. who has been tried aud not found wanting.
Sherman and Hooker and Hancock and Rose
Grams. all opposed in party politics 10 the
President, were invested with the highest mill
tary authority. General Halleck, q Democrat,
took the chief direction of the war bureau
Stanton and WelleS were invited to the cabinet,
and took TO their care the departments Of the
army and navy; Butler, the foremost Democrat
of New England, was made Governor Of Lou
i>iana and Ma jor General in the army: the
posts of honor and the gifts of office were indis
criminately conferred upon the leading men Of
either party, and all The nation felt that the
Chief Magistrate had done noble thing in
forgetting his party prejudice in the presence
of national danger. The Government rose to
the occasion and grappled with the rebellion as
with an enemy worthy of all It's eXertion.
Mr. Lincoln only followed the people
Slowly but calmly he came up to the surface
of evcnts, betraying neither passion nor impulse.
Sometimes we thought BIN slow, but when, 10
the ripencss of time, he declared a great prn,
ciple. he adhered to it with a frmuess and
resolution which challenged our admiration.
Caution controlled the first wear Of war it was
q year of preparation. Over tenderness to the
slave power, begotten OF lingering hope OF
adjustment, characterized the second summer
campaign. During the third year of the rebel
lion war was made in all the earnestness of a
nations strength. The fourth year finds the
Shareholders revolt staggering beneath his
irresistible power. Al first the President
hoped for reconciliation and peace. He did
not interfere with Slavery till the Nation de-
mauded be should sn;ts lbe monster-till it
became fully apparent that Slavery and the
Union could not both survive. One must fall.
The question bad to be met-SHALL SLAVERY
LIVE AND TIE UNION DIE? OR, SHALL THE
USIoN BE PRESERVED AND SLAVERY PERISH?
The Proclamation of Emancipation determined
for Freedom and the Union. 1t was uttered
the Nation has indorsed the declaration of
independence and EN- mlncipation to the slave.
Every truly loyal heart beats responsive TO lis
manly pronunciation.
Traitors and demagogues may shout the cry
of Union as cheat and a snare. 1t is but the
clamOrous utterance of lie when they talk
about the necessity of saving the Union at all
hazards. The Union is the first consideration;
but as union cannot exist with slavery, then in
order TO secure a permanent and lasting union
of States slavery must give way. The rebel
lion must be c. nquered. The South must be
subiugated. Rebel property may and ought
to be confscated to pay the national debt.
Slavery must be utterly and unconditionally
annihilated. Then, and not till then, our
Government stands upon the basis of lasting,
permanent and enduring peace.
MIR Lincoln has been charged with the i'm
proper suspension Of the writ of hqbeds corpus.
Ignorance makes the charge because Article
first, Section nine of The Constitution of the
United States provides The privilege Of the
writ of babeas corpus shall not be suspended,
unless when. 10 cases of rebellion or invasion,
the public safety may require it," | suppose
the Pesce Democracy would have prisoners,
taken IN arms against the Daton discharged
by some country Judge, sitting at Fairfax
Court House; some numbering guerrilla who
lies in ambush to assassnate loyal men.
Peace Democracy pronounces the Con6sca-
ton Act illegal '-''rebel property should be
held sacred must carry on the war upon
constitutional principles" Negroes must be
remanded to their traitor masters" Federal
soldiers, as under Mcclellan, must stand as
scare-crows for the protection of rebel corn
fields and loyal men stand broilng under
summer sun to guard Virginia mansions that
give shelter to rebel women and spies" The
Emancipation Proclamation, says the Peace
Democracy, is unconstitutional and is IN
tended 10 ALLEVIATE the feelings Of our Southern
brethren Lincoln had DO right to proclaim
the freedom of the siaYe,' and yet every work
ing slave was the equivalent OF soldier 90 the
battle field In my opinion, the President as
commande7-in chief OF the army. had the right
to free slaves. as war measure, and when Re
did it struck the death blow to the institution
of slavery, aud thus saved from destruction
and dismemberment the American Union
There are only two parties, and between
them there is but one issue. Parties have
fused the Northern Copperhead has crawled
into ba bola Of ba Southern D-air;e dor Tho