Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-10-06
The Unspeaknbie Importance
of thc Pending crisis.
SPEECH BY ROBERT c. WINTHROP,
At die Great Democratic Rdtjfcatton
Meeting IN Ne,c Yoh, on tic
l1M If .SeDtember.
Mr. Winthrop spoke as follows:


Mr. Winthrop spoke as follows
l thank you, ieow-citizens. for this frien-
dly and hattering reception. | thank your
honored president for the kind words in
which he had presented me to you. feel
glad in being here under the lead of one
who, as the gentleman who called the meet
ing to order said, he has added now honor
to name that was already associated with
SO much of true and tried patriotism with
so much Of spotless integrity, and with SO
much Of financial and commercial wisdom.
You know me men of New York--if l may
presume to imaging that you know me at
alias member Of the old whig party OF
the union, as long as that party had any
organization or existence Cheers. And
[ cannot help recalling the fact on this oc-
casion, that among my earliest political eff
forts. nearly thirty years ago, was speech
i'll this city against the democratic candi-
dates Of that day. ] fearsthat my faculty
Of making speech is somewhat impaired
| by the lapse of years; but such as | can
make is heartily at the service of the demo-
cratic candidates Of to-day, Applause.
| could not find it in my heart to refuse the
request of your committee of arrangements,
seconded as it was by an old and valued
| friend, whom / knew so long ago as the
tried and trusted friend Of Daniel Webster,
that would at least be present as a witness
Of this great demonstration. Nor, being
here, can | refuse to respond to the call
which has been made on me by your honor
ed president and to bear my humble testi-
mony to the cause in which you are enga-
ged 1t was promised me that | should see
the greatest meeting ever held III America;
and no one can doubt, | think, that the
promise is fulfilled. 50 it is. y Cheers.
1t is, indeed, glorious sight-this vast as
semblages of American citizens; unscduced
by patronage, unawcd by power--in the
great commercial metropolis of the union
itself one of the noblest products Of that
union-all rallying beneath common ban
ner, all animated by common resolves that
banner, the stars and stripes-that resolve,
to do all that in US lies for the rescue Of our
country from the dangers by which it is en-,
: compassed. Cheers You are assembled
in Union square, and l am glad to know
that you all intend to stand square on the
> platform of the union. Laughter and ap-
plause You are assembled on the aniver--
sary of the day on which the constitution Of
the United States received the attesting
signatures Of its framers and | rejoice to
be assured that you are all resolved to up
hold the authority and vindicate the supre.-
macy of that constitution. Applause.
Yes, my friends, in yonder city of Philadel-
phia, which we are glad to remember, in
this connection, was also the birth place of
George B. Mcclellan, lcheers. On the
18th day of September, 1887, that sacred
. instrument was perfected, which has secur-
= ed union and peace to our land for more
than seventy years past, and which, if this
= days ratification shallbe successfully carried
:. out, may STILL I fondly hope and believe,
G secure union and peace to our land for
s seven times, or even for seven times seven
- ty years to come Enthusiastic applause
You are assembled. too, on the anniversary
Of the day when the noble candidate,
whose nomination you ale about to
ratify, completed his great work of rescu-
s. ing the capital of his country from the
" confederate hosts by the glorious victory Of
}, Antetam. You have not forgotten those
, memorable days Of September, 1862, when
the fate of our republic seemed just tremb-
ling in the scales, when almost all mems
hearts were failing them for tcaF and when
f. the gallant Mcclellan forgetting the un-
e merited indignities to which he had just
te been subiected-torgetting everything but
?. his country dangers and his own deter
d mnation to stand or fall with its flag, and,
OfI responding without murmer or moments
ID delay to the personal appeal Of the presi-
dent, gathered up the scattered fragments
ID of his brave but broken army, re-organized
DC their shattered battalions, as By the waving
a OF II magician ; wand. drove back the inva-
/. ders across the Potomac aud once more ST.
cured the safety of Washington and of the
N government Loud cheers | would not
n. disparage the successes which have been
achieved on other days and under other
ul commanders. We all remember with crate
err full admiration the splendid victories which
m have been won on the land and on the sea,
by Meade and Grant, and Sherman, by
al Porter, Kcarsage Winslow and thc.heroic
in Farragut, and by so many others of our
It. generals and admirals. All honor to the
NV heroes Of Nicksburg and Chattanooga, of
Gettysburg and Atlanta Of Mobile bay, and
s. Of the blessed waters, whatever they are
he called, which at last eugulfed the Alabama;
and all gratitude TO the soldiers and sailors
ye by whose brave hearts and stout arms those
,w victories were achieved Applause But
none Of them have eclipsed, or even dim
all med the brilliant record of the army of the
ce Potomac and its leaders during those event
full days which cndnd at South Mountain
ng and Autiotam For that gallant leader it
n is glory enough that it MAY be said Of him,
to as the result of that brief but almost mi
d. raculous campaign, that, born in the birth
place of the constitution, he was privileged
d. by an auspices and beautiful concident, tc
at commemorate its seventy fifth birthday, by
NJ saving the capital of his country. But who
e- of us is not ready TO accept the omen that
it is still reserved for him, who saved the
he capital on that day, to save the country at
u this? Loud applause.
wv And now. fellow w-citizens, you have not
m forgotten that this was the last military
re service which Gen. Mcclellan was permit
ks ted TO perform in the defence of the union.
~ You have not forgotten that only few
weeks afterward, he was summarily depriv-
N. ed of his command, and sent into that re-
,st tirement from which no patriotic offers Of
his own, and no perSistant solicitations Of
his friends, have prevailed on the admins
+, traton to recall him, But the day is at
length at hand when the people of the Uni
nd ted States have the constitutional opportu
he nifty aud the constitutional right TO revise
the decrees of the administration; and most
m heartily do | hope that this one of their de
A.. oroes, if no oher, will be revi e and will be
sh reversed. Applause, Most heartily d,
q. l hope that, disregarding all cpnsidera tior
n of parties and platforms, and with the sin
nd nd gle and simple view of restoring union and
ty peace to our distracted land the people OF
y, the loyal states would resolve, by their votes
iii in November next, TO take upon their own
ID shoulders this leader whom the rulers have
We rejected and to bear him triumphantly into
Il