Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-11-17

fully revealed to the people of the United
States as they have heretofore been to the
outside world. Before the calamitous war in
which slavery has plunged the country shall
end, it will be even more hateful to the
American people than it already is to the
rest of mankind, while their condemnation of
it will remain unchanged" [Applause.l
On the question of peace or war as falsely
raised By the opposition, he continued:
The Opposition will not succeed in mislead-
ing you, am sure, by telling -ou that you
have question Of immediate peace or war
involved IN the present issue. War, and not
peace, you have, already God knows that
it is severe and painful enough. If | could
think of taxes N the face Of national death,
should say that our taxes are heavy enough.
1T could thini of personal interests, affec-
tons or sympahies in the face of an insolent
enemy N arms, should say that men enough
had been manned and slain. But when we
shaii have said all these things, the actual sit
uatlon OF the country will still be before US,
unehaTFgka 1tis state of civil war, and
not OF peace. (Cheersl Persons often ask
me on every hand, as the war to last for
ever? ?" How long is the war to last }"
~''~- 'AAO NA W III uOb 4dSI 4OIGhSI, puG II
must continue until We give up the conflict,
or the enemy give up the conflict (Cries Of
That's the ak" and cheers.) Are you
prepared to give up the conflict? (Cries of
No, never " You say, "No, never"
Why? Because in that case yeu give up the
national life. (Cheers) In any and every
event the nation must live; if you were to
give up the national life, you enter in the
state of national death What that state is,
! GOD be thanked we do not certainly know.
The Government will not abandon the con-
tilet until the majority of the people decide
that 1t shall be abandoned Applause and
cries Of "That will never be!"l On the
other hand, the enemy will abandon their re-
pelllon just so soon as they shall have the IN
doubted assurance that it cannot prevail
LCheers. They will do so for two reasons:
first, 40 faction can indefinitely continue a
struggle that is hopeless. Secondly, because
they give up no national life, but they, as well
as we, save their own national existence by
their defeat and overthrow, Cries of 'That's
so; and better national existence than
IN their maddest hours of delusion they have
ever conceived as the result of their unlaw-
full enterprise. Cheers. Suppose then that
the people, as we all agree they will, support
the Administration by their suffrage to-mor-
row. The rebels then have the assurance of the
American people, made upon a full rehearsing
OF the merits of the controversy, upon appeal
and full examination Of results thus far OBJ
tanned, with the relative forces of the parties
yet remaining in reserve, that the conflict is
not to be abandoned on our part. Tremen-
dous cheers. In all our athletic games, three
times success in five trials gives the victory
two decisions following each other is equal
to three in five. You have already abundant
evidences of the exhaustion Of the rebels, but
not yet evidences of their consciousness OF
that exhaustion. Those evidences will APP
pear Immediately on the announcement of the
reelection of Abraham Lincoln. Cheers. |
You would have had those evidences earlier
If you had rendered this verdict sooner. You
wW have them all tie sooner after the 0eydict IN
PROPORTION TO THE UNANIAITY AND DETERMINE
TIoN WITH WHICH IT Is SPOKEN. Loud cheers. !
After showing the falIacy of attempting to
put down an armed rebellion by substituting
diplomacy and {" the arts of craftsmanship u
for war, he declared it was equivalent to a
surrender of the Union. If he had been viii.
ling to surrender, he would have proposed
surrender at the beginning; he would at all
events have awaited himself of the first CLEAN
OF victory to secure terms as little humiliat-
ing as possible. The Secretary concluded
his speech with these noble words: LAS for
the arts of craftsmanship, 1 know of none
applicable. in this case. The only art OF
craftsmanship that l do know, is to be faith.
full to God and to my country. Applause. ]
[ seek to cultivate charity and prevent war;
civil or foreign, as long as consistent with
national justice and homer and safety, it ear
be prevented; but when in war, to fight with
courage, constancy and resolution, and thu:
to save my country or fall with its defenders.