The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-12
THE ISSUES OF THE WAR,
speech OF General CAN'T, Of Ar
kansas.
Objects of the Rebellion--.'Che <o,-
ditiOns of Permanent pea.o

ooo, Oeii'eicu an duuTesS aI the COODer
Institute, New York, last week. at the in
vitation of many prominent citizens. 4
crowded audience assembled to welcome
him, testifying, by frequent and hearty
plaudits, their appreciation Of his convinc-
ing eloquence.
After brief allusion TO the grievous
changes wrought by the war in the South,
and an expression of the surprise ne felt
that the grass did net grow in the streets
of New York, General CAN'T proceeded
to speak of the great issues involved in
the contest. He said:
Had there been no negro slavery there would
have been no war. Applause. | say so. be-
cause L never saw any bitter contest in the
country that negro slavery was not the found
alton stone to. What was it we attempted TO
compromise year by year? Was it horses, or
cats, or dogs, or women, Or men? Why no.
it was the question of negro slavery. What
called the nation in solemn council in 1856
when Clay and those other great statesmen
walked on the verge of the grave almost to
draw compromise from The Government
What WAS the issue in FrenonL's canvass
Negro slavery. And in 1860: Nero slavery.
We attempted diplomacy and craftsmanship 10
settle this question OF negro slavery. We
could not do it.
General CAN'T defined the purpose Of
the rebels to be
THE Spread o. SLAVERY.
was a very GOOD type OF tie ultra slavery.
no guaranty man. and | said il the COnsIitli-
ton OF our fathers does not protect slavery.
new guarantees would not DO amy good ana
the Institution OF slavery was doomed. said
there was an antagOniein HeLr cen the two srs-
tens OF labor. l saw tha6 the peaceful e;.er-
%etic men OF the North, when they had built
up their section Of country. would look down
30 our portion OF the soil and attempt to re-
move our sentineis, the negro slaves that we
place there 10 challenge them and the world.
wanted to meet that, and. therefore, | want
ed an expensive government with power 10
stretch westward TO the Pacific. taking in all
slave territory and Cuba and the contiguous
islands, and q part OF Mexico: and ! did not
multiply, but | would like to have and lust a.,
much more as could have got beyond that
Yet men talk OF sending peace commissioners
to The South. Laughter.
In the South. when the struggle commenc-
ed, there were bus two ideas about what we
should do, and they revolved around the negro.
One was. that we would stay in the Union to
protect the negro. That is what nv Union
friends said. there is going to be a fuss some
body may be hurt. What are YOU going To
stay in the Union for:' ITO protect the ne
gro what are you going to :" Il am
going out" thought mad got out What
are you going out for? - Il am going out to
take the negro The Union man said he
stayed in to protect the negro. | Do O.
las, breckenridge. or Bell platform, OF some
thing OF that kind, and have been out OF the
government, made my fight for the negro, and
stand here to-day specimen Of those miscra-
Ia obi g
wall over in the NOrth-a subjugated secession
list. Great laughter and constrained applause.
They have shed more tears over my suhjuga-
ton than they ever shed for my coming back
to the land of my fathers, to the old constitu-
ton, to the flag OF my country. to assist to
hold up that flag against every foe. APP
plause.
He expressed great contempt for the
"peace men," showing the object of
THE "PEACE" ORY.
But when got back again, where do you
reckon l found great many of my Union
friends? Sitting right down, holding on to
the negro. When came back 1 said ''Leok
here, my friends. have made my fight about
this thing l have been shot at more times
than l have got negroes, and do not think it
will pay, because they might get me the next
time and do not think white mans life
in the negro" [ found my friends sitting
right down where l left them. This Is the way
with great many Of my Democratic friends
In The North to-day. That's So They
don't want to change from their old platform,
although events have changed.
TAT this moment Gen. Anderson, the
hero OF Fort Sumter, appeared on the
platform, and was greeted with long-con-
tinued and enthusiastic applause, which he
acknowledged by bowling. Three cheers
were then given for Anderson.
have had enough of that question. and 1 |
have let loose my negrOes-that is, they con-
fiscated them, all except one. got that one |
through, and Mr.. Lincoln they said pardoned |
me all except SO far as that Negro went, and
that he set free. So, between him and jeff
Davis, they have pretty well broken me up on
the negro question. Good, good. and APP
plausr. Davis confiscated my negroes, and
would confscate my neck if he could get it. L
noticed when | came to the North as subju-
gated individual who has returned to the gov
ernment, cid not hear any Of these peace
men say anything about my suiferings from Sc
cessiOn, when | came here, quitting the rebel
service, regarding it as foul and ioalhsoiie and
corrupt.
He went on to argue that we can never
have permanent peace while slavery is
in the government, and added these re-
marks upon the
CONDITION OF PERMANENT PEACE
Now here is the way our people reason about
this matter. They say, "We nave got to start
life anew. We want peace; we want that
kind of peace which will be permanent" You
all have not felt the war like we have. Our
homes are desolate. Our land is nearly a
waite. Our children are nearly upon the point
Of starvation, and therefore, it behooves us to
look about and see how to avoid such troubles
as those for the future We want Il perma-
nent peace. We know We cannot have 4 per-
peace While negro slavery exists, and
we know more than that, that we cannot re-
cover from our misiortunes at once, if slavery
remains there. We want, first, permanent
peace and second, that kind Of peace which
will enable us the more II ably TO recover from
our misforturies. We put no question of hui
manity into tn" scale. Ii you want to say that
that slavery is dead. Shy the abolilionists
killed it if you please; say what you ike oniy
help us to bury it forever. [Great augnter.