Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-10-05
SPEECH OF HON. B. T. WADE.

| OnSaturday evening last, Senator Wade,
OF Ohio made an eloquent speech at Mead
vile, Pa. Its reported as follows in the
| Cleveland Leader:,
| FELLOW CITIZENS: The occasion which
calls us here to-day is one Of an Importance
and significance almost unequalled among
| objects of human interest. The questions
which we shall discuss to-day possess an in-
terest far higher than those of usual party
politics. If, In former times, we made a
mistake in the selection of men or measures,
the error could be rectifed after four years
! But an error now, in this crisis of our ma
tional history, is fatal and irreparable Its
consequences are eternal. If we fall, we
! fall forever.
| | desire to examine one chief doctrine i'm
piled in the Chicago platform, and asserted
| by that nest of internal traitors who met
there, for | call things by their right names,
and they are set of mean and cowardly trail
tors. If they took their principles into the
| fight and battled for them | could respect
them, but [ have nought but loathing for
such Sneakilg towards. Cheers. Not a
man of them-not even as they love trea-
| son-will dare to jeopardize his personal
! safety in behalf of it. They pretend to tell
the people for what purpose the war was
first prosecuted. Mcclellan says this war
you know, or if you do not, you are fool,
| that this war was commenced by rebels, and
commenced to destroy the Union Ap-
/ plause. The rebels began this war long be-
( fore we raised a finger, andWe ought to have
done it long before we did We let them
go on in treason a long time before we tried
to coax them back. [ am ashamed to say it
| even now and God knows if l had had the
shieah in my own hands | would have
knocked the brains out of some of their
| reasonable heads Great applause. Why,
this war was commenced by JEFF. Davis
himself, who telegraphed from his seat in
the Senate Of the q. States to the rebels at
Charleston to fire on Fort Sumpter And
they did it. And they captured our forts
and arsenais, our mints and our men, and
fred on our flag. And still the Democrats
these miserable sneaks of Peace men
said you can't fight, you can't coerce a
State, you must just lie down and take it.
That's so, Laughter and applause
That was the declaration of that miserable
imbecile, James Buchanan. Glorious old
Pennsylvania. you whose soldiers have gone
forth so promptly and well, and have done
you such glory, call upon you to reverse
that declaration. Applause, and cries Of
We Il do it. y Yes, do it with a strong
arm | was in the Senate when these things
were being done, and | speak of what |
know. | listened to the taunts Of Southern
Senators until my blood boiled.
Let me here point out the actual COM
mencement of the war, for / want to prove
to you that we are right In theirs Why,
on the rock of eternal justice, and if | step
off it III either direction | shall fall, and
ought to fall. Cheers. As the little schoon-
er Star of the West came into Charleston
harbor, freighted with food for the garrison
Of Fort Sumpter, they fired upon her up
on the stars and stripes which she fioated-
and forced her back Had any body raised
AN arm before this against these Internal
traitors Had it not been all peace on our
side and war by them on the Government
before being assailed Why, Senator Wig
fall, of Texas. said in the Senate, before a
set Of Northern sinks which sat there: : Mr..
President, We have insuited your flag. We
have fired upon the Star of the West and
forced her to show her heels and gou dttre
not resent 1t r. Now, Northern Coprerheads,
take that and get down on your knees.
Great applause drowned the rest Of the SEN
tence. Ii you have no principle, have you
! no pride? Are all of the American people
slaves aud towards? And yet here is the
| Chicago Convention down on It's belly and
| begging for peace.
Mr.. Wade proceeded further in this
strain, and then spoke about the manifesto.
But / see stuck up all over town, and even
nailed on this very platform, certain docu-
ment put forth by Mr. Davis ard myself
] am told that it was posted by Democrats.
Well, | am glad to see it. Thank God that
they Il believe part OF the truth. Laugh
ter. They We made me their own witness
now, and 1t Is an old principle OF law that
they cannot dispute my testimony. Cheers
and laughter. If they believe what [ said
about Lincoln, let them believe what / am
about to say OF Mcclellan. Ism t that fair?
| shall not deceive you in either case-that' s
not my vocation. j never suppress the
truth because it may injure me to tell it.
Let us see how this document came to be
issued. The President vetoed an act which
Congress had passed. He had perfect
constitutienalright to do so. But he went
further, and issued proclamation appeal
ing to the people in support Of his position.
In doing so he east an imputatlon on Mr..
Davis and myself. who were in measure
instrumental in preparing the bill. lie put
toward his side OF the question, and whoev-
er does that | shall meet him. BE he Pres
ident, King, or peasant, L shall put forth
my side too. Applause.
Mr. Wade proceeded to discuss McClel
Ian record from the time he took command
until the close of his military career. show
ing that feebleness, insubordination, timid-
ity, and bluGdering were its chief character
istics. He closed thus:
81 have but lately visited our army |
have been through its lines. l have talked
. with its officers. L have learned from them
some of theSplans now on foot. OF these |
am OF permitted to speak, but | can tell