The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-18

If revolution. which gives us without q
doubt. the right to change it. It never ex-
isted before the American States, and there
is no need Of rebellion, insurrection or
damenta1 principles Of all free govern
ments, that the major lpart must rule, and
there is no other way Of carrying on socie-
tv. except that the!Wil of the majority shall
be the will of the whole, or that the will of
the minority shall be the will Of the whole.
So that, in one word, to deny the principles
I have tried to state is to make q dogmatic
ment that il possible with perfect liberty,
and acknowledged by God, is a pure and
absolute despotism. The principles, there
fore. which am trying to state before
you, are principles which, if they be not
true, freedom is impossible, and no govern
ment but one Of pure force can exist or
ought to, endure among men. j.,
But the idea which wished to carry out
as the remedy tor these troubles and sor-
rows, dreadful as they are, is this: THIS
fearful truth runs through the whole his
tory of mankind, that whatever else may
be done to give stability to authority,
whatever else may be done to give perpetu-
ity to institutions, however wise, however
glorious, practical, and just may be the
philosophy Of it, it has been found that the
only enduring, only imperishable cement
Of all free institutions has been the blood
Of traitors. NoGovernment has ever been
built upon unperishable foundations, which
foundations were not laid in the blood Of
traitors. It is fearful truth, but we had
as well avow it at once, and every lick you
strike, and every rebel you kill, every bat
tie you win, dreadful AS it is to do it, you
are adding, it may be year, it may be ten
wears, it may be century, it may be ten
centuries, to the life Of the Government,
and the freedom OF your children. [Great
applause.l Now, passing over that idea,
passing over many other things which it
would be right for me TO say, did time
serve, and were this the occasion, let me
add, you are Union party. Applause
Your origin has been referred to as having
occurred eight years ago. In one sense it
is true that you are far older than that.
see before me not only primitive Republic
also, primitive Democrats and primitive
Wings, primitive Americans and, if you
will allow me to say so, l myself am here,
who, all my life, have been party to my
self. Laughter and appiause.] As a
Union party, will follow you to the ends
of the earth and to the gates Of death lap
plausel; but as an Abolition party, as
| Republican party, as a Wing party, as a
Democratic party, as an American party,
will not follow you one foot. lApplause.]
But it is true Of the mass of the Ameri-
can people, however you may divide and
scatter, while this war lasts, while the
country is in peril, while you call your
selves as you do in the call of the Conven-
ton, the Union party, you are for the pre-
servation of the Union and the destruction
Of this Rebellion, root and branch; and, in
my judgment, one Of the great errors that
has been committed by our Administration
of the Federal Government, the chief OF
which we are about to nominate for anoth-
er term of ofice-one OF the errors has been
| tr,h o1i =, tvr,o hoC
have not succeeded, and to act in manner
which is precisely fer those who have sue.
ceeded. You will not, you cannot succeed
until you have utterly broken the military
power OF this people. [Applause:]
will not detain you on these incidental
inent in the remarks Of the excellent Chair
man Of the National Committee. do not
know that would be willing to go SO far
as, probably, he would; but cordially
agree with him in this, I think, consider
ing what has been done about Slavery, Ia
king the thing az it now stands, overlook
ing altogether, either in way of condemns
ton or Approval, any act that has brought
us to the point where we are but believ-
| ing in my conscience, and with all my
heart. that what has brought US where we
are in the matter OF Slavery, il the original
sin and folly Of treason and Secession
Because you remember that the Chicago
|
believe it virtually did explicitly state that
that they would no: touch Slavery in the
States. Leaving it, therefore, altogether
out Of the question how we came where We
are on that particular point, we are pre-
pared to 60 further than the original Re-
publicans themselves were prepared to 60.
| We are prepared to demand not only that
the whole territory of the United States
shall not be made slave, but that the Cen
eral Goternmen: Of the American people
shall do one Of two things and 1t ap-
pears to me that there is nothing else that
can be done-either TO use the whole pow.
er of the Government, both war power and
peace power, to put Slavery as nearly as
POSSIBLE back where it was (for although
that will be fearful state Of society, It is
better than anarchy,) OK else to use the
whole power Of the Government, both OF
war and peace, and all the practical power
that the people Of the United States will
give them to exterminate and exunguisn
it, PROLONGED applause
that, II were a Pro-Slaverv man, II be-.
lieved this institution was an ordinance OF
God and was given to man, would unhes-
itatingly join those who demand that Gov
eminent should be put back where it was.
But am not a Pro-Slavery man. never
was. ] unite myself with those who be-
lieve it IS contrary to the brightest inter-
ests Of all men and Of all government, con-
trary to the spiri. Of the Christian religion,
and Incompatible with the natural right OF
man. JOIN myself with those who say,
away with it forever [applause]-and I
fervently pray God that the day may come
when throughout the whole land every man
may be as free as you are, and as capable OF
enjoying regulated liberty. / will not de-
tain you any longer.
One single word you will allow me to say
i in behalf Of the State from which / come,
one of the smalles: Of the thousands Of Is
lrael. We know very well that cur eleven
Il votes are of no consequence in tie Presi-
dental election; we know very well that
| ia our present unhappy condition j: 10 by
no means certain that we are here to-day
representing the party that will carry the
majority Of the votes IN that unhappy State.
I know very we'll that sentiments which I
am uttering win cause me great odium in
the State in which Twas born, which love,
where the bones OF two generations OF my
ancestors and some Of my children are, and
where, very soon, ! shall lay my own. l
know very we'll tnat my colleagues Will IN
cur odium if they indorse what say; and
they, TOO, know it. But we have put our