Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-02
want none but those who are like us to be
with US. [Applause,

with us. Applause,
Now, among these principles, if You vii
allow me to say il, the first and most distinct
is, that We do not intend to permit this ma
ton to be destroyed, [Applausel We ara
natiop doubt q peculiar one-a nation
formed Of States, and no nation except N
these States form it, And these States are
no States except as they are States in that
nation, They had no more right to rcpudi
ate the nation than the nation has TO repu
diate them. None of them had even the
shadow of right 10 do this, and God help
ing us, we will vindicate that truth SO that
it shall never be disputed any more in this
world. Applause. 1t isa fearful altcrna'
tive that is set before ny, but there are great
compensations for it, Those Of you who
have alluded to this subject know, or ought
to know, that from the fountain Of tho pres
ent Government, before and since our pres
ent Constitution was formed, there have al,
ways been parties that had no faith in our
Government The men that formed il were
doubtful of its success, and the men that OPP
posed its formation did not desire it's sue
cess, And am bold to say, without de-
tanning you on this subject, that with all
the outcry about our violations of the Con
stitution, this present living generation and
this present Union party aremore thorough
ly devoted to that Constitution than any
generation that has ever lived under it
Applause While say that, and solemnly
believe it, and believe it is capable of the
strongest proof | may also add that it is Il
great error which is being propagatcd in
our land, to say that our national life de-
pcnds merely upon the sustaining of that
Constitution. Our fathers made it, and we
love it, He intended to maintain it, But
if it suits us to change it we can do So Ap-
plausc. And when it suits us to change it
we will change it. [Appausc.] II it were
torn into ten thousand pieces the nation
would be as much nation as it was before
the Constitution was made-a nation always
that declared its independence as uni
ted people, and lived as united people un-
til nova nation independent Of all particu-
lar institutions under which they lived, and
capable of modelling them precisely as their
interests require. We ought to have it dis
tinctIy understood Ey friends and enemies
that while we love that instrument we will
maintain it, and will, with undoubtod ccr-
tainty, put to death friend or foe who I'M
dertakcs to tramplc it under foot; yet be-
yond doubt, we will reserve the right to
alter it to suit ourselves from time to time
and from generation to generation. APP
plause. One more idea on that subject
We have incorporated in that instrument
theright Of revolution, which gives us. with
out doubt, the right to change it, 1t never
existed before the American States, and by
the right to change there is no need Of re-
bellion, insurrcction or civil war, except
upon denial of the fundamental principles
Of all free governments---tha the ma or
part must rule; and there is no other method
of carrying on society, except that the will
of the majority shall be the viii of the whole
Or that the will of the minority shall he
the will of the whole. So that, in one word,
to deny the principles | have tried TO state
is to make a dogmatic assertion that the
only form of government that is possible
with perfect liberty and acknowledged by
God is a pure and absolute dcspotism. The
principles therefore which ! am trying to
state before you are principles which, if
they be not true, freedom is impossible, and
no government but one of pure force can
exist or ought to endure among men. But
the idea which | wished to carry out as the
remedy for these troubles and sorrows, is
this Dreadful as they are, this fearful truth
runs through the whole history Of mankind,
that whatever else may be done to give sta
bility to aHthority, whatever else may be
done to give pcrpetuity to institutions
however wise however glorious, practicable
and just may be the philosophy Of tit has
been found that the only enduring
the only imperishabe cement of all
free institutions has been the blood
of traitors. No Government has ever
been built upon impcrshable foundations
which foundations were not laid in the blood
of traitors. 1t is Il 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 il, you
are adding, it may be a vear--it may be ten
years--it may be century--it may be ten
centuries to the life Of the Government and
the freedom of your children, [Grcat ap
plause.
Now, passing over that idea--passing over
many other things which it would be right
for me to say, did the time serve and were
this tho occasion, let me add-you are a
Union party. [Applause.] Your origin
has been referred to as having occurred
eight years ago. In one sense it is true
But you are far older than that see be-
fore me not only primitive Republicans and
primitive AbolitiOnists but see also prm-
tive Democrats and primitive Wings
primitive Americans, and, fyou will allow
me to say so, myself am here, who all my
life have been in party to myself Laugh
ter and applause. As Union party will
follow you to the ends of the earth and to
the gates Of death Applause. But as an
Abolition party--as Republican party
No whg party-as Democratic party
ms an American party, l will not follow you
one foot. [Applause But it is true of the
mass Of the American people, however you
may divide and scatter while this war lasts, !
while the country 10 in peril, while you call
yourselves as you do in the call of the
the Union party-you are for