Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-10-19
MORNING LEADER
Great Speech Of Stephen A.
Douglas, in May, 1861.
HIS LAST WORDS FOB THE UNION.
No NeUtrals In this War.
ONLY PATRIOTS AND TRAITORS.
We Cannot Recognize Secession
DEMOCRATS, REApI
We Cannot Recognize Secession
DEMOCRATS, READI

ChE0. II buOhb NAANAD eAAA - ~ -1~AAAe~- Ifs9
should be to-day, and is marked contrast
with the views Of that great Peace Cop
.perhead, Pendleton. Let this speech be
placed in the hands Of every doubling
Democrat;
Mr., CHAIRMAN II thank you for the
kind terms ia which you have been pleas
ca to welcome me. l thank the Commit
Iceland citizens of Chicago for this grand
and imposing reception. [ beg you to be-
lieYe that l will not do you nor myself the
injustice to believe this magnificent ovs-
ton is a personal homage to myself re-
joice to know that It expresses your deVo-
ton to the Constitution, the Union, and
the flag of our country. (Cheers.)
l will not conceal my qualification at the
uncontrovertable test this vast audience
presents-that whatever political ditferen-
ces or party questions may have divided
US. vet YOU all had q conviction that when
the country should be in danger, my loyal
ty could Q relied on. That the present
danger is imminent, no man can conceal
If war must come-f the bayonet must be
usod TO maintain the ConstltutiOn-l can
say before God my conscience Is clear.
have struggled long for 3 peaceful solution
of this difficulty. have not only tender
ed those States what was theirs Of right,
but have gone to the very extreme of
naAgnanimity. ...-.
The return we receive is war, armies
marched upon our capital, obstructions and
dangers 10 our navigation, letters of
rbsrGue to invite pirates to prey upon our
coTninerce. a concerted movement to blot
out the United States of America from the
man of the globe The question Is, are we
to maintain the country Of our fathers, or
sllow it to be stricken down by those who,
when they can no longer govern, threaten
to destroy2
What cause, what excuse do disunion-
sts give rs for breaking up the best Gov
erument on which the sun of heaven ever
shed It's rays They are dissatisfied with
the result of a Presidential election. Did
thew never get beaten before2 Are we TO
resort to the sword when we get beaten at
the ballot-box2 l understand it that the
voice of the people expressed in the mode
appointed by the Constitution must COM
mand the obedience of every citizen. They
ssssume on the election Of particular
candidate, that their rights are not safe in
the Union. What evidence do they pre-
sent of this l defy any man 10 show
anv act on which it is based. What act
has been omitted to be dOne2 appeal
to these assembled thousands that so far as
the Constitutional rights Of the Southern
States, l viii say the Constitutional rights
of shareholders, are concerned, nothing
has been done, and nothing omitted of
which they can complain.
There never was time from the day
that Washington was inaugurated first
President of the United States, W hen
the rights OF the Southern States stood fir
mer under the. laws of the land than
they do now; there never was time
when they had not as good cause for dis
union as they have to-day. What good
canss have they now that has not existed
under every administration
Ii they say Ahe Territorial 7Ilastinz'-.
now, for the first time, there Is no act oil
Congress prohibiting slavery anywhere.
If il be the non-enfOrcement OF the laws,
the only complaints that l have heard
have been of the too vigorous and faithful
fulfllment Of the Fugitive Slave Law
Then what reason have they?
The slavery question is q mere excuse
The election of Lincoln is a mere pretext.
| The present secession movement is the re-
suit of an enormous conspiracy formed
| more than year since, formed by leaders
in the Southern COnfederacy more than
twelve months ago.
They used the slavery question as a
means to aid in the accomplishment Of
their ends. They desired the election of a
Northern candidate, by q sectional vote, IN
order to show that the two sections cannot
live together. When the history of the
| two years from the Lecompton charter
! down to the Presidential election shall
be written, it will be shown that the scheme
| was deliberately made to break up TINS
| Union.
They desired Northern Republican to
be elected by purely Northern vote, and
then assign this fact as a reason why the
sections may not longer live together. Ii
| the disunion candidate in the Presidential
| contest had carried the united South, then
scheme was, the Northern candidate sue
cessful, to seize the capital last spring. and
| by united South and divided North, hold
| it. That scheme was defeated in The de-
feat of the disunion candidate IN several ol
the Southern States.
1 DUk LUAb - uO lllllC ADL n A0bdlAA VA NelAT
The conspiracy is now known. Armies
have been raised, war is levied to accom-
plish it. THERE ARE ONLY two
| SIDES TO THE QUESTION. Every
man must be for the United States o.
against IT. There can be NO NRU'
TRAILS in this war ONLY PATRIOTS
OR TRAITORS.
Thank God, Illinois IS not divided OF
this question. 1Cheers 1 know they ex
pected to present a united South against 1
divided North. They hoped in the North
ern States, party questions would brin!
| civil war between Democrats and Repub
lICs.us, wnen the South would step IN will
her cohorts, aid one party TO conquer tn
other, and then make easy prey of tn
victors. Their scheme was carnage ant
civil war in the North.
There is but one way to defest this. Il
Illinois it is being done by closing up tn
ranks. War will thus be prevented on Ou
own soil While there was hope 70
peace, l was ready for any reason able sac
rifce or compromise to maintain it. Blu
when the question comes iof war in thecOttO
fields Of the South, or the corn fields c
Illinois, say the farther off the better.
: We cannot close our eyes to the sac an
solemn fact that war does exist The &C
! ! vernment must be maintained, its enemie
6verthrown, and the more stupendous ou
preparations the less bloodshed, and tn
shorter the struggle. But we muz remer
Der certain restraints on our actions eve
in time Of war. We are Christ an pee
pie, and the war must be prosecr Ted in
manner recognized by Christian nations.
; We must not invade Cons tutioni
rights. The innocent must not 81 Ter, no
/ women and children be the victim
SaEages must not be let loose. l,iIt Will
/ sanction no war on the II hts {
Others, will emplore my countrythen NJ
70 lay down their arms until our yhts al
3 recognized. Cheers.
The Constitution and its guars tees al