Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-15

luG SUI AG u0o uDAg DLeNHG hnAAAs ~ -
braVer than to face cannon and musketry,
and I honor him for his csndOr and frank
ness.
But now ask you to take away the hsg
of truce; and 1 will 60 back into the Union
lines, and speak Of what he has done.
am reminded by it of distinguished char
acter in Paradise Lost. When he had re-
belled against the glory of God and " led
away a third part Of Heavens Sons, con-
jurcd against the Highest" when after
terrible battles in which mountains and
and hills we're hurled by each oontending
host with jaculstions dire ;" when at last
the leader and his hosts were hurled down
mine times the space that measures night
and day." and after the terrible fall lay
stretched prone on the burning lake, Sa-
tan lifted up his shattered bulk, crossed
the abyss, looked down into paradise, and,
soloquizing, said:
(which way fly is he'll; myself am HE'LL
Il seems to me in that uttersnce he ex-
pressed the very sentiment to which you
have just listened; uttered by one no less
brave, malign, and fallen. This man
sethars M the meaning Of this great con-
/ test the philosophy Of -Eha moment the
prophecies Of the hour, and, in sight OF the
paradise Of victors and peace, utters them
sll in this wall Of terrible despair, (Which
way fly is hell" He ought to add, "My-
self am holl.n
Mr.. Chairman, l am reminded of two
characters in the war Of the Revolution as
compared with two others in the war Of
to-day.
The first was Lord Fairfax, who dwelt
near the Potomac, 3 few miles from US.
When the great contest was opened be.
tween the mother country aud the colonies,
Lord Fairfax, after protraoted struggle
with his own heart, decided that he must
go with the mother conntIy. He gather
ed his mantle about him and went over
grandly solemnly, and impressiVely, and
Joined the fortunes Of Great Britain
against the home Of his adoption.
But there was another man who CAST in
his lot with tho struggling colonies, and
continued with them till the war was well
nigh ended. But in q day Of darkness,
which just preceded the glory of the morn
ing, that other man, deep down in the
damned pits Of his black heart, Matched
the treason to surrender forever all that
had been gained to the enemies Of his ooun-
try. Benedict Arnold was that man.
Fairfax and Arnold find their parallel
in the struggle of to day.
When this war began many good men
stood hesitsting and doubling what they
ought to do. Their doctrine of State rights,
their sympsthies, all they had ever loved
and loaged for, were in the South, and az
ter long and painful hesitation some Of
them at last went with the enemies of the
nation.
At that time Robert E. Lee sat in his
home across the river here doubling and
delaying, and going off at last almost tear
fully to join the enemies Of his country.
he reminds me in GONE respects of Lord
Fairfax, the stately royslist Of the RevO-
luton.
But now, when hundreds Of thousands
Of brave souls have gone up to God under
the shadow Of the flag, and when thou
sands more msimed and shattered in the
contest, are sadly awaiting the deliversnce
Of death now, when three years of terri
fc warfare have ragged over us, when our
armies have pushed the rebellion back
over mountains and rivers, and crowded
it back into narrow limits, until q wall Of
fire girds it; now, when the uplifted hand
Of q majestic people is about to let fall the
lightning Of its conquering power upon
the rebellion; now, in the quiet Of this
Hall, hatched in the lowest depths Of a
similar dark treason, there rises Bene-
dict Arnold and proposes to surrender us
all up, body and spirit, the nation and the
flag, its genius and its honor, now and for
ever, to the accursed traitors to our coun-
try. And that proposition comes-God
forgive and pity my beloved State lit
Games from citizen Of the honored and
loyal Commonwealth Of Ohio.
implore, you, brethren in this House,
not to believe that many such births ever
gave psngs to my mother State such as she
suffered when that traitor was born. ESup-
pressed applause and sensation. 1 beg
you not to believe that on the soil Of that
State another such growth has ever de-
formed the face Of nature and dsrkened
the light Of Gods day An audible whis-
per, "Vsllsndighsm." But sh, 1 am re-
minded that there are other such. My
zeal snd love for Ohio have carried me
far. I retract. I remember that only q
few days since political convention met
at the capital Of my State, and almost de-
eided to select from Just such material q
AEplGEE1AthAANU ANA AhN LGultDAhlAG party III
the coming contest; snd to-day, what
that State say they have been cheated or
they would have made that choice. l
therefore sadly take back the boast first
uttered in behalf Of my native State
But, sir, will forget States. We have
something greater than States and State
pride to talk of here to-day All personal
or State feeling aside, ask you what is
the proposition the enemy Of his country
has Just made2 WHAT'S it7
For the first time in the history Of this
contest, it is proposed in this hall to give
up the struggle, to abandon the war, and
let treason run riot through the land i
will, if 1 can, dismiss feeling from my
heart, and try TO consider only what bears
upon the logic of the speech to which we
have just listened
First Of all, the gentleman tells us that
the right Of secession is a constitutional
right do not propose to enter into the
argument. l have expresses myself hith.
ertO upon State sovereignty and State
rights, of which this proposition Of his is
the legitimate child.
But the gentleman takes higher ground
and in that I agree with him-nsmely,
that I've million or eight million people 1
possess the right Of revolution. Grant it;
we sgree there. If ffty-nine men can
make revolution successful, they have the
right Of revolution. If one State wishes
to break its connection with the Federal
Government and does it by force main
tanning itself, it is an Independent State.
If the eleven southern States are deter
mined and resolved to leave the Union, to
secede, to revOlutionize, and can maintain
that revolution by force, they have the re-
volutionsry right 10 do so. Grant it. 1
stand on that platform with the gentleman.
And now the question comes. is it our