Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-01-12
Inaugural Address
ovnRNOR nRoUaH


During the past year steady and effective
advancement has been made ia the proseeu.
ton Of the war We have repossessed our
selves Of large amount Of the revolted terri
tory and the triumphs or ous arms and poll
cy that have strengthened US have materially
weakened our sdvetsaries. Present events
indicate very strongly that the end Of the re-
bellion is rapidly approaching The contest
has been fierce and sAnguinary, and has been
protracted beyond the expectations Of our peo-
Pile. But on the other hand il is to be remem-
bered that it was precipltated upon us uuder
every possible disadvantage. On the part OF
the rebel leaders it was not only ooolly and
deliberately planned, but years were spent,
while they were still in the councils and even
contrO, Of our Government, ia preparing for
it, They even exercised this control to dis.
arm us, in great measure, of men and ma
terials for conflict They trained aud educa-
ted their people for it, by filling them with
falsehoods and inspiring them with hatred OF
the people Of the Northern States, and our
republican form Of governments They antic.
ipated much, no donbt, from the supposed
weakness of that Government to protect itself
from such an assault, on the one hand, aud
from political cooperation in the Norlhsrn
States on the other They brought about, by
their management, the necessity Of what they
trrmed sectional election OF President,
and then seized upon that as pretext to put
in practice what they assumed to be the right
Of "pesceable secession They undertook
the revolution Of the Government but pre-
pared for aud eventually adopted the slterna-
tive Of armed rebellion, We we're not pre-
pared for the first onset We had armies to
gather, and arms and munitions to provide
for them "A navy to collect wheHee rebel
leaders, while in power, had scattered it, aud
equip it for the strife; and il was only with
the lapse of time that We realized the magni-
tude and strength Of the rebellion and the
elaborate and etlectual means that the leaders
had taken for It's prosecution and success -
When all these things are carefully considered
our people should not be surprised at the du-
ration OF the conflict or the cost of blood aud
Treasure it has involved
By no act Of wrong or oppression did the
people OF the Northern States provoke this
rebellion 1t has no warrant of justification
whatever We had infringed upon no right
guaranteed TO them by the Constitution of
the land We had asseuted to all the eompro
misses they presented to usi and kept our faith,
while they violated, repealed, or destroyed
our people, of both political parties, refrained
from interfering with their peculiar insttu
ton, We first family protested, and then more
resOlutely declared against Its being made an
engine of political power, aud for this pur-
pose, extended over territory that otherwise
should be free We urged the Southern peo-
pie TO confne that 'institution" within its ex-
isting limits, and take with il all the guaran-
a ba uiu for nd
peacsable enjoyment; but we could not con.
sent that the blighling influence of slavery
should be spread over free territory, merely
to cBeate Slave States, in order to preserve the
balance OF political power For this check
to their political ambition, the leaders naugu-
rated this gigantic rebellion and "a large por-
lion of their people took upon themselves its
consequences, in an armed attempt TO destroy
government under which they had been
prosperous and happy-to dissolve Union of
States that had been their protection aud
strength, without contemplating the posi-
bility OF failure, or the fact that success must
impoyersh rather than benefit their eondi-
ton.
According TO the magnitude of this rebel.
lion, tho result OF restoration of our Gov.
ernment aud Union will be potent ia it's in
iluenoe, no! only upon ourselves but the civ.
ilized world. 1t involves the question of
mans capacity for sefgovernment The il.
sue is on trial whether Government resting
solely with the people, and controlled by del.
egated powers, possesses the elements of
strength and unity to protect itself, and as
sert its sovereignty in such an emergency as
great revolution or rebellion, inaugurated
among portion of its own people for its de-
stTuctlon, When this fact shall bs demon
strated, as the loyalty Of tho great mass OF
our people gives uHmislakeable evidence that
il will be- it establishes at once the stability of
our form Of governmental yindicales tho in
tagrity and intelligence of our people-t will
stand forth as warning to future attempts at
rebellion--while it will constitute a page iu
history that the patriot aud philanthropist OF
other lands may contemplate with pride aud
hopeiuluess
Aswe have not provoked this war, but
sought rather to avoid it, we are not responsi-
slble for It's consequences to its projectors and
their followers the people OF The South
ern States feel its burthens and devastating in
huences, it is because they have invited hem;
lit sorrow and suffering and misery have been
brought to their hearth stones, il is becauss
they would not be content with peace and
prosperity;-if oppression and tyranny are the
features of the power they have invoked to
rule them, II is because they suffered them
selves TO be seduoed from the Government
that had so long protected and blessed thsm,-
il they are stepped ~ debt, impoverished and
ruined it is because they have preferred these
TO a condition OF afiluence and plentU-il
their agriculture Is smittsu, aud their com.
meree is destroyed, it is because thay have AZ.
sailed the interest that has fostered the one,
and attempted to strike down the Gag that hss
protected the other,--if their institution of hu.
man slavery is now dying in their midst, it is