The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1864-10-07


Union, or else they do not desire SO to do
'1'e itieither, one is as great crime as the
other, and is the same to us. 90 b."
Now, whether we Individually Be fol-
peace or for war, we should all unite to
restore Democratic government to pow
er, that we may have the South back again
with us and save our liberties before all is
lost. He was frank TO say that he was op-
posed to this war because, in his opinion,
it could not succeed in its object. The
Speaker here made an eloquent apostrophe
q to peace as being the only balm which
could heal the wounds Of "a suffering coun-
try. He had said that the Administration
either could not or would not restore the
Union, and he had the very best reason for
saying So The Union could have been
restored on four different occasions. He
took the responsibility for saying this
MIR. Wood then went on to enutnerate the
: four opportunities where peace could have
been made and the Union restored, among
which was the offerimade throug his, own
person in December, 1862, and the at
tempt of Hon. Alexander H. Stephens to
get the ear of the President by authority
of the Confederate Government /; but Mr..
Stephens was denied that privilege. Mr..
Lincoln had etnphatically stated that he
would entertain no propositions for peace
unless the South first consented to abolish
slavery. In 1874 there was u rebellion,
which, considering the population Of the
country at that day, was as formidable as
ahe present one The speaker then gave
a concise history of the Whiskey Rebel-
lion 10 Pennsylvania. What contrast
there was between Lincoln aud his prede-
-cessors.7 But that rebellion. OCCURRED in
the days Of Washington He fWashing-
tom did not assert that rebels must be
crushed out, but in the greatness Of his
heart he personally became a negotiator
and commissioner. He reasoned with the
rebels andobrought them back to an obser-
vance of the laws. This is Eincoln's Ad-
ministration hence the difference. Now
they proposed to exercise their copstitu-
tional rights, and God fnot "Abraham
~Lineolu) willing, they would 60 to the
~polls, declare their choice, and have either
fair election or free fight: 1.-THE free
dom of the ballot was not secured to them,
his recourse was revolution. But If allow
ed to exercise the franchise III this election,
he advised every citizen to deposit his
vote for the man of his choice and that
choice, depend upon it., would be George
B. Mcclellan. Loud cheers. ,,,,,,,t
~ The issue now was whether they would
continue to submit to such outrages as this
Administration had imposed upon them,
or put a man into the Presidency who
would restore this Union and save our lib
critics. He would say frankly that Ne,
Clellan was not originally his choice. He
had preferred some one who more nearly
agreed with. him as to the, proper mode of
!dealingvwith the unfortunate difficulty in
Whichthe country was now involved ; but
Mcclellan was the candidate of the lion:
hearted Democracy, and that was enough
for him. Tremendous cheers. He , be-
lieved that when Mcclellan was inaugu-
rated, he; would set himself to work to
stop this war, to save7 and restore the
Union, to give as back our liberties, to
open the. bastfles, to let every man have
his own opinion whether it be for or
against him, and to bring back the work.
ing of the Government to the daysof OH,
fathers. He doubted whether many men
truly appreciated the vast Importance of
this election. IfMcClellan were defeated;
in the speakers, opinion, it4would be the
last Presidential, election. Lock back
upon the past four years and see the strides
that despotism had made.g IL four years
ago one had been told that citizens would
have been incarcerated in Government bas-
tiles, without trial or without having been
brought face to face with their accusers,
he would have replied that it was impossi-
BILE. But the people had !been9patieut, al
most Indifferent, to these usurpations of
their rights. If in so short period they
had become so Indifferent to those outra.
ges, the transition would be very slight to
the worst species OF despotism.l They
had borne these things because they had
looked forward to the Presidential elI ction
to remedy these wrongs--the best proof
that they were capable of self-govern-
ment. ID ... .da ,j'.'...aDi HiE-r 1s2
When he has been told THAT the Anne
ricau people were cowards for bearing all
these usurpations he said a"No."f The
American people we're law.abiding pep
pile, and were willing to await a cSnstitu
tional remedy. Now that constitutional
remedy was afforded them, In Novem-
Der next they were'to pass in review tht
acts of Abraham Lincoln, and pronounce
their opiaion thereon. If in the exercise
Of that the people were attacked collective.
ly by the military power of the Govern.
ment, then his advice 10 them was to
strike, aud to be sure to strike home. -
Then he (the speaker) would be willing to
shoulder his musket and 60 Into the ranks
in defence Of their common rights and lib
critics. But it would not come to this
pesposism was ever cowardly. Sneakin,
into mems bedchahbers wheniall homes
men were asleep, and dragging an unarm
ed citizen thence, was one thing, but meet
inn In oJrn,fSod )a,oonrany .,