The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-09-23
LOCKE & CHAMBERLIN, Proprietols.
SPEiS n OF
HON. JOIN WENTWORTH,
DELIVERED AT THE
J EAT u ION M lSS MEETING !


FELLOW CITIZENS AT this late
hour it certainly is not expected that
I shall make anything like public
speech but in response to your ex-
pressed wish, I shall say few words.
am man OF tolerance, l am for
free speech and extend our hospitali-
ties to men Of all shades of opinion.
all principles of politics, all condi-
tions Of life. This much we owe to
the spirit and genius of our institu-
tions. Our beautiful city Of Chicago
has reached its present proud posi-
tion. and grown TO its present size,
and has never yet been disgraced by
mob. Within the past week a great
Convention, composed Of men of
widely different and even hostile
views from those you entertain, at
tended by concourse of thousands,
Assembled here, aud yet | assure YOU
as one OF the custodians OF the city's
peace, that it has not cost your treas
ury ten dollars to keep the peace du.
ring all the excitement Of the past
five days. And why was it so p
Why was there violence. outrage and
disorder -? Because, gentlemen. of
the prevalence of universal liberty Of
opinioD, and of universal liberation,
Because, As a people, we indorse and
exemplify shat widely known maxim
of Thomas Jefferson. "that error can
he safely tolerated while reason and
christianity are left free to combat
it,"
You who differed from our friends
so recently here have had an oppor-
tunity Of examining their 81 lie of the
case 1t they were true anl loyal to
the Constitution Of the country and
the old flag OF our fathers, thev had
the opportunity to show IL. II their
SYM ,athies were with the gallant sol
diery that are carrying our cause to
the height OF success upon the points
Of their bayonets they could have
shown it.
Well, then, when the news came
that Sherman had moved to the south
ward of Atlanta. and that volunteers
were rnshing to Grant ut the rate Of
thousand a day, didn't you hear
these men in their street assembiages
and in their meetings on the square,
make the welkin ring with their cheers
for Grant and Sherman Cries of
No. No Wei, ".i'he, did l. When
they were sitting il: their Convention
dcliberating upon the choi:e of II
candidate. and the news came over
the electric wire thai glorious old
Farragut had hoisted the stars and
stripes over Fort Morgan, and the
rebel nag had come down in humil-
alton, did YOU see that body of able,
sagacious representative men rise in
their seats and with upli,ted hands and
sw ellinI voices make the "wigwa m
ring? [Cries Of No, no. Ant nsi-
The, aid !, hear single word from
their oracles or orators of sympathy
with our gallant soldiery who are
Drawing death in the field, or OF the
fundamental principles of our Gov
erAment, or one single word of de-
nunciation OF these traitors in arms
who are striving to destroy the best
government the world ever saw. Not
one word OF censure had they for
them. But the burden ol their song
was peace. peace. Stop fighting, they
cried keep our soldiery from shoot.
ing at their misguided brethren, and
when JEFF. Davis comes North, rs he
dill d year ago. they will 90 to him
and use their inhuenc9 with him to
iuduce him to stop shooting upon us.
They promise to ask him il he hasn I
done mischief enough, shed blood
enough, and fired upon our flag
enough, and say to him now in God S
name stop and give us peace, lor
"blessed are the peacemakers."
Jefferson Davis entered Congress
abont the same year did. l have
met him often and know him well.
But there was this difference be
tween JEFF. Davis and me. ! paid
for my education, jeff didn't for his
He was taken nj a tender age and
placed at West Point, and your fath.
er and mine were taxed to pay fol
the instruction that rescued him froN
oblivion. We made the very com
mon mistake of judging of his head
rather than his heart, and did no
notice the viper that was coiling ther,
and which we nurscd into life to sting
us if possible to death. When hi,
school-boy days were over, jeff. wa.
sent out West here at the Govern
ment expense aud spent year or 50
surveying around Calumet, tishin.
!. aud lounging, and shooting grouse II
J Government expense aud eating then
u himself. He then married into tn
! Government-his wire being tn
daughter OF General Taylor, who wa
supported by the Government, wen
to the Mexican war and returned l.
become Secretary of War and to vii
:. lify the gallant soldiers OF Illinois fo
their part upon the field of Blen
Vista. For this Governor Bissel
called llim out, but on this particula
!. Occasion JEFF. didn't come out.
He was for peace, "blsssed are tn
. pea .cmakers." When he ceased t
!, be Secretary of War, he woke up on
morning and suddenly discovere
- that be bad lost his rights. Yes, thi
I" man who ate our bread, and suckc
our blood, went out oi the Union All
y raised the unholy and hellish banns