The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-01-22

If'V iN0Ifpb't ,nt IiltSituttV WI 0fDbii
and amid fields OF Blood and then
emerging from the cloud, shopc
brightly rs ever in the collection oi
stars. Missouri, too, long y scene o
ibloody conflict, has returned to th,
Union. Sho toppled amid the wrccl
and disorder, but again sparkles II
the nations coronet of stars. Thi.
looked bad TO us. Slavery seemed
worse hemmed in than ever before
and we feared to abandon 1t and the
struggle. We waited long and pa
tiently for our recognition by foreign
powers. But instead of that came
Lincoln's Proclamation. Prolonged
applause] don't think the vast i'm
portancc of that measure was fully
understood, either by the people or
the President himself when It was iss.
ucd. We of the South certainly did
not fully or nearly appreciate it,
But first canio his notice, and at this
we laughed.
What, sad we, has Lincoln or his
Government to do with us, that he
sends us his notices. Let him try IL
on, and see what good it will do him.
Sure enough, the famous Emancipa-
tion Proclamation was issued. But
still we laughed. What does his
Proclamation amount to, said wc.-
Our Government doesn't ratify it; it
doesn't affect our Constitution. But
armies had been raised, and under
the old flag the legions of the North
and West boro down us, and they
brought with them--thc Proclama-
tion.-- (Cheers. We called them
Lincoln's hordes, but with their APP
pearance, the manacles fell from Off
our slaves, and they were free. We
in the interior saw this result along
the rivers, and we pitied our friends
who were thus feeling the effects of
the Proclamation; but we soon felt the
same trouble, and we laughed no
more on that subject. And here let
me express my belief that God Al
mighty intended this war to be the
lcath- blow to slavery. From the
first; we can trace circumstances and
signals which point Enthusiastically to
this fact Every circumstance in
this rebellion shows struggle in the
nature of things to free the nation
from the blight of this curse. And
we will throw it Off and and be a more
homogeneous and united people than
ever before. The people of the South
lid not understand this at first, hut
hey are beginning to learn it, and to
see the philosophy of events. Many
Of us see it now, and desire the evil
lprooted forever. / believe this war
Is nearly ended. ] believe that if GER
ain men in the North will stop talk
ng about peace and conservatism and
use every effort in support of the war,
that the rebellion will be so pushed
rs to collapse by Spring. You would
,hink, if you visited US in Arkansas,
hat the seat of Abolitionism had been
transferred from New England to
Arkansas. Our people have a right
God knows-to be sick of slavery,
md they are sick of it. Oh! so sick.
they can point to desolated homes,
devastated fields, forsaken firesides,
md smoking villages as a monument
If slavery. They turn from it with
oathing indescribable. But while we
who are so much interested pray for
leliverance from the curse, there is a
party at the Nerth who void
'orcc us to keep this curse with us
We would return to our allegiance
with slavery blottcd from our State
Constitution. What sight is here
presented. tell you my friends,
hat if you desire to prolong this war
Iou have only to continue this talk
lbout conservatism. There is moth
ng that has more assisted JEFF. Dav.
$ than this conservative, peace party
If the North. The work of that par
", he said, was the first ray of light
ne had perceived and rejolced at dur
ng this whole struggle. Let me APP
zeal to you, then, to drop this talk of
and the war measures
which are in force. You people Of
ohio have done glorious work In
his war. Your soldiers have brave
v represented this State on many q
,attle- field glorious to the arms of the
Jnion. But never did Ohio strike
iuch blow at the rebellion as when
Ter voice gave a hundred thousand
In favor Of the principles of
Iohn Brough. Loud and prolonged
heers That was one of the most
errible blows the rebellion ever re-
eived. 1t was the greatest victory
If the age. Its moral force is above
III computation. And your own city
# Cincinnati, in its Great Sanitary
'air, has achieved another victory
Which will have great influence in
he cause OF freedom.
But, if return again to the subject
If the people Of Arkansas, you must
lot consider me tiresome, for it is one
'fgreat importance to me and my pco-
Die. AS an example of the intense
lesire of our people to return to the
Union, and have slfv. ry abolished, |
will relate one incident. A regiment
IF 800 Arkansas soldiers who had
served in Mr.. Prices army returned
nome. i was requested to address
them and l did so. These men rep
resented one fourth of the State, for
many of them, privates though thev
wore wnrn nromiuont cifizonS n,n