The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-10-12
Speech of Hon. Jacob Ferris.

The meeting at the State House on Fri
day evening was well attended, in spite OF
the weather, which was such as might we'll
be expected 10 keep all but thoroughly earn
est men and women at home. The meeting
was addressed for an hour and half by Hon.
Jacob Ferris. His subject was: The pres
ent leaders or the Selfsfyled Democracy OF
the North no less dislogal than tie rebels OF
the South; and if he did not prove his 20
sitiOn, the facts he recited are not facts,
and history is a liz Tried on their own
history, which the speaker recounted in
simple and clear terms, he showed to the
dullest comprehension, that had they been
guided in every movement by JeT Davis
himself they could not, in the circum-
stances and general loyal sentiment of the
/ North, have adopted plans and promulgated
sentiments better adapted TO advance the
interests OF the rebels than those they have
chosen. The most the rebels can DO is to
buckle on the sword and march to the bat
tie field. The most their friends at the
North can do, is just what the disloyal
I leaders OF the North have done and are do
/ ing.
The rebels said 1--WE secede, and you
cannot cOerce a State Disloyal Democrats.
from Buchanan down to the Free Press, re-
spOnded, " No, you cannot coerce a State"
The rebels first coniiscated millions OF
property Of loyal men-the Government
followed suit. The latter ,lisloyal Democrats
opposed: but never word of condemna-
ton have they uttered Of the former
The rebels were using millions OF slaves
as laborers, teamsters and soldiers. to carry
on the rebellion; at which the disloyal Dem
ocrats never found a word Of fault; but
when the government after long delay,
decided 10 do the same thing towards crush
/ ing the rebellion, these men set up 4 howl
hardly exceeded by the panic stricken reb-
els themselves
so from first to last they are the mere
echo of the rebels, in every argument and
every accusation. By a rehearsal of facts
known TO all the speaker showed that,
from the first, when the rebels laugh they
grin; when the rebels cry they weep; when
the rebels sneeze, they affect sternutation;
when the rebels cry let u alone, they
howl stop the war
Mr. Ferris comments upon their tender
catch word "our Southern brethren" as
applied to traitors in arms, was a burst of
eloQuence seldom excelled We cannot
give his language in full, but the icea was
this: Rebels who have destroyed a million
Of lives and untold Millions OF property may
still be the brethren OF their Old fellow dis
| loyal Democrats Of the North, but they are
not Hiy brethren. So brethren are the
| lOyal thousands Of the South whom these
rebels have hunted from their homes which
! they confscated or burned-the thousands
who fed ike hunted deer TO our lines and
enrolled themselves under the stars and
stripes-the thousands who for three years
have strained their eyes to behold our ad-
vancing armies, and turned an anxious ear
to catch the first swell OF the music Of the
| Union-Of the men who would a. soon vote
for the authors OF all their ruin, as for any
/ candidate on a Northern Peace Platform
of the noble survivors who have passed
through the furnace OF the rebellion with
out the smell of fire on their garments, and
are when the rebellion Is crushed 10 make
laws for the regenerated South-these are
my brethren; but traitors, rebels, murder
ers. never Their dislOyal allies Of the
North may clasp them TO their bosoms but
with loyal Democrats, such as Dix, Butler,
Sherman, and Grant, spurn them, and
hold them as criminals whose deserts are
death and the execratiOn OF mankind
As whole, the speech was one OF the
most convincing that we have yet heard.
Mr.. Ferris is plain man, and attempts no
display; but every word he utters tells up
on the judgment and good sense Of his
hearers. We trust that thousands will hear
him ere the great decision Of November Is
made.
The Owoss0 Brass Band was present at
this meeting, and added much TO the pleas
ure Of the hearers by its musical perform
ances.