Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-29
speech or General. A. P. H0Vey, a:
the Union District Convention,
Held In Evansville, July 9th, 1864

ton substantially IS follows:
FELLOW CiTTzEss:-I thank you gentle
men for the high honor you have con-
ferred on me this day by selecting me to
preside over the deliberations of this
Convention.
I cannot refrain on this occasion,
fraught with 80 much importance, to say
few words on the great questions tina.
are now agitating the public mind
We have aot met here to-day as Dem
ocrats or Republicans, "a Old Line
Wings, as Tariff or anti-Tariff, as Bank
or anti-Bank men; bat men who love
our country and desire its welfare. APP
plause
If this be the object of this assem-
blsge, to couBcil for the good of our
country and to preserve our institutions,
then is my position a proud one to-day.
We come TO discuss no old issues; these
are ignored. We come not TO talk Of
banks or taritfs-these are all buried
bet to consider the new issues. Shall
our Government be preserved? Judge
Douglas said on the balcony Of the Bates
House at indianapolis, that there were
but two parties in this CONTEMPLATION
and traitors. Applause
Judge Douglas spoke ths truth then,
and what was true at that time, is equal
ly true to-day, for while our armies are
in the front. facing the enemyfn arms and
our sons and brothers are giving their
lives in defence Of the old flag and in de
fence Of the time-honsred institutions Of
our fathers, there are found men here at
the North who aid and ahet the rebels
who are shooting down your sons and
your brothers Are you with such men
| Loud cries OF "Ne, no, and APP
plause. If you are in that cate.
CORY am not with you. You aud
were once Democrats, not Democrats
seeking to destroy the Government, but
Of that grand old party of Democrats
whose hears-sentiments Gen. jackson
uttered, when be declared THE Federal
Union, il must be preserved Loud
applause A party calling themselves
Democrats net few days ago in con.
vention at indianapolis and passed reso
lutions, and made speeches, and nomi
mated ticket, but uttered not one v0Fd
either in their speeches or platform
against the rebels or in favor of tbs
Government They should 90 to Mem,
| phis and see how the statue of the i'm
mortal Jackson was defaeed By JUS
such Democrats With such men and
with such sympathies | can have no of
filiation. They can't drive me into il
The old Democracy was not of thai
sort. Old Hickory was not Of that sort
The great questions for consideration
now are, can the Union be dis
solved; and, eau you have peace IL IL il
dissolved2 Think for one moment tina
the country which you see across th,
river is foreign country filed with en-
emies, and cannons and fortifcationi
placed on the border, forbidding you II
enter it. Do you suppose that after
fighting with these people for TIRES years
that their love for ron has become great
er than it was beiore2 Would not tn,
same troubles exist that existed before
and would not the same cause that ere
ated the hatred of the South for the PEG
pie of the North2 They would be in
creased, doubled. The complication O
commerce which has heretofore beer
free upon the great waters of the West
would be fruitful sources of strife ans
jealousies
No such state Of things could exis
and you have peace.
Either JEFF. Davis or the choice of thI
American people must rule, and it is TO
you to choose who il shall be-
You might have peace with divided
Republic for short time, while thos,
who have destroyed the Government
could recover strength and prepare arm
and ammunition for your conquest, an,
for the extension of the accursed system
Of slavery all over the land.
What would be the condition of com
meroe, agriculture and trade under sucl
state Of affairs7 What hope woult
there be left to the land If the infamou
doctrine of the right of secession wer'
established.
If the South can separate from th,
North why cannot Indiana separate, o
any other State in che Union separate
until all government was destroyed, ant
anarchy and ruin everywhere prevail
All must be saved or all lost We hav,
the wolf by the throat and cannot let go
We must destroy him or be ourselve
slain. We must conquer this wicked re
bellion or be conquered BY It. TCries 0
"that's so. have no motive but m,
country's good, and no party but witt
those who love that country and vii
maintain its honor
But we are told that we cannot sup
press the rebellion, and that we mus
compromise and make peace. Can any
body tell me the difference between JEFF
Davis cohorts who are fighting GU
armies with bayonets and those who sa,
let him take what be wants7 The onl
| difference that can see is that the la
liter are the most cowardly and most hyp
3 ocritical / can have some respect 70
those who have the courage to fight 70
their principles, but none for those pro
? Tossing to be for the Union, but takiby
every occasion for stabbing the Govern
ment | do not so condemn all the Sc
styled Democratic party. Thousands c
those acting with that party are houei
d in their purposes, but are led and d'
o ceived into opposition 70 the Govern
= meut by wicked and designing dems
y gogues and ruled by the influence {
II party prejudice @
But some say VS. are about to desire