The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-09-15

EF lEMBER Id, Ii
Speech Of Hon. Joha Went.
~ worth.
At the grand Union meeting in Chicago
upon Thursday evening. Sept 1st. the Hon.
John Wentworth spoke as follows:
FELLow CIrlzsNs.' At this late hour it
certainly is not expected that shall make
anything like public speech; but in re.
sponse to your expressed wish, I will say
a few words.
Fam man Of tolerance. am for free
speech, and would extend our Inequalities
to men Of all shades Of opinion, oil princi-
Piles Of politics, all conditions of life. This
much we owe to the spirit and genius Of
our institutions. Our, beautiful city Of
Chicago has reached its present proud po-
sition, and grown to its present growth,
and has never yet been disgraced by mob
Within the past week great Convention.
composed of men Of widely different and
even hostile views from those you entertaiot
attended by concourse of thousands, as.
sembled here, and yet assure you as one
of the custodians Of the city's peace, thatlit
has not cost your treasury ten dollars to
keep the peace during al the excitement Of
the past Ave days. And why sos Why
was there not violence, outrage and disor-
ders Because, gentlemen, of the prevalence
of universal liberty Of opinion, and Of uni.
versal liberation. Because IS people we
indorse and exemplify that widely known
maxim Of Thomas. Jefferson, "that error
can be safely tolerated while reason and
Christianity are left free to combat il.
You who differed from our friends 50 re-.
Gently here have had an opportunity Of sx.
amining their side of the case. If they
were true and loyal to the Constitution Of
the country and the old flag of our fathers.
they had the opportunity to show it II
their sympathies were with Che gallant sol
diery that are carrying our cause to the
heigth of success upon the points Of their
bayonets, they could have shown it
Well then, when the news came that Sher.
man had moved to the southwark of Allan.
Ia, and that volunteers were rushing to
Grant at the rate of thousand . day,
didn't you hear these men in their street as-
semblages and in their meetings in this
square make the wellsin ring with their
cheers for Sherman'and for Grant, (Crfes
Of No, no.) We'll, neither did 1. cloud
laughter.) When they were sitting in
their Convention, dsl:bersting upon the
choice ola candidate, and the news came
over the electric wire that glorious old Far.
ragut had holsted the stars and stripes
over Fort Morgan, and the rebel Gag had
CO ne down in humiliation, did you SEQ
that body Of able, sagacious representative
men rise in their seats and with uplifted
hats and swelling voices make the 'wigwam'
ringl tories of no, mol and neither did I.
[Uproarous laughter and cheers Did you
hear single word from their oracles or or.
stors ofsympathy with our gallant soldiery
who are braving.,death in the field, or of the
fundamental principles of our Government,
or one single word Of denunciation of those
traitors in arms who are striving to destroy
the bsst government the world ever sawi
Not one word of censure had they for them.
But the burden Of their song was peace,
peace. Stop fighting, they cried; keep
your soldiery from shooting at their mis.
guided Southern brethern, and when jeff.
Davis comes North again as he did year
ago, they will 60 to him and use their in
Auence with him to induce him to stop
shooting upon US. Laughter.] They
promise to ask him IL he hasn't done mis-.
chief enough, shed blood enoug gh, and fred
upon our flag enough, and say to him, now
in Gods name stop and give us peace, for
"blesscd are the peace makers" Laughter
and cheers.
Jefferson Davis entered Congress about
the same year that Ibid have met him
otter and know him well. But there was
this difference between JEFF. Dsvis and me.
| paid for my education. Jef didn't for his.
He was taken at tender age and placed At
West Point, and your father and mine was
taxed to pay for the instruction that res.
cued him from oblivio:.. We made the
very common mistake Of judging Of bis
head rather than his heart, and did not no
tice the viper that was coiling thetS, and
which we nursed into life to sting US If pos
sible to death. When his schoolboy days
were over, JEFF. was sent out West here q,
the Government expense and spent year
or so surveying around Calumet, fishing
and lounging, and shooting grouse ct Gov.
ernment expense and eating them himself
[Laughter] He then married into the Gov
ernment--his wife being daughter Of Gen.
eral Taylor, who was supported BY the Gov
crnment; went to the Mexican war and 70.
turned to become Secretary of War and to
villify the gallant soldiery Of Illinois for
their part upon the field of Buena Vista.
For this Governor B,ssell called him out,
but on this particular occasion JEFF. didn't
c ,me out. (Great laughter
He was for peace, blessed are the peace
Makers daughter and cheers.) Wien
be ceased to be Secretary Of War be woke
up one morning and suddenly discovered
that he had lost his rights. lL.ughter.)-
Yes, this man who had ate our bread. and