Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-08-25
Remarks made by John D. Defrees,
before the Indiana Union Club of
Washington. D. .. Monday even
4 H00A

Every citizen should desire TO use Il 80
as to produce the greatest good 70 the
country. To do 30 he ought TO seek
every possible means Of forming cor
rect Judgement; and when bis mind is
made up, bis own conviction Of the right
ought 10 control him, unawed By parti-
zau prejudices or BY the clamor Of those
who assume to be party leaders
To aid in forming a correct judge
ment it is well to bring to our recollect-
ton many historical facts, which cannot
be contradicted or perverted.
Directly after the American Revolu-
ton the States entered into articles Of
confederation for their Government
The experiment proved failure. The
subsequent formation and adoption Of
the Federal Constitution was for the
purpose OF securing a more perfect
Union" Of constituting the Unilsd
States one nation--a Republican, in
the language Of w Ishingtcn, Of "consol.
idatiug the Union"
So mpleie system Of government
never before existed, and il became the
admiration Of the lovers of liberty
throughout the world. The prayers Of
its founders as they passed from earth,
we're for its perpetuity II was received
by their children aud cherished as an
inheritance above all price. With them
the man who dared to lisp OF its deGtrue-
ton was branded as a traitor aud an en-
emy Of mankind.
In time, bold, bad men, disappointed
in their ambitious aspirations, began TO
/ conspire for It's overthrow. They knew
! that their designs could only be &C.
complished through the mesds Of party
organization. The Democratic party,
which then had ihe sseendeney, was Sc.
lected for that purpose They became
its leaders and began insidiously to poi
son the minds Of their followers.
1t would require more time than al.
lowed in an ordinary address to give the
progress Of their plans, bat the result il
70 be seen in the present condition oil
our country.
Notwithstanding the efforts Of the
conspirators favorably to prepare theil
followers for the event, when ther trea
son eliminated in their attack upor
Fort Sumpter, the whole people Of thi
free States declared that they would pu
Town the rebellion at all hazards. Thei
uprising for this purpose was the grand
est and most glorious spectacle ever pre-
lented to the contemplation of man
| kind, whilst the fact that so many Of III
tame people have since shown them
selves lost to the feelings Of patriotism
which then controlled them, is the mos
Melancholy event on the page of histo
~.
Then, they determined to stand b
the President in his efforts to enforc
the laws and TO maintain the integrit
and supremacy OF the Government
Nosc, many of the same men De
nounce all his efforts with bitterness
equalled only by the denunciations G
the traitors in arms against that Goverr
meDt
J Why this change aud how produced
The answer is apparent-by assume
: leaders of the Democratic party, who az
I now acting in concert with the enemit
, Of their country in the vain hope thi
they may thus achieve political po'
er.
Relying on arousing the psrtiz,n fee
ings &C ths past, they resort 20 the mo
: glaring falsehoods to accomplish the
purpose. They now tell their fellowe
that the war was commenced by the pc
pie OF the free States against their inc
fensive breiheru of the South, when th,
know that they utter an untruth.
The people cannot be thus deceive
/. They remember but too well the actit
; OF the conspirators Immediately after Il
n election of Mr.. Lincoln aud previous
d the expiration of Mr.. Buchanan's ter
= of office.
is Look at the record.
: December 10. lS60.-Capturs Of Fo
Moultrie and Castle Pinekney by {
South Carolina troops.
January 3, lS6l.-Capture Of FC
Pulaski by the Savannah troops,
January S-The United States ari
nal at Mount Vernon Alabams wi
100000 stand of arm seized by the A
bama troops.
January fort Morgan Bay tax
by Alabama troops
H. January 9-The United States steau
Star Of the West was fred into and DIR
ls. en- off BY the rebel batteries on Nor
.. Island when attempting to furnish +
Sumpter with supplies.
:, January mississippi seeded; v
Of the convention, 81 to So
January l0-Fort Jackson, Fort p
lip, aud Pike, near New Orleans, C
tured by the Louisiana troops.
Jenuary l i Alabama seeded; Y
of convention, 81 to %.
January ll-Florida 1 seeded.
January l4-Capiure Of Pensac
navy yard and Fort MeRea by Alaba
!. troops.
= January ls-Surrender of Ba
nsI Ronge arsenal to Louisiana troops.
= January l9-GeorEia seeded '
O., of convention. 20S to 81.
are January 26.-Louisiana seeded; '
lity OF convention, ll3 to l9. New Orle
ID Mint aud Custom House taken.
nth February l-Texas seeded; vot
ion. conventions, l66 to Z Submitted t
ses, vote of the people February % and I
effect I'd of March.
ed February 2-Seizure of Little R
= to arsenal by Arkansas troops
snt' FEBRUARY 4.-Surrender Of the rsve
cutter Castle to the Alakams suthori
1sn' February 5.-The Southern Cong
,~e ,sl4 ruet at Montgomery, Alabama.
ss.. February S.-The provisional cons
,ure, tion adopted.
Tons February 9.-Jeff Davis and A
sw Stephens were elected President
neS- Vice President of what they call
sol. southern eonfederaey.
s.tal February l7-Twiggs transferred
rhleh United States property in Texas to
pills. rebels.
asure February Is. JEFF Davis was in
this urated President of the eonssirators
saent March 2-The United States rev
it. to cutter was seized By the rebels in T,
andI Mr.. LINCOLN was sworn into ofic
.alsrs March 4, 1861, after all the above
they sonable acts had taken place. B
Esons' taking the oath required by the Con
u. f IL