The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-10-17
SPEECH OF
HON. JAS. R. DOOLITTLE.
Delivered at the Union Wigwsm in
Springfield, Illinois. TUESDAY Eve
ming, October 4th, 1864.
or WISCONSIN.

Fettotc- Citizens: On the 18th of Feb
ruary, 1861. Abraham Lincoln. Presiden,
elect, left bis home, at this place. to 90 to
Washington. to become, on the All OF
March ensuing, President of great coun.
try and gr at people
In the whole history Of the world there
is nothing more simple, more touching,
or more sublime than the scene at bis de-
parture.
Bear in mind the situation of affairs
= then existing. That conspiracy which
had been plotting disunion for more than
quarter OF a century; which had been
secretly arr1ng, organizing and drilling
its forces; which had filed The Cabinet, il
not the head and the heart of Buchanan
himself With most malignant treason, had
at this time already made open war
against the Government of The United
States. know the full force of wha. |
say, and | repeat. open and uncompro-
missing war had been declared, levied and
actually waged against the United States,
before Mr.. Lincoln left his home for
Washington. | say nothing now of ordin.
ances of secession. speak only OF acts OF
hsgrant war. On the 9th of December.
1860, the rebel forces seized Fort Moul.
srie and Castle Pinckney, and United
States revenue cutter at Charleston.
On the Sd of January, 1861, they CAP
tured Fort Pulaski, In Georgia, and the
Arsenal at Mt. Vernon, Ala, with 30 900
stands of arms.
On the Ali of January they seized Fort
Morgan, in Mobile Bsy-the same fort
which Admiral Fsrragut and Gen. Smith
have lately recaptured, adding glory to
our arms on sea and on land
0Rn the 9th Of January they fired into
e. eamship Star of the West. bearing
the flag of our country, loaded with provi.
slons Tor our forces 10 Fort Sumter,
and drove her from the harbor of Charles
ton.
On the 10Th of January the rebel forces
seized Forts Jackson, St. Philip and Pike,
near New Orleans. thus closing against
US the mouth Of the Mississippi, as thew
mad already, by battery erected upon
tnat river IN the State of Mississjppi
closed Its navigation for hundreds of miles
above.
On the l4ih ofJauuary they seized the
Pensacola Navy Yard and Forts Ba,anc,a
and McRse, and laid siegs to Fort pick.
ems.
On the l8lh they seized Baton Rouoa
Arsenal; on The 3lst the New Orlean.
Mint and Custom House; on the end of
February the arsenal at Little Rock, in
Arkansas; Oh the 9th the rebel provi.
sionai constitution was adopted. aud on
the 9Th of February jefferson Davis and
Alexander II Stevens were chosen Presi
dent and Vice President If a pretended
rebel Confederscy, claiming, and By force
OF arms asser ing jurisdiction over nearl,
oneihlrd of the Safes and Territories Of
the United S,aies.
While all this was transprng. James
Buchanan, then President, the most i'm.
beetle OF men, or the most wicked Of tra;.
tors. refused to raise hand in defense ~
the Constitution he had sworn to "pre.
serve, protect and defend"
Ii was under circumstances ike these
in the midst of civil war already begun.
which, BY bold and rapid movements Of
the rebels, and by the base, cowardly sur
render Of Bachanan's administration, had
already given possession of nearly 1000