, 1864-03-21


and that they are willing to take their stand
in the old Union-that Government in which
they always found prosperity-which gave
them strength at home and abroad. Since
The action Of France, does any one think that
IN alliance with her would have restored
porular rights, secured States' rights? Does
any man say go?
Since wc baye been at war Napoleon
las cent his armies into Mexico. He would
not hnye dared to do so If there had been no
dissolution Of our Union. Can 1t be said
that am less friend Of my country than
Davis and BENJAMIN, because I prefer the OLD
country with Its old Union and Government
to IN allinnce with Napoleon.
Davis, B. F. Butler, Caleb Cushing, Bu-
clanan and john sudoll sought to destroy
tic Government. The flrst;act Of Butler at
| New Orleans was to seize The estate Of Sill
dell They housed together at Charleston,
md endeayorcd to overthrow the Govern
of the South. Judge between my patriotism
and theirs. Mine lay here; theirs there. T
| had no hand in breaking up this Government.
They are responsible for: the blood shed in
this unnecessary. war ::
My countr, men, has there not been enough
| blood ehed? Have not enough widows and
orphans been made? Or has the poor,heart
,of man become steeled SO that it can look
upon his MANNED and bleeding fellow man,
the destitute widow, and the homeless or
phan without emotion7 Do not Manassas,
Gettysburg, PeryyIlle, Donelson, Vieks-
burg, and tie fatal field Of Chickamauga sat.
ie{y thc mad ambition Of the 1and? q
From the time I left Virginia, our army
has been continually receding- the Union
army steadily advaneing-territory has been
stood and fought valiant1y for 1t, but It
can not stand against superior power.
What territory son now be said to be within
the power or under the control Of the Con-
tcdtIacy?.
the present, Davis and Benjamin hare not
lad an idea that the States Of the South
could stand unaidcd by foreign powers:
You hav'nt thought. Of that, but 1t is true,
That was the position taken by them at tho
ineiplency OF the rebellion. Such is still their
belief Without the assistance Of some
1 strong power, the Independence Of the
Southern States could not be established,
Hence, slidell and Mason, now sent to Eu-
rope as sort Of ministers, before the Con-
tedcrate Government was clothed with the
scmblancc Of power, before the blockade
Was commenced, to form IN alliance with
England md France, with instructions to
pcndence Of the Confedclacy. Thus they
hoped to- get, France :. and England
60 =. mixed up =. with the affairs
Of the ,Con1edelacy that they would
be obliged to assist it's maintenance. II the
Southern Confederndy could achieve It's
would be destruction to us, the overthrow
of the very Institution we went to war for:
What would We gain? Suppose that France
should recognize the Confederacy, what
then? I don't think slavery is now Of much
worth in Alabama But no, arrangement
IN any good to slavery. They might protract
the struggle for years. With what result
Finally. no territory would remain sufficient
for an army to stand upon, the fields Of which
would not have been devastated, the houses
burned, the matorial properties Ill complete
y ruined and destroyed. Such would be the
legitimate results of struggle aided and as
sisted by these powers. But tue Red Repub-
1icans control France. Napoleon dares do
nothing against their wives. revolution
would result that would tottle him from his
throne. Those governments arc not In favor
Of slavery. France abolished It. England
abolished It. But We will get no recognition.
Europe is going to war. Every effort Is being
made to involve England; Then France viii
follow. They will hare their hands full, and
as Howell Cobb Eaid-fn Il speech lew days
since, "they must fight It out themselves"
The main point with us now is, what po-
litlcal course Is best. I have been asked,
What good do you expect to accomplish By
these meetingE-such resolutions? If. there
were no Confederate army, no United States
army here, we Wonld be powerlesB. OF our
selves We can only suggest to our brethren in
to us necessary md proper. Has Southern
Alabama ever refused to respond to the voice
Of the people of the Tennessee Vallcr? /
believe they will listen to us-that they are
now ready to respond to our call for peace.
There arc orphans and widows on their bleak
hRi f{111N
beautiful streams. They have suffered IS We
have suffered. They need Quiet as we do.
Their counties have been called upon to con-
tribute to this terrible war not as our own,
but their energies have been severely taxed.
They are ready, therefore, to respond to onr
.lnitiatory proceedings to secure peace.
L heard it eaid, the other day, that our |
friends south Of the river would hear Of tits |
melting, and who NC were that participated |
fq it. want them to hear Of It. want |
them to hear that here In Huntsville, where |
there is an encampment of Federal soldiers,
We can express freely and publicly our opin.
ions; that We are safe md protected in our |
rights; that whenever depredntlons ara COM |
mitted by white or black, the perpetrators |
ate promptly brought to punishment.
NJ conntTymen, which do you deem tbe |
your former brethren: There are Radicals |
at the North as we'll as the South. Extrcm- |
lists cannot settle this controversy Open |
Abolitlonists and secessionfsts have taken |
similar views during these troubles, and have |
meet sonnet mes. when they do meet, produce |
terrible commissions. I speak Only Of them !
rs political parties. I believe upon return |
TO the Union We will receive Justice at the |
hands of those who have remained In it. II |
Lincoln gives an order to Gen. Logan, COM
mandlng the army corps stationed here, |
Gen. Logan Is bound to lobey It and carry it /
into eject. These military orders furnish /
Tor the time our government
am told that there Is q difference between
Mir. Lincoln and Mr. Chase. For my part, |
wish Nj. Lincoln to succeed. II Chase be-
elected the next President there will proba- |
bly, be more radfcalism In the Government of /
the country. Bnt It Is hardly possible that |
VIC in Alabama shall have anything to do in /
making the selection.
What We want now is such political action |
as Will put Alabama right, where she belongs |
struggled long enough, suffered enough, !
fought on enough battle fields for you to |
take some action? do not believe that 4 |
restoration Of the Union will be humiliating |
to tile South. five take action In the right |
way We will sccMe at once peace, law and
order.
When returned from the Charleston Con-
ycntion in 1850, the people met in this Court |
yard. Speaking TO you now to-day reminds !
me- Of that meeting. There were then upon
the minds of some ofus apprchensions Of a !
not fur distant trouble-of the horrors Of |
civil war. Disunion fol lowed, war came and |
ruin swept over our Southern land. Our |
fields arc devastated, buildings burned, our |
Sous have fallen in battle, and the land is full
Of widows and orphans. What has disunion |
to weigh against this DISSOLUTION
The resolutions we're then unanimously
adopted
Before aljournlug the meeting Nt. Glenn |
ems said: