The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-08-16
A NORTHERN MANS SPEECH

Alex. Longs speech delivered near Cincinnati,
Ohio, on his return from the Yankee Congress:
believe the Northern people, the great mass Of
the people, who neither hold Office or are in any
way benefited by government contracts, or govern
hent patronage are for peace; they have waited pa
tieny for the end of this bloody contest they have
conhded IN the promises SO frequently made, that
the end OF the war near, they have seen their
sons, their brothers, their friends, their ghbors
and their countrymen 90 FORTH either voluntarily
or involuntary, as each call has been made for
more troops and driven like bullocks to the pento
be slaughtered. They have borne up under the
pressure OF taxation and were willing to make one
more effort at the opening of the campaign of the
fourth year Of the war; assured, they at the
commencement of each previous campaign, that it
only required one effort to put down the Gre
bellion," end the war, and restore the Union.
But, alas! they have again been doomed to dis
appontment: they advised Of disaster to
Banks and Steele in the Southwest. Instead of
Sherman marching straight into Atlanta in the
South there is protracted struggle, obstinate re-
sistauce, great loss, and doubtful results. Rich
rnond is yet in the possession of the Confederates
after two months desperate fighting, mastery flank
movements, and the loss Of over an hundred thou
sand men, and while we are assembled here to day,
Washington is again in danger, and the President
! calling upon New York and Pennsylvania for the
thin the people have been doomed to witness in less
than three months, and before the campaign is
scaicely half over. Not only this, but the people
now wait in hourly expectation to hear of new
call for three hundred thousand more men to be
drafted, and from which there is no escape by the
payment of communication.
The question now presents itself squarely to the
people. will you allow yourselves to be all butch
cred, and the entipeanation to become common
wreck, to perpetuate the power and crafty the in
sane and futile attempt of the man who now occu-
pies the place once filed by Washington to subju-
gate eight millions of people, whose offence what
ever it may have been was simply putting into
practical operation the doctrine advocated and
Taught them by Mr.. Lincoln himself, upon the floor
of Congress, in speech which he delivered on the
18th of January 1849 See Congressional Globe
aud Appendix of that session, page "a, where lie is
reported follows:
"Any people, anywhere, being inclined and hav-
Ing the power, have right to rise up and shake
OFT the existing Government, and form new
that suits them better. x x Nor is this right
confined to in which the people of any exist
ing Government may choose to exercise it.-Any
portion of such people that can, may revolutionize
and may make their own much Of the territory
as they inhabit. More than this, majority of any
portion OF such people may revolutioniZe, putting
down minority ntermingled with or near about
them who may oppose their movements"
Now, my fellow citizens, repeat, shall the work
of human slaughter and devastation go on until
that of fanatica folly and insane cruelty shall
be 'reached-until the last dollar and the last man
has been taken.
l cannot believe, in this enlightened Christian
age Of the world, it will be permitted. [ am
against tt intend with Gods help to interpose
my feeble efforts legitimately aud constiutionally,
as becomes good Citizen in the way of its further
progress.
The first step to be taken is to declare for peace.
Let 1t be bold, manly, dignifed, but emphatic; so
clear and comprehensive that the commonest intel
lect cannot be mistaken. Let it be declaration
as positive as the Declaration of Independence, and
let it be signed and adhered to with as firm de-
termination actuated the signers of that instru-
ment. and the work is half done. Go to the peo-
pie In this election upon the ISSUE war or peace,
give them a free ballot (and that they will deter
mine to have if you will give them the issue of
war or peace,) and have no fear for the result
They are not willing to yield up their liberty and
become slaves; they are not willing to see hundreds
upon hundreds of thousands Of their fellow
slaughtered, merely to crafty the desire, perpet
uate the power Of any one man.
This is the issue desire to In the name
Of all that is sacred is it not high time that this
sanguinary and cruel folly should be arrested?
The New York World, in an editorial, admits
that Richmond cannot be taken, and in comment
ing on the repulse of Saturday, says:
"Thus terminates the summer campaign. Gen.
Grant is tenacious military leader and intends to
get all the work he can out of his soldiers; but
troops who are SO constantly disappointed Of victo-
ny, after undergoing terrible sacrifices, cannot be-
expected to be in proper morale for Immediately
pushing on the campai en-. Indeed, the problem is
no longer the destruction of Lees army, and the
capture of Richmond, or even the capture of Pc
tersburg, but the defence Of the loyal States
against the rebel armies No doubt Gen. Grant
will keep up large force operating on the James,
but We never afford to present to the world
the spectacle of an enemy marching unhindered
| through our own territory"
YANKEE PAPERS ON PEAcE.-The Alexandra
Gazette of the LIST of August publishes the follow
ing speculations about armistice and the peace
which is expected to result from it. What may
result from these political nanouverings the Goth
August may disclose. The Gazette says:
The differences of opinion between the leading
democrats of the North, which have heretofore d.
vided them into "War" and "Peaes Democrats"
seems to be vanishing. The New York World
(war) says: "The new President to be nominated
at Chicago and elected in November, must be
man ready and willing to meet any and every over
ture for peace man who shall represent truly the
>dgnity and power Of the nation, and who will not
be unwilling even to tender an armstice suggest
ing National Convention of all the States !" The