Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-07-07


Mr.. Johnson's speech to his fellow -citi-
zens at Knoxville, some time since, will
be read with new interest, now that
his name is presented to the people as n
candidate for the Office of Vice President
For glowing patriotism and thrilling clo-
quence it is rarely equalled
The time has arrived when treason be
must made odious, when traitors must be
punished-impoverished their property
taken from them, whether it be their hor-
ses, their lands, or their negroes, and
given to the innocent, the honest, the
loyal, upon whom the calamities of this
unprovoked and wicked rebellion have
fallen with crushing weight. 1t is easy
to stand here and declaim, but I am not
declaiming. 1t is easy to utter mere
bombast, but | am not uttering bombast.
You know lne. You know something Of
what | have done for you-for Tennes-
sce--for East Tennessee. But will not
speak of that. If have made sacrifices.
if | have endured suiTcrings. if have
undergone hardships, so let it be. God
grant that I may have helped you, and
that | may help you again. But you
must help yourselves You must join
hands with me and with one another,
and swear to do what / have already told
you must be done to make treason odious,
this he said with tremendous emphasis, |
and to make traitors suffer, as you have
suffered, as your wives and children have
suffered, as your country has suffered
What has brought this war upon us?
Let me answer in one word: let me speak
| so loud that the deafest man in this crowd
can hear me--Slavery! Hundreds Of
voices, "That's so; that's Gods truth. ~
Men talk about the Constitution and
State Rights. They snccr at the Eman-
cipaton proclamation, and call it a tyran-
nical assumption Of authority, dcspotic
usurpation of power. Listen to what
now say: All such talk is the language
of treason. But I am not here to discuss
the unconstitutionality of Slavery. or the
constitutionality of the Presidents proc
lamation of freedom. / am here to pre-
sent facts; to address your intellects, to
appeal to your common sense.
Here is fact TO which l want you to
attend: Why is the soil of your beloved
Tennessee, soil as rich as any in the
world--so far behind the States of the
North in its productiveness? Why have
you but few such farms, but few such
grauaries, as they have all over Indiana,
Ohio and Pennsylvania? Here is the
explanation, and let me speak it so loud
that the deafest man in this multitude
can hear me-Slayery! Thank God that
the people are beginning to see that slave
labor has impoverished the soil of Ten
nessee long enough Cries of "Good!'
''good.' "thats so!'
Men sneer at the doctrine of Enamel
patton. Let them sneer; but this tell
you--mark met is the white men we
propose to cmancipatc; it is the white ma.
that is'oven now being cmapcipated, and
may heaven hasten the work of Emanci-
patton, and carry it on until all are free
Loud and prolonged applause
Thank God that I can say these things
in Knoxville! that can say these things
and be applaudcd. Thank God for free
speech and free press, and the prospec,
of a free country! May he who is our
maker, and who will be our Judge, break
every yoke, loose every shackle. open
every prison door, and let every bondman
white or black, go free! Loud applause.
Sometimes the clouds appear dark and
lowering-sometimes / confess to a feel.
ing of gloom; but when l remember thai
there is God, / am encouraged. Though
not as religious as ought to be, some.
times walk by faith, and have found il
a convenient way of walking when it i.
too dark to see. And the whole, though
our suffering has been great, our blessed
ness will be all the greater when the day
of our triumph shall come.
My countrymen! my heart yearns to
ward you; I love you; l am one of you
have climbed yonder mountains, rock
ribbed and glowing in the sunshine--ir
whose gorges. in whose caverns, you
sons, hunted like wild beasts, have faller
to rise no more. I do not speak of these
things to draw your tears. 1t is not 8
time for tears, but for blows speak O
them that l may fire your hearts with
holy indignation, and nerve your arm.
for unconquerable fight. And speak o
them because the mountains seem to tall
to me. My home is among the noun
tains, and though it is not far away
cannot 60 to it. 1t is the place where
met her, and loved her, and married he,
who is the mother Of my children. Do
not love the mountains, then? And i
liberty is to expire, if freedom is to bt
destroy ed. if my country. in all its length
and breadth. is to tremble beneath th.
opposer's tread. let the Gag. the dear Ole
flag. the hest old Tag. be planted on you