The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-09-29
=
NO.s9

Northern blood they have shed in their
unholy struggle for Slavery. Then will
try to forget the thousands they have
slain, the homes of the bereaved, the
hopes they have crushed, and the hearts
they have broken But while an arm
wields sabre, while the Constitution is
defled and the laws laughed to scorn, I
will uphold the authority whose solemn
cath was that the Constitution should be
preserved and the laws maintained.
"But Vallandigham told you that the
Government could never be held together
by force, that power brought to apply up
on the unrul y, could never reduce thefs
to obedience. Was there ever greater
heresy uttered by the mouth of man p
No coercion Why gentlemen, the CO.
ercire po,oer Of Gorernnlent as the only
safety and salcation o society. No Gov
ernment, no community can exist an hour
without. 1t was the weakness of the ar
ticles of the old confederation that they
conferred no coercive power, and the
statesmen Of that day saw the pressing
necessity of the new Constitution. Take
to-day from municipal and governmental
organization the poleer- Of coercion, and
society goes at once into anarchy and
chaos. The weak would become the prey
of the strong, and might would indeed
become right. | have been told that
there are those who would disturb the
quiet of the gathering in this city. We,
the authorities of the city, coerce them
into respect for the law. Surely you
should not dsnounce coercion. That glo-
rious old war-horse of Democracy, Gener-
al Jackson, from whose lips | inhaled the
pure inspiration of Democracy, and at
whose feet l received the first lessons of
political and governmental duty, was glo-
riOusly free from this modern heresy-
His celebrated proclamation against null
lifers, in which coercion cleaned and glis-
tened in every line, will give him name
and an Immortality in history, when the
maligners and denunciators of his policy
shall have been forgotten. l therefore
stand for General Jackson and against
Vallandigham. Will you stand for Val
landigham and against Gen. jackson I?
But | will not press the matter forther
The attention you have given me fills me
with gratitude, and leads me to hope that
the canvass will not be marked by such
bigotry and intolerance as usually attend
political campaigns. Our interests are
one, our hopes are identical Let Us
therefore meet and discuss this matter in
a spirit of fraternal love, and good will
flow from the interchange of opinion, and
together We will reap the rich harvest of
wealth and glory that awaits our country.
As the children of common destiny, the
pathway Of our progress should be mark
ed by no shameful chickering's, no Earrings,
no diseord. Differ We may-difer we
must. But the difference may be honest,
aud the association not unfriendly, but
arm in arm, two by two, let us push on
in the race of civilization and progress,
and reach the summit of greatness and
glory, proud example Of free, enligh-
tened, and tolerant people, who love Union,
Liberty, and Law who, when their coun-
try was assailed, defended it, and when
treason reared its bloody banner, beat it
back, and handed down to posterity the
rich legacy of their fathers.
(The speaker retired amid great ap-
plause.)