The daily Chattanooga rebel. [volume] (Griffin, Ga.) 1864-1865, 1864-09-08
speech Of Emerson Etherldge.

2 q Mcclellan meeting 10 New York
Ow-citizens I stand before YOU in behalf 81
\ the many thousands q American citizens, who,
like myself have iost the right 10 vote in The next
] Presidential election. We look to you Of the
North 70 whom this right yet romans, so to exer-
else It that our righs may be respected-our suf.
/ ferings conpasiOnated-and the fraterlal love
/ which bound us as one people, may be reSiHdea
under the bond Of an everlasting union loud
/ cheers. an not here TO represent that class at
the South who, with their allies at the North, have
brought this bloody strife upon the nation. do
not speak for them. When you assembled fnnr
years ago as sovereign electors and chose Abra-
ham Lincoln President vf she United States,
screams aud hissesl We in ffFe South were as de.
voted % the Union ~ r0u % the sorh fAp-
plause. The SUuth beng numerically the weaker
section, were naturally Jealous OF their rIgilis
and when long train Of circumstances, culmina
ting In the raid Of John Brown, had aroused their
fears 10 the most intense degree, followed, as 1t
immediately was, by the election Of a man who
avowed the belief that the Union could not exist
half slave and half free, they we're led TO take an
7 attitide Ui seii-tieicIsr against dangers winch
they believed before God, then menaced their DC
straction. Cheers, In connection with ADLER
men than myself labored 10 persuade our people
20 rely upon your patriotism, TO restrain within
constitutional bOunds yDur President, and prevent
any reasonable act, i such be meditated, against
the reserved rights Of the State and the peoDle
Applause, and groans for Lincoln Conventions
however, were obtained, by minority OF yetes,
in most Of the States.
Bat you will reeolleot that previous to the inau-
guraton Of Mr.. Lincoln only six States had formal
y adopted ordinances OF secession. In these ma
jory OF the people ware opposed to q dissolution Of
the Union. Q INVENTIONS assembled in all the
southern States, not for the purpose, as the people
understood, Of unequiyooal separation, but for the
settlement Of the questions of difference audin the
phrdseology Of that day to reconstruct their Union
Atthat time Lincoln could baye overwhelmed the
secession party by some simple deelarative ac
which might have inspired confidence in his ability
and sincere intention to maintain the ConstIftion
Mn its integrity and Bicd the powers Of tdo Gov
ernment for the equal rights Of ell. Ilo was not
the man for the emergency. [Groans. He met
the entreaties Of the earnest men North and South
only with sniveing pr0ttstatiOns Of gQDd intentions
Bat this could not quiet their fears. They remem-
bered the vigorous language of the old divine,
chat the road to bell is paved with goa4 jateqhoFs"
Looking over the past three years to the broken
columns of States, the noulderng ruins of cities
and towns, the devastation and ruin of whole pom
uations, to the vast armies of tho dead, tho hun
dreds Of thousands Of widows and orphans reduced
to slavery, thee question ariseslWhether Lincoln was
a traitor at heart medtating the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of
these states and tho usurpatfOn Of despOtic power
" the time no sWoro tho RVangelis- of Almighty
God, to "preserve, protect aud defend the Consti-
tuition" A voice--"he WIS traitor" aud groans
But have you considered whether yoa have power
to-day to change the Administration by the ballotf
Can you vote Abraham Lincoln out, and piaco the
Government in the hands Of capable and true
Union man WIN Lincoln permit you ? that 70
,ne question. lie has long designed to continue
himsefin power by force or by fraud, and he has
az hls command, for that purpose the most oaih- 7
some pack eNar bred by the corruption of unres-
framed powe lond cheers
% not y at will dare interfere wi,h vour
e'eeNon ~ ~ Satg ot New XeiklN
Van o. sHatfaa,iy 10 so bg Arikiht d6ef7 n M,
OF ree ball0l u Maryland Delaware, kentnoty
or Missouri. For, as Il is in the Knndom.0fGod I
whatsoever injury Is done TO the humblestofthpse
states, or TO the individuals therein, is done TO he
State Of New York. A voice-"Thats SO VI Lin. /
coin intends by the bayQnet to carry an electoral
vote for himself ir the border Slave States and If
these are insufficient, then be will count die votes
OF Afkans and Louisiana, and other bogus
states, It necessary to make good his election
Already has the first act In this appalling drama ,
been performed. He has sealed IN Congress. iu
defiance Of the wall Of the people, members from
the border Statesl have just named in order to
count the fraudulent eleotoeal votes or to elect
himself IN case the choice should deyolve up0n
lhe House offRepresentatves Kisses thare. !
Tore submit that if il be your win to defeat Lin
coin, as believe tits, You must poll such ma
bity Of countingh his fraudulent votes against YOU:
or you must prepare TO meet the danger of which
you have been timely warned by Senator Wade
and Winter Davs. Tremendous applause Let
me, then, entrent you, Democrats and Republi-
cans, o. Whatever name, TO combine oil your
strength--subordnate all your minor differences
to that almighty question, the salvation Of liberty
l"We'll do It, and loud cheers. il is not nv
purpose 60 inquire into the merits Of the several
political organizations, each Of which is striving
IN It's own patriotic way, to bring the coEuiry to
Just Judgment IN the selection cf a President
But shall very briefly alhde to the resulting ef.
lects OF your decision upon the Southern mind
II you OF the North would have a speedy termina-
tOn Of this fratricidal war and the constitutional .
relations Of all the States restored in their integ-
rity, you can do it by eecting George b. McCel.
Ian next President Of the United States. Cheers
Tor Mcclellan again and again.
On the contrary, il yOd would havo these Suites
divided e you would have the indie
pendcnce Of the Confederate States. Established and
recognized by all the great powers Of Europe if
you would have the slave trade opened as The South
and the African race doomed 70 wear upon this .
continent the calling chain Of servitude for thou.
sands Of years 70 come, you will have accomplished
that 10y the recollection Of Abraham Linoolu /
Screams and hisseal With all Difference, lct me
say that the election Of any man upon tho plat
lorm Of "peaoe on any terms would be regarded IN
The South as tantamonnt to a recognition Of S0uih-
ern independence. II would atsonce blast The hopes
of large majority 0f thu Southern people Wh0arc /
now looking to the Presidential election 10 open tbc
door for a settlement Of all differences and ou hons,
orablcand glorious return to the Union Appansc.l I
TO perceive The force Of tbe propositions I have /
sta cd IS necessary TO have sGe distinct ilca of
tho predominating sentiment which controls the /
Southern mind Although that people are noting
In s0lido, as One vast and mighty engine nr war.
hey are diyidad IA thay otvo boom and ,hcy ron
son as they have ever dQua, upon tho Questiau Qi
union or, disunon. Upon the question of ale /
rights or local solEgovenment there i no dissent
among the southern people But the masses are
not lighting, for seporahe nationality nor arc they
lighting for slavery. With many the question IS
regarded as no longer at Is uo aud there Is no wis
10 oensuro H. The pary who now control the /
South are fighting for empire This party has ex-
sted at the North. And these are they who light [
I'd the torch Of civil war, Cheers. But the whole /
people are grounded ia the theory of State rigbts.
and believe Il religious obligation to mnnain I
them against all oncroachmouts ef the general gov
ment
II hasboen difficult at any time 10 find one SO
craven as not to stand ready to stake his life for the
defence of the reserved rights Of the Smtcs and .
The people. Loud oheersl Whom, then, they .
saw tho war perverted to the very destruction Of
these rights. can you wonder that they made com.
mon cause with JEFF Davis IN resisting Lincoln's
unconstitutional acts Our peace per se Friends
are ont authorized to infer frnm this fact that the
Southern people are committod against q union /
with tie Northern people.
The people, for instance in Texas, Louisiana or
Arkansas, would rs readily agree 70 live with The
States Of Illinois or New York under the national
Constitution as they would with Virginia or-south
Carolina, under the Confederate Constitution.
The December message Of Lincoln lproausl and I
his amnesty proclamation, together with his re,hnt