The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1864-08-26
A Speech by Mr.. Vallandigham.

Cincinnati republican paper, butt seems
10 be a fair one.
People of Montgomery county: Ii
was no, my original irten.ion to be pres
ept at your meeting to-day, and | am here
now only because of the disappointment
to which you have been subjected. II
has not heeD-you know me well enough
to believe-because | wished to avoid
any responsibility that | have kept from
taking any part in the public assem- lages
OF my countrymen in the city OF Dayton,
since my return from exile; and return
ed, let me say, of my own accord, and be-
cause bad right to be here. That's
so l expected within ten days to attend
the convention al Chicago, and declared
it was not my intention to address any
public assemblies until platform had been
adopted and candidate selected. The
! postponeme. of the convention gave me
two months more rest; and although |
had rest of certain kind during my alb
scence of year aud forty days, j, was not
of that sort which | desired. According
| ~, I have refused all invitations to speak,
avaling myself of the opportunity afford
ed me to enjoy for time the pleasures of
my own home, from wLica | have so long
been deprived. 1t has not been, there
fore, to avoid responsibility. l need make
no explanation on this point, even to abo-
liiionists. l think they understand b.
this time that, after the fashion of one
greater than |, take the responsibility.
| Cheers
| Neither was il for want of interest in
the obiec, Of this vast assemblage today
that / have declined to be present. ! feel
profound solici,ude in all that concerns
the people, and have borne some test,
mony to the strength and endurance Of
that soFcitude. Blu, was not present
with you to day for the additional reason
that this is not mere political meeting.
1t is meeting emanating from the foun-
tain hesd-the people, j, is a constitution
al meeting. not ap assemblage of members
Of party, fer the purpose Of advancing
the interest Of any organization, much
less the interest of any particular candi-
date. 1t is such meeting as the people
provided for when they established the
constitutional safeguard, that the people
have the right peaceably to assemble and
consider measures for the redress Of their
grievances. ....
And this Is your business here to day,
in which feel the profoundest interest
1t is your right to come together and ex,
press your opinions, for you come not TO
hear the sentiments OF others, but to speak
yourselves The effects of such meeting
as this, responsive to the better impulses
Of the people, cannot fail to reach and
take hold on the seats Of power. You
speak here not as democrats, but as Cit
zens of all parties. One-third of those
who called this meeting are men who have
hitherto been supporters OF Lincoln.
Applause. To day we come together
for the purpose of considering the burdens
you suffer; and if ever people, since the
Israelites were compelled to make mortar
without straw, suffered grievances which
demanded redress you are tina. people.
You do right to come up here for that
purpose. The long catalogue of grievan.
ces which you now groan under, has been
summed up in your resolutions. You
have treasured them in your memories,
you have felt them in your persons'and in
your houses. Though the destroy ing an>
gel has not passed through the land, and
taken your first born, he has taken huns
dreds of your first born, at the COMMAND
of Lincoln. You do well, without distinc-
ton of party to demand redress of your
grievances, and insist on a cessation Of
hos.iities. II is vain, as the attempt to
destroy one of those trees BY tapping its
branches, to think of continuing the war,
and avoid increased taxation and greatly
avoid csIamities. | am here then not TO
speak of most topics which ordinarily en-
gage the attention Of political meetings,
but to refer TO matters of higher interest
to you as people.
expect speedily, BY the grace Of God
and ask no higher authority to be at
Chicago And the eyes and hearts of the
nation are turned in that direction. Even
republicans in the silent slumbers of the
night-the hearts of hundreds and thou
convention-pray that wisdom may direct
its action, as have not the least doubt it
will. When its work is finished then
will be ready to devote myself, from
morning till night. and from night till
morning, if need be. to a discussion of the
subjects that will be involved in the strug
gle to follow. .....
| can assure you, as far as my judg-
mentis worth anything, that that conven.
ton will meet in harmony, will sit in har-
mony, adopt the right kind of a platform,
nominate true candidate and, further
more, that that candidate will receive
constitutional majority of the votes that
will elect him President of the United
States. [Great cheers. In the spirit of
patriotic men, who love liberty and their
country, and laying upon the altar all cur
private griefs, all our prejudices and pas
sions and preferences for one man over
another, and maintaining only fidelity TO
principle, we will come together and make
such nomination as will be acceptable
to all. Then Lincon's reign of arbitrary
power will come to an end. Then will
commence the work of rebuilding the
structure which our fathers |
reared and placed il our keeping. Then !
will begin the work of reducing takes, of
drafts, of arresting the fearful |
destruction of war, of staunching the flow
of blood, of re establishing that state of
things in the land which is described in !