Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-02
I will not detsin YOU upon these incden.

will not detain you upon these incden-
tai points one of which has been made
prominent in the remarks of the excellent
Chairman of the National Committee, do
not know that | would be willing to 60 so
far as probably he would, But cordially
agree with him in this-I think consider
ing what has been done about slavery tu.
king the thing as il now stands, overlooking
altogether, either in the way OF condemna-
ton or in the way OF approval, any act that
has brought us to the point whore We are,
but believing in my conscience and with all
my heart, that what has brought us where
we are in the matter Of slavery, is the orig
inal sin and folly of treason and secession,
because you remember that the Chicago
Convention itself WAS understood to-day,
and | believe it virtually did explicitly
say, that they would not touch slavery in
the States, Leaving it therefore altogether
out of the question how we came where we
are, on that particular point, we are pre-
pared to go further than the original Re
publicans themselves were prepared to 90.
We are prepared to demand not only that
the whole territory of the United States
shall not bc made slave, but that the Gen
eral Government of the American people
shall do one of two things-and it appears
to me that there is nothing else that can be
done-either to use the whole power of the
Government both the war power and the
peace power, to putslavery as nearly as pos
sibc back where il was--ior, although that
would be fearful state of society, it is bet
ter than anarchy; or else to use the whole
power Of the Government, both of war and
peace, and all the practicable power that
tho people of the United States will give
them to exterminate and cxtinguish slavery.
Prolonged applause.
] have no hesitation in saying for myself
that if ! We're n pro slavery man, if be
lievcd this institution was an ordinance Of
God, and was given to man, would unhes-
ltatngly join those who demand that the
Government should be put back where it
was. But am not pro-slavery mani
never was; | unite myself with those who
believe it is contrary to the brightest inter
ests Of all men and Of all Government, con-
trary to the spirit Of the Christian religion
and incompatible with the natural rights of
man | join myself with those who say
away with it forever [applauSe and fer.
ventIy pray God that the day may come
when throughout the whole land every man
may be rs free as You are and rs capableof
enjoying regulated liberty Prolonged ap-
plausc.
! will not detan you any longer. One
single word you will allow me to say in be-
half Of the State from which | come, one of
the smallest Of the thousands of Israel We
know very well that our eleven votes are of
no consequence in the Presidential election.
We know very well that in our present un-
happy condition, it is by no means certain
that we are here to-day representing the
party that will cast the majority Of the votes
in that unhappy State know very well
that the sentiments which ! am utterng
will cause me great odium in the State in
which was born, which love, where the
bones Of two generations Of my ancestors
and some of my children are, and where
very soon ! shall lay my own. ] knowvcry
well that my colleagues will incur odium if
they endorse what | say, and they, too,
know it. But we have put our faces toward !
the way in which we intend to 90, and we
will go in it to the end If we are to per-
ish, we will perish in that way. All have
to say to you is, help us if you cam if you
cannot, believe in your hearts that We have
died like men,