Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-10-05
GREAT SPEECH
HON. 3. r. w ADE
at MeadviiIe, Pa, Sept. 18th.
LReported for the Cleveland Leader J

Reported for the Cleveland Leader.l
FELLOW w-CITIzENs-The occasion winch
calls us together here to day 10 one OF an
importance and significance almost un-
equalled among objects of human inter
est. The questions which we shall discuss
to day possess an interest far higher than
those OF usual party politics. II, In ior-
mer times, we made mistake In the Sc
lection of men or measures, the error
could lie rectified after four years. But
an error, in this crisis of our national his
tory, is fatal and iIreparable. Its conse
quenc, are eternal. If we fail, we fail for
ever.
WHO BEGAN THE WAR
| desire 10 exa.:2ine one chief doctrine
implied in the Chicago platform, assert
ed by that nest of internal traitors who
met therefor call things by their right
names, and they are set of mean cow
ardly traitors. Ii they took their prlnci-
pies into the fight and battied for them.
| could respect them, but / have naught
but loaIhing for such sneaking towards,
/ Cheers Not man of them-not even
as they love tTeason-will dare to Jeopar-
die his personal safety in behalf of it
They pretend to tell the people for what
purpose the war was first prosecuted
Mcclellan says that this war was com
menced 10 save the Union. Sir, you
know, or If you do not, you are fool,
that this war was commenced by rebels,
and commenced to destroy the Union
Applause The rebels began this war
long before we raised a fnger-and we
ought TO have done it long before we did
We let them go on in treason a long time
before we tried TO coax them back. am
ashamed to say it even now, and God
knows if had had the shillelah in my
own lands l would have knocked the
brains out of some of their reasonable
head=. Great applause Why, this war
was commenced by jeff Davis himself,
who telegraph from his seat in the Senate
to the rebels in Charleston to tire on Fort
Sumter. And they did it. And they
captured our forts, and arsenals, our mlnts
and our meE. and fred on our rfag And
still the Democrats = these miserable
sneaks of Peace men-said: You can
fight, you can't coerce State, you must
lust lie down and take it." That's so,
applause and laughter. That was the
declaration of that miserable imbeclle,
James Buchanan. Glorious old Penn
sylvania, you whose soldiers have gone
forth 80 promptly and well, and have
done you such glory, call on you to re
verse that declaration Applause and
of We'll do it'll Yes, do it with a
strong arm! | was in the Senate when
these things were being done, and speak
of what know. l listened to the taunts
of Southern Senators until my blood
boiled.
WHERE 1T COMMENCED.
Let me here point out the actual COM
mencement of the war, for l want to
prove to you that we are right IN this!
Why, then, do they talk of our position
for stand on the rock of eternal justice,
and if | step off it in either direction |
shall fall and | ought to fall GCheers,
As the little schooner "Star of the West
came into Charleston Harbor, freighted
with food for the garrison of Fort Sum-
tor, they fred upon her,-upon the Stars
and Stripes which she hosted,-and
forced her back Hal anybody.ra an
arm, before this, against these internal
traitors? Why, Senator Wigfall, OF Texas
| said in the Senate, before set of North
ern sinks which sat there: "Mr. Presi
dent, we have insulted your flag. We
fred upon the Star of the West, and
forced her to show her heels. and you ddr.
not resent IL" Now, Northern copper
heads, take that and get down on youl
knees Great applause drowned the resi-
of the sentence If you have no prln
ciple, have you no pride? Are all of the
American people slaves and towards ,
And yet here is the Chicago Convention
down on its belly and begging for peace
THE CAUSE OF THE WAR.
1 Well, the rebels began the war. Why
did they begin it, Had they ever re
, ceiyed a wrong? l tell you nay Th'
glorious Government of the United State
was so mild and equitable in all its deal
lipgs, that no just man ever felt that w
| had GovernfDent. He felt the burdeI
lof no taxation. He had to do nothing Il
protect the Government. 1t kept itsei
lup. 1t travelled by the side of ever,
American citizen like guardian angel
and. if he went to China, or around tn
world, he might claim the protection o
the American flag, and no foreign powe
would dare to lay its finger upon him t
do him wrong. Why, then, did tn
South secede2 have here the speecl
of Alexander H Stephens, of Georgis
before the Legislature of that State,-
the very brains of the South. whom
T had sent to Congress session after session
who bore more marks of its contdenc
land esteem than any other man in tn
tSouth He challenged any man to sho'
any action of the general Governmer
: detrimental 10 the rights and interests {
the South. No man could answer ths
: challenge He said: THE general Co
ernment has always been in the hands {
the South. Can we find fault with a
! administration whose acts we have dict
. ted? They have dealt generously wit
us When they annexed Louisiana, the
: gave US our institutions there Whe
thew added Texas, they gave us SLAYER
:. There. When we asked anything of tt
!. North they granted it." Cheers. An
u vet, after this speech, he was electe
: their Vice President. Every word
tsaid was true, and it would have bee
true if he hadn't said it. If he had sa
{ the contrary it would not have altert
the issue. But Stephens labored like
K patriot, and predicted like a prophet Il
= lcouseouence of the internal act whiC
lthey were about to do. He said, ''If "
do this without cause, your land will
sr trampled by contending armies. Sta
ar your hand for Gods sake" He told the
another thing-that if they provoked Il
North it would demand the abolition
\ Slavery He never supposed that Il
!. Northern Copperhesds we're low and me-
Of enough to get down on their knees al
r humbly interceie lest traitors should
= injured. IApplause.l They were infinii
ly meaner and more defpicable thu
e even he, ever could suppose.
ITS REAL CAUSE.
But after he had made every effo
re and all in vain, he was put forth-for
s. was, as | told you, the brains OF {
: South.-to draft their Constitution, a
write the address which set forth t
:, cause for their secession. Now he ehal
ed his grounds, though he did not reve
= them-for he has never been ineonsiste
Is and said the south rebelled becar
they were tired of government of
On l.. II n na Of lofa