The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-08-02

ceedings.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: This public meeting OF
the citizens oil Greenville is one of deep
humiliation and sorrow. cruel and bloody
war has swep, over The Southern States.
One hundred and fifty thousand of our
bravesi and most gallant men have fallen
on the fields of battle. The land is filled
J with mourning widows and orphans. There
| IS scarcely house in which there has not
been weeping for some loved one lost
Three thousand millions OF dollars have
been spent by the Southern States in carry
ing on this war. And now we are called
! upon 10 give up four millions OF slaves,
fworth two thousand millions OF dollars
more. Our country has been ravased and
desosted- Oar cities, towns and villages
are smouldering ruins. Conquering armies
occupy The country. The ConfeGeracy has
fallen. and we have been deprived OF all
civil government and political rights. We
have neither law nor order There is no
protection for life, liberty or property
! Everywhere there is Generalization, rapine
| and murder. Hunger aud starvation are
upon US And now we meet as disgrace1
and su6jugaled people to petition The con-
queror TO restore our los, rights. Such are
The bitter fruits OF secession
How different, Mr.. Chairman, in tone,
| spirit and character, was that meeting OF
the citizens of Greenvills, just five years
ago, in this same building, which inaugu
rated this most fatal, bloody and disastrous
revelation. Then all was Joy, hope, excite
ment and confidence. Seated in my law
Office, looking towards this court house. |
! saw crowd OF persons rushing n, com.
| posed of college boys and their professors,
merchants, mechanics, doctors, lawyers and
idlers from the hotels, with spriukling of
! farmers and planters. Soon heard the
| public speaking commence, aud the air was
rent with the wild and rapturous applause
: TO the excited audience The more ex-
trayagant The denuncialions OF the Union,
! the louder were the shouts OF applause |
repeated in my heart, the memorable
words of Christ: ''Falher, forgive them,
they know not what they do ~ My mind
! was then filled with The worst forebodinos
as 10 The future, thought foresaw all the
evils which have since befalIen our beloved
country. But my political influence was
gone, and my voice was powerless 10 stay
the angry and excited feelings of my fellow.
citizens.
How was it, MIR Chairman that the
Southern States failed in their rebellion
( 1t is true the contest was a most UNEQUAL
one, eight millions of persons fighting
against twenty-five millions! The one hav-
ing neither government, army, navy or
manufactures and the other having all
these, with an influx of foreigners and
Southern negroes 10 increase their strength
The Southern people are an impulsive, en-
thusiastic people, but they want the energy
and perseverance of the people of the North
said 10 my friends, al the beginning of
this war, that my greatest apprehension
was, that our soldiers would get tired of the
war and quit. | did not believe it possible
10 hold in subsection eight millions of peo-
pie, scattered over such an immense terri
tory as composed the Southern States, If
they were disposed 10 make any and every
sacrifice, as the Dutch republic did ia their
war OF independence. But, sir, the great
cause OF our failure was that The hearl OF
the Southern people never was in this rev.
oluIionl There was not State, except in
South Carolina, in which there was a ma
lority in favor of secession Even in South
Carolina there were many districts 10 which
one-half oil the voters did not 20 10 the
polls.
Dir Chairman, will here frankly say, as
have often said during the past four years,
that there was not man in the United
States who more deeply regretted the seces-
sion OF the Southern States than did at the
beginning OF the revolution and there is
noi now in the Southern Sla,esauy one who
feels more biuerly the humiliation and deg
radiation of going back into the Union than
do. Still. | know that we shall De more
prosperous and happy in The Union than
out OF it. II has been loo common, MIR.
Chairman, TO attribute the failure of this
great revolution TO the President of the late
Confederacy. This, sir, is mistake. The
people were themselves 10 blame for its
failure. They were unwilling to make
those sacrifices which were essential 10 its
success. Many who were most prominent
IN the movement never did anything for !,
after the arcommeoced. Instead OF seek
ing ther proper position, in front of the |
battle, they sought 'bomb prooisr Tor Them !
selves and their sons. There were others
VINO got INTO "soft places and official posi-
tions," where they could speculate and |
make fortunes on government; funds. In /
tact, toward the latter part of the war il |
seemed that every one was trying TO keep
out OF the army, and was willing to pay