Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-05
Speaker Colfax on the Next War. =

10 a very eloquent address at San Francisco,
on the 9th, discussing the past, present and fu-
turo Of the Republic, Mr.. Collax thua frankly
and brayoly made bis protest agaias- rushing
into war to drive Macmillan out of Mexico
am here among tho people oil California APP
parently welcome guest. You have placed foil
confidence in my honesty OF purpose, and !
would not appear before you to speak only thoss
words which you would applaud when really
differed from you. | know how you feel on the
subjects Of Our sister republic, the Monroa doc
rine and war to drive out Macmillan. Tire
mendous applauso.) do not agree with you on
these subecls will be frank with you. | am
opposed to war Tor any purpose, or for any cause
except for the yindicatlon Of the national honor
or the salvation of the Union. (ApplAuse.)
am for such war if it should occupy four, ten
Or forty years but for war in any other cause
that can be honorably avoided, | AIN opposed.
You people Of California have not sCon tho hor-
rors and deSOlations Of war around your own
doors; you have not seen the hundreds and thou
sands Of friends, neighboEs and counTymen torn,
maugled, dead and dying on the cold earth
mostened by their blood Jou have not seen the
long string Of ambulances carrying the meoged,
grooming, suffering thousands, as they have been
carried to the hospitals to die, or to suffer mutt
latlon even worse than death, that cause ygor-
Gus, industrious men to become a useless burden
on society for life you have not seen and could
not have heard Of half the horrors of war. Oh,
but it il q fearful thing to rush into war, except
for the preservation OF ones country Zap
plause.) Such o war is as sacred as the war
against the Saraceus TO save the .epulchrc Of the
Saviour from the pollution Of The infde | am
for no war with any nation, if that war can by
any honorable statesmanship be avoided, even
if by saying 80 shall be driven into private life.
am believer in the justncss and patriotism
and republicansm Of the Monroe doctrine Tire
mendous Appauae.)
But | am not for war with France and England
on that question now, with its renewed desuuc
ton Of our commerce Is rivers Of blood, and
its millions Of added debt want the Pacific
railroad built instead Of the laurels OF victory,
and fields Of carnage and OF death. | want the
progress and blessings Of peace instead Of mere
hetacombs Of piled up dead, and HUNDREDS Of
millions more OF debt. want the prosperity
and development Of peace. | do not object to
the principles OF the Monroe Doctrine. Gap
plause admire the courage and patriotism
Of Juarez and his patriot bands in defense Of
their native land. do not think Macmillan il
the rightiul ruler Of Mexico Enthusiastic ap.
plause) But object to rushing into foreign
war ere we have scarcely ended cur domestic
one, to drive him out. believe that diplomacy
can effect tho purpose better. applause }
Time may settle 1t for us, ii we are but patient
and firm. When you have prsi-ont in th'
chair who is such a believer in the Monroe doc
trpe as Mr.. johnson, whose sentiments ex
p essed in the Senate Of the nation on this ques
ton, leaves US in no doubt where be stands
trust ID him then TO effect the object. lis pa
triotism no one can doubt. Faithful among ID,
talthless, he stood by his country when every
southern Senator faltered or deserted. Rem IN
Der that his chief adviser is W. II. Seward
whom God has spared from the bloody hlrves
of the assassns who thought to gather the live
Of six of the trues; 10 the land, but reAped will
their murderous sickle but one. applause
Trust him Ills diplomacy has more than onc'
saved the country from foreign war; and vii
solve this question successfully without war
We are strong enough a. a nation to gain Cui
own ends without wars. Let US stand by anC
trust in the government, in Johnson, in Seward
in Stanton and their faithful associates, and al
will be well (Applause) Trust them in tn,
sunshine Of success, as we did in the days o
darkness ard nights without. a STIR.