The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-12-29

I wish We bad made and think We could have
made But II We have made less progress than
We desired TO make, We must make more N the
future. That progress has been made only oy
fidelity 10 the great cause which We have stood by
during the last four years Of bloody war. We
have had conflict OF twenty-five years Of ideas
and OF thoughts Words and thoughts arc stronger
than cannon balls. and We have had four years OF
bloody war. Slavery aud everything that be-
longs 70 or pertains TO II, lies prostrate before us
to-day. and the foot Of regenerated nation 10
uponit. Sir. hope no words are TO be uttered,
and no steps to be taken, OF rcactionary charao-
ter. hope that nothing that goes by the name
of the worst word IN the English language con-
servatism-is to DO alleged here. Ifthere Is
word In the English language that means twenty
years of scryity and cowarlice, u Is that word
conservatism. II never ought TO be on the lips OF
an American citizen. l hope, too, Sir, that we
are not TO make apologies here. The way to set
tic this question Is to say to the rebels, We do not
want to degrade you; we have resisted for twenty
years your aggressive policy Of slavery and you,
barbarian rohberies; we bore the dishonor and
disgrace of your policy; you plunged us into
four ears ut bloody civil war to perpetuate slav.
cry, to make the IDEAS Of slavery dominant In
republican and Christian land; we resisted your
aggrcssions before the people; We shrunk not
from civil war; we met the contest; SOU fought
brayely, worthy of better cause; but you were
defeated. crushed, snnihilated. ground to pow
der. Not flag Of yours waves between the cap
itsl and the Rio Grandp; not rebel soldier bears
q rebel bayouet anywhere We do not seek your
lives or your blood, and you have but little pro-
perty for US to seek II We would; oil we ask Is
this, and this we shall ask and this we shall have
as sure as God rules in the world; we have inc
men emancipated by war, emancipated by legls-
lation. emancipated by the proclamation OF the
martyred President, emancipated by that grand
browning act-the Constitutional Amendment.
We shall have these men rs free rs you are to
tread proudly their native hills. I want every
rebel, and every rebel sympathiler, every repent
ant and unrepentant rebel in the land to under.
stand that the loyal men OF this country. who
voted their blood aud treasure, and who gave
their sons for the preservation OF the Union and
the cause Of Liberty have sworn II; they have
written II on the lids Of their bibles, they have
engraved II on their doOr-p that these men
shall be FREQ indeed, not serfs, not slaves; and
that no black laws or unfrendly legislation shall
live on the book Of any community in America.
Mr.. Wilson continued his argument, that loyal
people had q right to the guarantees he had ind.
Gated There was no difference, except In minor
points, to some modes Of action In the Union
party. There had been these differences for
twenty-five years In the Union party, and out OF
them had grown nothing but q free and manly
tor from Delaware, when he spoke OF divisions In
this great party, did not know the men who had
fought the great battle for the country and for
liberty II he supposed that men, accustomed to
speak their minds freely rs becomes American
citizens upon all great questions, were to break
up, sever and be disrupted for the benefit OF men
who had linked their names forever with the
cause Of human slavery on this continent, and
some Of them with the cause OF the rebellion II
SELF In conclusion, Mr.. Wilson said he hoped
that ut no distant day these seats would be filed
by men who, whatever might have been their err
rors In the past, would support the cause Of the
country and Of liberty to men. and that these
freedmen degraded by two centuries Of slavery
would in all respects be tree, and that they would
go ON with us In career Of elevation and inn
movement,