Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-30
A Correct and Revised Report
OF THE
REMARKS
MIR. VALLANDIGHAM,


4 @IfCt%ft
out ii, liberty can not exist; withit, tyranny
| can not endure. iae
The Hon. c. L. valandigham was re,
ceiyed with noisy welcome, and responded
as follows:
Hear me for my cause, and be silent that
you may hear" Five years ago, Mr.. Presi-
dent, the sentiment to which ! am invited
to respond was not only the accepted doc
trine, bat the established usage throughout
the United Ssates-the theme alike Of the
collegiate SOPHOMORE and the popular ora
tor celebrating with evanescenf patriotism
the Fourth Of July. Crushed to earth af-
terward for time, to-day il is scarce re-
covered even in the States always true to
the Union, and is denied still to the States
and people of more than one-third Of the
whole country. To do, to suffer, to die in
yindication Of freedom Of speech and OF
the press, has been the itrtune Of thousands
in this once boasted land of liberty. But,
thanks to the firm purpose and courageous
hearts ef the Democracy of Ohio--the men,
the women, the children of the State--we
always, even in the worst Of times, had a
measure Of that freedom here. No thanks
to the tyrant: we took it And neither ar
rest, nor the prison, exile nor the scahoId,
could then, or can now, terrify us into ST.
lenee or submission. IL numbers. courage
daring and pertinacity in the Generals and
soldiers of our armies, enabled the late Ad-
ministration, in spite of its biunders and
its crimes, to conquer rebellion we. the
Democratic people Of Ohio, with higher,
rarer, nobler courage-the manhood Of a
people who viii be free-conquered tyranny
and saved liberty. Cheers. And now
how shall we use it? For, peace Democ-
racy" though We may be, we are never
theless the Democracy militant still; num-
bering nearly two-thirds Of the FIVE and
thirty States Of the Union; and vet
without control of single State Govern
ment, and almost without representation in
the Federal Government itself. How shall
we become the Democracy triumphant?
1t has been said by newspaper represents
ing that radical, but powerful faction of
the Republican party-powerful because
progressive and aggressive and in earnest
which might fitly be known henceforth
in our political nomenclature, as the Infer
mails, that the purpose of this festival Is to
set the battle in array for the coming cam
paign. If so, to Others leave the discus
sion Of platforms and principles; and,
availing myself Of the privilege of the loyal
clergy-that pure and holy priesthood
whose ministrations are to him whose
kingdom is of this world, and whose gospel
savors, not Of the Evangely of Bethlehem,
but rather of the smoke of the valley Of
the SON of Hinnom-propose to digress a
little from my text, and to speak to a sub
ject, not indeed the same, and yet not wholly
foreign to the sentiment to which re-
spond. How shall we use our liberty of
the press and of speech so as 20 secure
power; not for the paltry spoils of Office,
not for ignoble lust for dominion; not for
demoniac thirst for revenge, but to yindi-
cate and perpetuate truth and right and lib
erty, and to serve and save cur native land
Loud cheers. When in a moment Of pat
riotic enthusiasm and confidence sincere but
most misplaced, the people in the beginning
of the late civil war, rallied to the support Of
the Administration OF Abraham Lincoln.
pledged them by his lips to the Union and
the flag, they surrendered up the precious
jewel Of their liberty TO his false Keeping
and when little later, in alarm, they would
have had it back, reign of terror secured |
the land, and mems hands trembled, and
their knees smote together. And then it
was that whatsoever remained OF freedom
Of speech and of the press, was held at the
risk, day and night Of death and destruc-
lion by the mob, or arrest, imprisonment
and suppression by the strong arm Of mill
larry power. And even when used al all,
i was but too often with bated breath and
honeyed phrase of whispered protestation.
refer not to Ohio speakers, nor to the Ohio |
press, and least of all to our country press;
or here, thank God, even in the brow of |
most imminent danger, when the storm |
iowled loudest and the waves ragged iercest. |
men spoke and acted and wrote and voted |
With courage and spirit worthy of Tell, of |
Hampden and Henry. That day has passed.
,ut the evil influences in part yet femain. |
With the liberty of our fathers once again /
n our hands, let us return to the style of our
athers. Let US cast off fear and even the |
emblance and the nice phrase and meas
lred accent Of fear. II is the liberty,
indeed, of speech and of the press,
which / mean, not license Let not
ne false or foul word be written or
poken; yet let US use our liberty in
ray worthy of US, of cur fathers, Of our
hildren; and not as IL the tyrant's frown
ested still upon the land; 30 use il that our
nemies shall tremble and our friends take
resh courage at every step. Te:day the
party languishes by reason Of
slse politeness and circumlocution. We
iust change all that. Let US learn from
he fashion of our enemies how to defend
nd avdance truth as they uphold and pro-
agate the most pernicious Of errors. In the
reat conflict of ages between truth and err
Or, truth cannot win the fight with the
HELD alone; she must strike with the sword
lction, boldness, vehemence, audacity, will
ways carry the day for error against
mid andshrinking defence OF truth; for the
Iod of battles has no sympathy with cow
rds. Thus for ages, sometimes, have truth
nd justice been trodden down, till the hour
nd the man came; the hour-since these
re times when the voice and the arm Of the
oldest, brayest and greatest are lifted up in
the man whom God appointed
J his deputy TO be the first among his
,untrymen, and inspired with an uncon-
uerable longing to fulfil his mission"
he time has come to us in the grand andsi
nal struggle with the cohorts Of fanaticism,
hen, if we would conquer, the Democracy
lust assume the offensive. IL we would
Ike Richmond, we must throw away our
aggage and march to the sea. Let us
hange our tactics; let us 20 back 10 the old
acksonian strategy; let us speak IL cut in
he vernaeular; let us call things by their
ght names; let US charge the enemy In
ont, in flank, in rear, and like the great
fight everywhere and fight all the
me. The pulpit the tract, the society,
he lecture, the fair, the banquet, the maga-
ne, the pictorial art, science, poetry, lit
rature, and al other appliances which In
ruct, amuse or move mankind, we must no
niger surrender up to our enemies And !
Dove ali, let them now learn that il il their
i'm to receive blows, ours 70 give; and
encefQrth move forward to the baftiecry:
Charge. Chester. charge, on. Stanley. enia
Then shall we sagain triumph as in the !
me when Ohio spoke in the Senate, and
as heard, In the voice Of the person Of her
iop.ed but honorcd son. William Allen.
Loud cheers.] There we're no tyranfs then, |
iough there were giants in the earth in
oss days; but they were giants who fought ! .
sither with pluckes up trees and noun
ins, nor with the sword, but with weapons
rged in the srmory Of truth, Of reason, Of
ace and Of lore; and their rconquests caused !
Il sigh nor a tear, not one saddened heart, !
It one desolated home. not one drop Of
ood. Theirs werethe the victories Of peace, !
on with .he angels weapon. Sir, il was my
'od iortuns the other night, in my own
'autiful city. in that splendid temple Just
sdicated BY a fitting priest and with becom- I
- n