The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-08-16

to repudiate and denounce that man or set
of men who attempt to organize them AZ
Irishmen to be bound by tho grip of the rad.
ical party or any other party.
Irishmen have intellect enough to read,
think, and act for themselves, without taking
lessons in political economy from the men
who have set themselves up as the leaders of
this or that faction in the land. Cheers.
/ am and have been lifelong democrat.
But am not here to night simply as dem
ocrat | am here as an Irishman and not
alone as an freshman, but as an American
citizen, to defend what l believe to be the
true interest and policy of the government.
I said did not know this meeting would be
called to support the policy OF President
johnson In coming here in the cars from
Baltimore, In company with my friend, Mr..
Mclaughlin, we deliberated together the
question between US. and we doubted II it
would be policy to meet as irishmen only
We believed rather that we should meet as
American citizens, having the right TO sup
port the policy of the administration.
As body Of Irishmen, we can endorse
that policy tonight. Applause. heart
ily endorse every syllable pronounced in the
resolutions you have adopted 80 unanimously.
As said before, | have been a lifelong dem
ocrat but / am no. here as democrat TO.
night, but as an Irish American citizen. /
haye been in the habit of making speeches
in DAYS COMO by, on the stump; and when !
found that there was an effort on the part of
she south, or rather the mistaken but great
statesmen OF that great portion of our coun-
try, TO divide this nation, | looked not to
party, but | responded to the call of Presi
dent Lir colin, buckled on my sword cheers,
| and as a captain in Coles American cavalry,
| drew the sword 10 August, 1861 in defence
| Of the American Union. On the principle
of Andrew jackson, that this Union could
not be discovered, | did not sheathe that
sword for three years and three months. till
| the battle was over, and TIL i. was proclaim
| ed through the and that the stars and stripes
| should float in triumph every foot of
| American soil Cheers | fought the
| south because [ thought them TO be wrong
| | had no luminosity, no Vengeance to wreak
| after their downfall. | went there to ask
them TO stop Neir nonsense of fighting,
| laughter, aud acknowledge their wrong
| | thought that when the battle was over
| the Union was To be restored. | thought
| that when the foe had fallen and surrendered
| the battle was to be over. But no; | find
that the war has not accomplished its objec
yet. 1t has been failure so far as to estsb
| lish the American Union as il was before the
| fight commenced. That great Irish orator,
| Phillips In his splendid Grafton on tho death
! of Napoleon, said "The bloody drama of
Europe is concluded; the great destroyer has
left the stage forever"
| We thought the bloody drama OF Amsrica
had been concluded that the actors who
filed the scenes with slaughter had left the
stage forever but now come upon she stage
these summer sunshine patriots, these stay
I
Stevens and S1mner say that the south had
now no arms, no legions in battle array, but
we will pursue them yet and keep them
down. These are the sunshine patriots
| Some OF these sumner warriors and con-
| gressmen were AZ the battle OF Bull Run
| Laughter. They went there entic. pating
| glorious victory, but soon the bugle
| OF retreat was sounded they FASTENED hack
| to Washington. The army was in full re-
treat They thought ell was gone. Con
grass was then in session, and what did they
do? In their fright thay passed unani-
| nous resolution in both houses of congress-
one by Mr. Crittenden 10 the house, and the
other by Mr. Johnson ct Tennessee, in the
senate-to the effect, that this war was wAged
solely for the purpose OF putting down the
| rebellion, and that the object was not 10 in
terfere with southern institutions, hat Just TO
put down the rebellion. Applause
| They did that in their alarm These vail
ant gentlemen forgot all their pledges and
| promises to the southern people, and now
| sav to them you shall not come hack to the
| Union till we have declared you entitled TO
come into il: and you must coms solely on
the conditions we propose. and adopt suoh in
| siitutious as we only think will best promote
| the common happiness of our proper country.
That is the position which these gentlemen
occupy. Applause. But trust the good
sense Of the irish people, the German psople.
and every nationality of the land native
born or adopted, will consider the issue now
before the country, and give to the statesman
| of Tennessee, Andrew Crimson, now IN the
| executive mansion, and managing the affairs
| of this government, that hearty. generous,
and honest support which shall come trcm
true American hearts. Chsers
Congress has now adjourned, and let the
people now act and think seriously upon this
subject. For my part, ] can only say for
| Mary land. where / have lived for forty six
years, let her have bat far chance at the
ballot box, and tho registry law admins
| tered by Governor Swami, and we will send
to the nsxt congress not divided delegation,
as you have here TO day, but delegation
| that will be unanimous, not only in the repu-
diaiion of negro suffrage in the District OF
Columbia, but unanimous in the support Of
Andrew johnson. Cheers Our gallant
bark of state s now drifting in tempestuous
seas loud. winds aud mad waves seem to
doom the vessel for wreck, and voice comes
through the storm, crying, Are you not
| afraid the ship Will be lost ip the tenn peat !?
| We ans yer, No; for Andrew johnson holds
toe helm. Tremendous cheering.