The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-03-02

and made to understand the progress and
working of faction, rebellion and treason,
the old man would turn over in the grave.
He would rise and shake off his habit
ments of tho tomb, stand erect, an d, ex-
tending his long bony finger, would reiter-
ate the sentiment hs once spoke, "the
Federal Union must be preserved "
] have already remarked that there
ware two parties-one for destroying the
Government to preserve slavery, and the
other for breaking up the Government to
destroy slavery. The objects to be accom-.
plished were different, it is true, 50 far as
slavery is concerned, but they agreed in
one thing, and that was the breaking up of
the Government. They agreed in the de.
struction of the Government, the precise
thing which | have always stood up to op.
pose, whether the disunionist comes from
the South or from the North l stand
nos where l did then, TO vindicate the
union OF these States ind the Consti,u
ton of the country.
When rebellion or treason manifested
itself in the South I stood by the Govern.
mens. I said | was for the Union with
slavery, or l was for the Union without
slavery. In either alternative was for
my Government and the Constitution
The Government has stretched forth its
strong arm, and, with its physical power,
has put down treason in the field. Yes,
the section of country which has arrayed
itself against the Government has been
put down by the Government itself. Now
what do these people say? We said no
compromise. We can settle this question
with the sword in eight aud forty hours.
How? Disband your armies, acknowledge
the Constitution of the United States and
obey the laws, and the whole question is
settled, Well, their armies have been
disbanded. They come forward now in
spirit OF magnaninity and gay: ave
were mistaken. We made an effort to
carry out the doctrines of secession and
dissolve the Union; in that we have fail.
ed, and having traced this thing to its
logical and physical consequence and re-
suits, we nov again come forward aud &C.
knowledge the flag Of our country, aud
obedience to the Constitution and the 81.
premacy of the laws I say, when you
have yielded to law, when you acknowl-
edge your allegiance to TIE Government,
l am ready to open the doors of the Union
and restore you to your old relations to
the Government Of our fathers Who, I
ask, has suffered more for the Union than
l have! l shall not now repeat the
wrongs or sufferings inflicted upon me,
but it is not the way to deal with a whole
people, IN the spirit Of revenge.
| have, perhaps, as
much hostility and as much resentment as
mau ought to have; but we should con-
form our action and our conduct to the
example Of Him who founded our holy
religion; not that / would liken this to
it, or bring any comparison, for am not
going to detain you long. But, gentle
men, l came into power under the Con-
stitntion of the country and by the appro-
baton of the people, and what did find?
l found eight millions of people who were,
in fact, condemned under the law, and
the penalty was death. Under tao idea
of revenge and resentment. they we're to
be annihiated and destroyed o! how
different this from the example SCI by the
holy founder of our religion, whose Divine
arm touches the horizon and embra ces the
whole earth. Yes, he who founded this
great scheme came into tho world and
found our race condemned under the law,
aad the sentence was death. What was
His example? Instead Of putting the
world or na,i~n to death, He went forth
with grace and attestcd by His blood and
His wounds, ilat He would die and let
the nation live.
Let them repent aud lot them acknowl.
edge their allegiance. Let them become
loyal and willing supporters and defenders
OF our glorious stripes and stars, and the
Constitution of our country. Let their
leaders-the conscious, intelligent traitors
suffer the penalty of the law; but fer
the great mass, who have been forced into
this rebellion, and misled by their leaders
! say, leniency, kindness, trust and conf
depce, X
The war TO suppress one rebellion was
to prevent the separation of the States
and thereby change tho character of
the Government and weaken its power
Now, what is the struggle? There is an
attempt to concentrate the power of the
Government in the hands of few, and
thereby bring about consolidation which
is equally dangerous and Objectionable
with separation. We find that powers are
assumed and attempted to be exercised of
most extraordinary character. Whatare
theyl We find that the Government can
be revolutionized and be changed without
going into the battlefield.
Sometimes revolutions the most dis
asIrous TO the people are effected with
out shedding blood. The substance of
our Government may DO taken away, leav-
ing only the form and shadow. Now
what are the attempts-what is being pro.
posed We find that, in fact, by an ir-
responsible central directory, nearly all
tho nowpra IF tho Goyn.nuont - 80 =, ,..,.uul