The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-02-26


we're opposed to that institution, and who
vent to such an extreme that they were will I
ing to break up the government. in order TO ,
uet clear of that peculiar institution OF the ]
south. I say these things because l desire TO
talk plainly and in familiar phraseology. as
sumo nothing here to-day beyond the position
Of citizen, one who has been pleading tor
his country and the preservation OF the con.
stjtution. (Immense ohssring) These TWO
parties, say, were arrayed against eaco
other, and stand here before you for the
Union to-day. as | stood IN the senate OF Inc
United States in 1860 and 1861. met there
those who were making war upon the consti-
tuition, those who wanted to disrupt the gov
eminent, and denounced them in my place,
then and there, aud exposed their true char
acter. / said that those who were engaged |
in the work of breaking up the government
were traitors. / have never ceased, on all
proper occasions, to repeat that sentiment, |
and so far as my efforts could go have en-
deavored to carry it out. (Great Applause
I.have just remarked that there were two
parties, one of which was for destroying the
government and separating the Union, In or
der to preserve slavery, and the other Tor
breaking up the government in order to des-
troy slavery True, the objects which they
sought to accomplish were different, so tar as
slavery was concerned; but they agreed In
the desire to break up the government,-the
precise thing to which / have always been
opposed: and whsther disunionists come
from the south or from the north, L stand
now as did then, indicating the Union OF
these states and the constitution of my coun-
try Tremendous applause.) When rebel
lion and treason manifested themselves In
the south, stood by the government. | said
| then, that was for the Union with slavery,
l was for the Union without slavery. In eth
| er alternative | was tor my government and
| it's constitution. The government has stretch.
ed forth its strong arm, and with its physical
power has put down treason In the held. The
section of the country which then arrayed 1t
| self against the government has been put
down by the strong arm. What did we say
when this treason originated! We said, mo
compromise. You ourselves In the south
can settle this question In eight and forty
hours" | said again and again, and re
peat it now, 'Disbaud your armies IN the
south. acknowledge the supremacy of the
Constitution of the United States, acknowl-
edge the duty of obedience to the
laws, and the whole question is settled
w hat has been done since? Their armie
have been disbanded, and they come forward
now in proper spirit and say, 1--WE were
mistaken We made an effort to carry Gus the
doctrine Of secession, and to dissolve this Un'
ion. In that we have failed. We have trac-
ed this doctrine TO its logical and physical re.
suits, and we find that we were mistaken
We acknowledge the flag of our couasry, and
arc willing to obey the constitution aud ~
Weld to the supremacy of the laws" Great
appause.I Coming In that spirit L say to
them, When you have complied with the re-
auirements of the constitution, when you have
acknowledged your allegiance TO the constl-
tuition, will, so far as can, open the door
OF the Union to those who had erred and
strayei from the fold of their fathers for a
time. IGreAt applause.
Who suffered more by the rebellion than
have? l shall not repeat the story OF the
wrongs and suferings inflicted upon me-
The spirit of revenge Is not the Spirit IL
, | which to deal with a whole people. l know
there has peen great deal said about the ex
ercise of the pardonins power. 50 far a.
: YOUR executive Is concerned, there Is no one
\ who has Iabored with more earnestness thar
myself to have the principal Intelligent ant
conscious traitors brought TO Justice, the Law
, vindioated, and the great fact ludicially es
, tablished that teason Is a crime Applause.
But while conscious, leading, ana intellgen
traitors are TO be punished, should whole
, commu mites and states aud people De Enad
to submit to ths penalty of death ? mo
no."l l have perhaps as much asperity anC
1
| but we must reason in great matters Of gov
, eminent about man as he is. We must con
q form our actions aud our conduct to the ex
ample of Him who founded our holy relig
+ ion. Not that | would make such compar
2 ison on this occasion In any personal respect
came into this place under the constitution
: of nv country, and by the appreciation O
. the people, and what did | find? | foun
eight millions of people who were, in fac,
h condemned under the law, and the penalt
. was DEATH Was ! to yield to the spirit O
q revenge and resentment and declare tina
4 they should all be aunihilsted and destroyed
How different would this have been from tn
;. example set by the Holy Father of our relie
ion, the extremes of whose divine arch res
( upon the horizon and whose span em brace
! the universe He who founded This grea
, scheme Came into the world and found ma
condemned under the law, and his sentenc
O was death what was his example? lnstea
/, of putting the world or even a nation to deaf
/. be died upon the cross, attestIng by III
wounds and his blood that he died that man
4 kind might live. Great applause LIE
, those who have erred repent; let them &C
|, knowledge their allegiance let them becom
loyal, willing supporters OF our glorious stripe
, | and stars and of the constitution OF our cour
, try. Let the leaders, the conscious, Intell
, gent traitors be punished and be suhlecte
to the penalties of the law. Applause. i
! But to the great mass who have been force
, into the rebellion, in many Instances, and
others have been misled, say: lenlency kind
ness, trust and confidence. lGreas ar
/, plausc.
f NV countrymen.w when look back over tn
). history of tho rebellion, am not vain vine
3 / ask you if / have not gwen as mucn ev
4 danca of nv devotion to the Union as som
: vino eroak great deal about it I When
4 look back over the battle-6elds of the rebe
!. lion think of the mary brave men in who's
8 company / was. / cannot but recollect tina
3 was somsimes in places where the eontes