Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-03-22
4olihtaI.
Southern Representation.
Speech Of Hon. Henry Wilosn,
OF MASSACHUSETTS,

| MI. p" llSoH Salu tnat stranger un
acquainted with American affairs
might, after listening to Senator's
tcofne TO theconclusion that eleven "cr.
ring sisters" clothed in robes of re.
pentance and humility, were supplica.
ting for admission into the sisterhood
of free commonwealths, and that their
supplications were sternly repelIed by
other members of the family. But that
stranger would soon learn that these
erring sisters were members of the
family, completely subject to the rules
and regulations of the household. This
was not a contest for the restoration
of the Union that Union was now
one and indivisible. The country was
divided into two classes. One class
demanded the immediate admission of
| the rebellious States into Congress.
| loyal end foremost. A loyal people,
with the clear instincts of intelligent
patriotism, saw amid all the excite
ments OF the present that this was not
struggle for the restoration of the
Rebel States into the Union, but
struggle for the admission of Rebels
into the Legislative branches of the
Government of the United States not
struggle to put Rebels under the
laws, but to enable Rebels to frame
the laws of the country. Politicians
might deceive themselves, but the peo-
| pie, who had given two and IA half
million of men, the blood of coo, 900
heroes, and $3, ,000, 600, 600, comprehen-
ded the issues. These were indeed
eventiul, excititing and sad times.
Rebels, Rebel sympathizers, the men
who had stained their hands with the
blood Of our brothers, starved tue
country's defenders at Andersonvile,
plotted in the secret lodges of the
Knights of the Golden Circle and the
Sons of Liberty for the overthrow of
their country, lighted the fires Of riot
and arson in the City of New York,
and plotted the assassination of Abra-
ham Lincoln, are shouting with exulta-
tion over the present aspect of Ma
tional affairs. The poor freedmen, who
a few months ago were laughing with
the JOY of new found liberty, invoking
the blessing Of Heaven upon the coun-
try that had stricken the CALLING mana
cles from their limbs, were trembling
with apprehension In hundreds of
thousands of homes Of the loyal peo-
pie who offered their daily prayers in
1864 for the triumph of their country
and for the election Of Abraham Lin
coin and Andrew Johnson, there are
hearts throbbing heavily with ankle
ties and forebodings. Noble men and
noble women through many weary
year have prayed and labored for the
cause of liberty, justice and humanity.
They hoped, when the shareholders
Rebellion was crushed, when % States
were supporting the cause their hearts
loved and their judgments approved,
that the administration they had en-
trusted with the power would give
these four years to patriotism and lib
erty, justice and humanity. Their
hearts are now throbbing heavily
with great sorrow, for they saw that
instead of spending the coming three
years III strengthening the patriotism,
securing the liberties and extending
the justice of their country, these years
were to be worse than squandered in
wicked wrangles and in the possible
use of the corrupt and corrupting pat
ronage, to debauch the public morals
and degrade the nation in the face of
earth and Heaven. The spectacle was
enough to make the' people hang their
heads with shame and modification,
and they would hold the men, no mat
ter what positions they might occupy,
to stern responsibility. The Rcpub-
lican or great Union party of the coun-
try, embracing in its ranks more of
the moral and intellectual worth than
was ever organized in any political
party on the Globe made up of the
best of the rank and file of the old
Wing party, once led by Adams and
Clay and Webster of the liberty
loving and Union-loving men of the old
Democratic party of the tried vete-
rams of the Anti-Slavery cause, and of
the young men trained up during the
discussions and storms OF the last l5
years, proclaimed as its living faith
the creed of the equal rights Of man,
and the brotherhood of all humanity
embodied in the New Testament and
in the Declaration Of Independence !;
brought into Icing IN 1854 to resist
the repeal Of the prohibition of Sla-
very III Kansas, the further expansion
of Slavery and the longer domination
of the slave power. 1t has for twelve
years, in victory and in defeat, ever
been true to the country, ever faithful
to its flag, and devoted to the strng-
Cling cause Of liberty, justice, and
humanity. No party in any country
or age had fought on plain so lofty
or done so much for Democratic insti-
tutions and the rights of humanity. If
it should perish now in the pride of
power, by the hand Of the suicide or
| by the follies and treacheries of men it
had generously treated, it will have
made record OF honor and glory
The best interests of the regenerated
nation the rights of man, the eleva-
tion of an emancipated race alike de-
mand that the leaders of that great
Union party that restored broken
Union and gave liberty to four millions
Of men, shall continue to administer
the Government and preserve and
frame the laws for the nation it saved.
Unwise words may have fallen from
the lips OF men in Congress, from Cabi-
net officers, and even from the Execu.
tive but a patriotic and liberty-lov-
ing people will forget the unwise words
of Senators and Representatives,, Cabi
net officers and the President, if Rep
resentatives, Cabinet officers and the
President will perform deeds that shall
| camept tho npity of tho RauuhIic