American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-08-22
forth to the distant battlefield ,

ready 10 strike hands now WITH anybody
who proposes to try this fearful expert
ment of getting possession of political
power by the aid of Rebel ballots I do
not know how it mey be with others, but
for one [ will never do it. l have the
honor TO represent in part one of most
youthful of the States of this Union
Nay, Sir, the marks of her swaddling
clothes are yet To be seen around her,
but it is mountain country, my constit-
uents live in the gorges of the mountains
and at the sources of the rivers, and i'm
bued with the spirit that they took with
them from the East, they have planted
the standard of liberty upon their noun
tain tops, and there they will maintain it
forever. (Cheers.) Sir, the State that l
represent is Radical and radically right
(Laughter.) Not one Timber kneed Con.
servative representative will ever come
from the west side of the Rocky Noun
tains to the United States Congress-
Every trembling wire brings me their
exhortation to stand firm, and the assur-
ance that they are with me (applause),
so that | say to the people of New Jer-
sey though the storm thickens around,
and though the elements are portentous,
and though the atmosphere is thick with
the fragments of dissolving parties, be
of good cheer, stand firm. Above the
petty contentious of the hour L hear that
still small voice saying, "be ye not afraid
i. is l." (Cheers.) l tell you, my fell
low citizens, that the spirit of true lib
erty pertades this whole land. Its sons
are marshaled for the work, and New
Jersey, ever true to herself, will stamp
with seal that can never be effaced the
coward who deserts the cause in the hour
of danger. Fellow citizens, l have spo
ken to you too long. One more eloquent
than myself-a piSn full of youthful Wig
or-is to follow me, and l have ept you
from the substantial fat Of the feast as
long as your appetites can bear. ! have
only one or two things more to say |
heard Gov. Hamilton of Texas, the 9th.
er night, in the House of Represents
tives give to members there present a
narrative of the existing condition of
affairs in Texas. He says that it is un;
safe for Union man to live there. I'm.
ion men are deprived of the amenities of
society, and their condition is made so
uncomfortable generally that they are
compelled to leave. Negroes are butch
cred in cold blood, and the authorities
pay no attention to the facts when brought
to their notice. And so, my friends, from
every Rebel State the evidence is com
plete and conclusive that the spirit of
Rebellion is yet unbroken. We admitted
Tennessee, and she came in through much
| tribulatien. Gov. Brownlow who is an
earnest man, think can say that with
entire safety, if not Radical (laughter)
brought his Legislature in, and some of
the members he brought in nolcns Uolens,
and made them stay and Go their duty
the best discipline that traitors could
have. / say we have admitted Tennes-
see, and by doing SO we have got some
good men;ibut Tennessee is the most 10y
al of all the disloyal States, and even
Tennessee has loyal representation to-
day only because of the fact tn at all men
who were engaged in the Rebellion are
excluded by the Constitution from voting
Now l tell you there never will be sub
stantiol peace in this country under this
Government until Congress enacts a law
that those who have been engaged in the
Rebellion shall not hold Office or VOTE
(Applause) You may give them all the
sugar Goa ted pills yon please, but the dis
ease will never be cured except by taking
away from them the power to do wrong.
| wish to bend ,uerstood upon this point,
for that is the length and breadth of my
! Radicalism. | can forgive man an in
jury as easily as half your whining con-
servatives can. Forgive them ? certain
ly would forgive them, but | want to
deprive them of the power of doing
harm in the future. Human depravity
was never so shockingly exhibited as
when Joseph's brethren sold him into
slavery, and do not believe that an y
Que of them recovered the effect of the
consummation of that act. And | be z
of you now when you can get these men
who are imbued with the spirit of Sla
very, AMI who pant after Slavery as the
hare panteth after the mountain stream ,
when you get such men to love liberty,
and love free institutions just send me
word. [Laughter.1 ftell you that moth
ing out of the most striking exhibition
of divine graoe will ever make one of
them do it. This generation of Rebels
| r.. -1.oo kaf caat1 IL