Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-09

sitiOn.
After referring to the circumstances undel
which he visited Kentucky and participated
in the canvass then progressing, Mr.. V. said
But / came not to speak in mere person
atty here. j beg leave, in a word, 10 define
my position during the last five years for
there are hundreds and thousands here, as
elsewhere, doubtless, 10 whom il is unknown,
and by whom it is misunderstood. Having
been invited 20 speak here / may be per-
mitted to remove that misunderstanding.
/ know that, in regard to the mass Of the
people Of Kentucky, the true men and the
women Of the old Commonwealth, there is
no Misunderstanding. Il may very proba-
bly, happen that have not agreed in all
things with very many who arc here assem-
bled. Kentucky occupied a peculiar posi-
ton during the recent civil war but never
address public assembly except with the
understanding that / speak my own true
sentiments, and that they shall be exhibited,
whether they meet with concurrence or not,
because in freedom and in candor they will
be delivered. Let there be no misunder-
standing, then. There never was an hour,
from the beginning when I believed, nor do
| now believe, that civil war was the true,
just or proper means Of maintaining the
Constitution and restoring the union Of these
States. On the other hand, there never was
a moment when / faveTNd Southern indie
pendence or a separate Government.
/ believe in a restored OF reconstructed
Union, and never did faith burn dim for
one moment upon the altar Of my breast. /
believed that God Almighty had written
Union upon the mountains, and inscribed il
upon the rivers Of this continent; and il
was only a question Of whether the Union
should be reconstructed by the Puritan or
non-Puritan race. Cheers. Years ago /
was a Union man, when the leaders of the
Republican party, which is now the Radical
party Of the United States, and none other
there is no Republican party separate and
apart from the Radicals when these lead
ers were prOclaiming the Constitution 4
league with death and the Union covenant
with hell, l was for the Union, at time
when they bore flags, ten years ago, with six
teen stars upon them, emblematic Of the
sixteen free States Of the Union. This po-
sition / maintained. Along with General
CONBs, in 1860, ! addressed the combined
forces who were resolved to maintain the
Union, il possible, in the city Of New York,
and in the State Of New Jersey. Thore was
scarcely a disunionist at that time in the
State Of Kentucky; and / believe at no pc
riod has there been any man in this State
and II you enquire, IN any Southern State
who desired disuniOn for its own sake.
lCheers. They wanted to maintain con-
stltutional liberty; they wanted a free Fede-
raj Union such as our fathers made. As |
have said before and / speak freely, in my
judgment the capital mistake Of the eleven
Stales that seeded, was in the idea of an in
dependent Government. am in favor Of
the reconstruction Of the States, of maintain
ing the Constitution and the Union in their
integrity As they were intended and devised
by the founders Of the Republic. So much,
then, gentlemen, allow me upon this ques-
ton.
As a member of Congress from the State
Of Ohio, joined hands with one Of your
most eloquent, one Of your most reyered
public men, whose voice has resounded in
the State Capitol for forty or fifty years in
the history of Kentucky. ] was an advocate
Of the preservation Of the Union Of these
States, by the support Of the well-known
CRGTTENDEN propositions in January, 1861.
[ Applause Propositions defeated by the
unanimous vote Of Republican Senators and
Representatives a voice" I'll beton YOU"
not one in either chamber having been re-
corded in favor Of them. Why? Because
that Republican party was resolved on war
~ an instrument for destroying slavery.
That II why we had no compromise then.
And | stood there during the entire session
of lS60-6l, battling in behalf these meas
urcs Of peace and adjustment, which would
have averted and dissipated the gathering
storm Of civil war. Had this measure pre- |
vailed, there would have been nomarshaling
Of armies, ne shedding Of fraternal blood, no
sound of cannon; none of the despotisms and
enormities which have defiled the fair his
terry Of our country. No widows tear would
have fallen, and no orphans cries would
have been waited upon those breezes which
once bore naught but happiness through
out this land. All your homes would not
have been deserted, women Of Kentucky,
nor the homes Of our Mothers our sisters,
our daughters and our wives in Ohio But
il was not so willed by those who held the
power, and war came. But Of that l shall
speak presently.
Allow me now a word, in repition, sub
siantially, Of what / said 10 another Ken
tucky audience. l am not here indecently
10 intermeddle in the local politics Of Ken
lucky; but as believe Kentucky is a part
Of the Union; as | believe it is portion Of
my country, | feel il just as good right 20 be
here, 20 speak upon topics which are COM
mon 10 us all, as though had been born in
Kentucky; and / would like TO see the
man that gainsays IL. Applause If
have suffered arrest, imprisonment and ex-
lie, il is because ] loved liberty and hated
tyranny. Loud applause Not because
/ did not adore the Constitution, the Union,
and the Government Of the country; not
because / had not, in boyhood as in man
hood, bowed down in almost idolatrous
worship Of the stars and stripes, the emblem
L.
united country. Prescribed! For what?
Because, daring thus to maintain principles
and opinions which I learned from my
fathers, fell under the hand of despotism.
Had l, or others with me, been teaching any
new faith, seeking 20 establish ANY new gov
eminent here on this continent / should not
have been surprised but how stood the
case? ] followed but the precepts Of the
fathers. IL erred, IL was with WASHING
TON, with JEFFERSON, with MADISON, with
WEBSTER, with CLAY, with CRIrTENDEN,
with r whole generation of the first and sec
ond American patriots aud statesmen; and
/ would rather err with them stillif error il
be-if IL was an error whose fruits were
peace, happiness, prosperity throughout
this land for five and seventy years APP
plause.l These were ideas, 1 grant YOU,
not consonant with the doctrines Of later
times.
There was no war power within the lines
of the Constitution then known. That error
every true man, statesman, lawyer, would
have rejected and spurned and spit upon
years ago What were these notions then
They were the notions Of the non Puritan
portion Of the United States; they were the
notions Of Southern civilization and Wes-
tern civilization, and non Puritan Northern
ivilization-cnlarged liberal, tolerant no.
tions-the notions which descended from
Heaven, revealed by God, embodied in the
sermon on the mount proclaimed 10y the
angels who sang at the Savior's nativity
Peace on earth and good will toward men,
Applause They were the doctrine Of the
Declaration Of Independence, that our Gov
eminent derived its just powers hom the
consent Of the governed. Hence, by peace
and compromise, the Constitution was franz
ed, and that Constitution made the Union.
There is, and cau be, no Union except with
In and upon the Constitution. Cheers,
Away with your dabsters in politics who
talk 10 me Of unity. I am against unity.
Unity is tyranny unity is despotismi unity
is consolidation; il is dissolution of the
Union. Applause. / am for Federal
union--union Of sovereign and Independent