The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-09-13

denied me-" The cry also came trGM the
black men of the South, "My constitu-
tional and my natural rights are denied
me-" This great cry is earnestly and
sincerely made by two parties which are
directly antagonistic, the one to the other;
and two conventions have met here be-
cause Of these outcries from the South.
Which is right?- Tbat is for the people
to determine. But upon that question,
if upon none other, speak out your minds,
and speak the truth as you know and feel
it. Speak out plainly as you feel sor
your country, as you value the permanent
peace of your OVID land, and as you hope
to establish the foundations of this Gov
ernment. I tell you that unless you do
this, there can be no peace.
Gentlemen, [ have said that but short
time ago a convention was held in this
city. That convention, 90 my mild,
neglected to do much that they could
have done for good, but it was not wholly
unmixed of good That convention, as [
read its history, assem- bled here and simply
recorded-nothing more-in Quaker-like
silence and in abjeet submission, the COM
mand of one man. That convention, at
the dictation of one man, did what the
loyal Congress of the United States
refused to do. That Congress has reso-
lutely and firmly refused to be the mere
recording secretary OF the occupant OF the
White House, and for that reason alone,
without reference. to the merits Of the
question at issue, it is fully deserving of
your approving cheers. They have thought
for themselves, spoken for themselves,
and stood up manfully against all sorts of
influences for that which they believed to
be right.
But though that convention by reason
OF It's pusillanimity has, as believe, for
feited the good opinion of posterity, its
doings were not, as l have said, unmixed
of gooG. You all know, gentlemen, that
we have ha0 in this country proud old
defiant party: long the ruler Of the couu-
try: quondam Democrat, quondam Cop
perhead. In my mind, the main difficulty
OF that party was that it has ever been
crusted ali over with prejudice, thus keep
ing out the lights of truth and the lights
of day
Among its other prejudices, for years
past 1t has taught that slavery was di-
vine institution that al! its instincts were
heavenly; that it was one of those things
that should not be discussed or spoken Of
1t was a household god This was the
creed of this old defiant and proud party
Well, the men of that party constituted a.
vast majority of the 14th of August Con-
vention. Now mark, gentlemen, in one
OF the resolutions of that convention it is
distinctly stated that slavery is abolished,
and must never be rc-established | ask
you whether this old Democratic party
has not struck its colors, and bowed IN
humble Submission to this Republican
principle?
There is some good accompli lished there.
1t nothing more, it certainly indicates the
march of events and the progress of the
cause of human freedom. 1t shows that
this crust of prejudice which has so long
kept out the light has at last been broken,
and the party has so far seen its way in
the right direction as 20 acknowledge the
fact that slavery Is abolished and ought
not TO be re established. But, feIlow-cit-
izens, we of the Republican party, we of
the Union party, had gone farther than
that.
At the convention in Baltimore in 1864,
which nominated Mr. Lincoln and Mr..
johnson for the Presidency and the Vice
Presidency, it was announced that slavery
should be extirpated mot abolished, but
ectipdted-taken out of our Institutions
root and branch, body and soul, every
liueament and every fibre of it. Mark,
gentlemen, the difference between the two
words to ertnpote, not simply to cut off
this, that, or the other limb of the horri-
bic monster, but to do away with not only
slavery, but all the incongruous, unequal,
unrighteous consequences and incidents
resulting from slavery. What are they :?
In the hrSt place, an unequal representa-
ton. Does not slavery remain as long as
there Is man, no matter what his color
as long as there is man unrepresented
IN the Government Does not slavery
remain as long as you can say to man
because Of his color, that he may or may
not stand the equal of his fellow man in
your courts of justice
All these incidents of slavery the great
Republican party pledged itself at Balti-
more should be extirpated. And when
you, Southern men, who at that time were,
so to speak, in the prison house of the
South when you heard that pledge, it
was the sweetest, surest note of hope that
had ever fallen upon your ears. And now
we, men of the South, that were in that
almost hopeless condition-we, men of
the South, now here in this good old city,
within hearing of the bell that first pro-
claimed freedom to all the nations Of the
world-here, where the Declaration of
Independence was sanEounced--here, where
the Constitution Of the United States
sDranp from the hlood of the Ravolut;op