The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-27
Vallandigham's Speech at Cincinnati,
" - - NOV. 22d. n ..tln..E


| am in your midst for few mo-
ments solely to miDgle my congratu-
lations with you, men OF Ohio keq-
lucky and Indiana, over the glorious
political triumphs which we have
achieved in 1867: [ApplaQfef -
We have q. right to rejoice We
have accomplished work grander,
more difficult, more magnificent than
any people ever, achieved through the
ballot box, and 1t is fit that with JOY
and rejoicing we should assemble to-
gother by tens Of thousands o-night,
to mingle our congratulations one
with the other. A voice, : Here we
are And here in your midst, be-
fore this beautiful river, facing the
gallant State of Kentueky-but lately
bound in chains and dashed with the
scorpions whip Of tyrant, yet to-.
day. thank God, once more free-with
Indiana men present, and IN my own
glorious native State of Ohio, | am
present to rejoice with you over these
grand victories [cheers and In this
presence, fellow citizens, with the
prospect now of a restored Union and
Constitution again reinstated, public
and private liberty brought back TO
our midst, with private and public
prosperity also, let US proclaim the
solemn vow that this river never,
| never. for ages to come, shall be the
boundary of hostile governments.
| TCheers. You are united tonight,
not by force of arms, but by the con-
sent Of freemens hearts. FF
Though the roar Of cannon mingle
with our congratulations, though the
smell of gunpowder be in our midst,
thank God no mangled limbs follow
its discharge, no widows tears, no or
| phans sigh; but it is the signal of the
victories of peace. no less renowned
than the victories of war; yea, more.
Applause.
[ am not here tonight to speak of
political questions, my fellow citizens.
The occasion will be presented some
other time, in the political canvass of
1868. Then, should my life be spared,
| [ hope to be, in your midst and discuss
in your hearing the great issues of
| that campaign, upon the result of
| which will depend the future destiny
/ of this continent for ages to come.
Pardon me, therefore, if | do not, at
this moment, proceed to the discus
sion of those questions by way Of an
ticipation. =
True, indeed, part of the signi6-
canoe of these demonstrations con-
sists In the fact that the great cam
paign is already begun. We have
struck in 1867 but the first blow, and
glorious blow it was; and our enc
mics have gone down before US into
the dust, [Cheers.l Much yet re-
4 mains to be accomplished. The work
+ will 60 forward. The spectacle to-
night proves that the people have at
last aroused themselves to a full sense
OF the importance of that great work
which is before them, and the immen-
sity of the dangers which threat
free institutions in America.
rs Among those things which above
! all others demand our congratula-
gtions, is that the justice of the
d ever living God has been indicated,
4 and the great proof furnished at last
\ applause that the people are right.
4 In the darkest hour | never despair
ed, though the clouds lowered in the
4 -heavensya boye, and the, storm ragged,
and the lightnings flashed, and the
thunders roared, yet far beyond al
that | knew that the sun Of eternal
justice and of the capacity of the
4 people for government shone
brightly, and that by and by these
vapors would be dispersed, andlthat
again the sun in the clear blue
heavens above us would shine down
upon Constitutional Union, and
upon public liberty vindicated.
TfCheers
My friends, coming here almost by
accident, unexpectedly approaching
this stand only as a scout for the pur-
pose of accommodating, l am here,
thank God, to speak to thousands of
d freemen whose hearts beat high with
love Of liberty, Applause. in whose
veins warm blood courses. and who
!. have resolved that, free institutions
shall be maintained in the United
States. Applause.
: Here speak III the sight of that
spot where once as prisoner of State
eIlay in your river upon gunboat.
All! times are changed now. There
is no Burnside here tonight; no
military satraps to disperse this vast
assemblage of the people. Not at
the point of the bayOnet, not at the
& edge of the sword, but with confidence
in God. in eternal truth and in the
people, Through the ballot-box we
have rescued the Constitution of our
cou ntry- cheers lat least we have
f begun a great work, and VOW IS IN
the heart of every Democrat. and of
every one, too, of those of the Repub-
: lican party who have united with US,
, and thousands more who mean yet to
gather together in this grand army OF
? Democracy. that that work shall go