Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-08-02
THE NEW SOUTH.

serenaded by Halls band II had been an
that he would speak from the
balcony of the Union Hotel IN the hotei
grounds on National affairs, and very
large assemblage of ladies and gentlemen
had congregated. After repeated calls
Mr.. Wilson appeared on the balcony, and
was. introduced by Judge Sackett, OF SARA
toga. When the applause had subsldea ne
spoke as follows: ,,,,..
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: am told that
it is expected that should speak TO you
on public affairs. Well, it is rather late In
the night, l think, to make speech on the
affairs of the nation, but as am asked 10
say word or two 1 will state my sentl-
ments and opinions in regard to the present
aspect of the public affairs OF the country.
may say to you to begin with, that am
accustomed to take hopeful views oil pub
lie affairs. During the dark hours OF the
war--the darkest hours of the War-l had
faith in the country and faith In Goa anu
our democratic institutions, ana never
doubted theresult. Since the close Oh Inc
war we have had trials quite as severe, ana
never had any doubt OF the result. Inc
result is to be united and free nation.
The sublime faith of the fathers is to be
the living faith of the children. APP
plause.1 We are to have q united country,
comprehending more than is now within
the bounds Of the country, We have car
ried the flag up to the north pole on one
side of the Continent, and many years will
not pass away before it will also go there
on the other side. / do not think it worth
while to hurry this. 1t is our manifest
destiny-itis in the future--v e cannot help
it if we would. But the country, whether
comprehending more or less than the ter
ritory of North America, is hencefortA and
forever to be a free country, where every
man is the peer of every other man. APP
plause. We have passed through a
bloody struggle. | am among those who
believe that it was, inevitable that 1t was
one of thegreat wars of the human family.
1t was struggle on this Continent between
the democratic ideas OF the Declaration of
Independence and the system of human
bondage and in such a contest there could
be no doubt of the result 1t was one of
Gods wars; and for myself l accept it as
such, and accept its results. When we
had war believed in prosecuting it vigor-
ously Now we have peace, want to
prosecute peace vigorously. We who
stood by our country, and the cause of
liberty, justice, and humanity, have tri-
umphed. We have triumphed at fearful
cost We are pround and strong; we have
lifted the country towards the heavens we
are greater people than ever before. We
have destroyed human bondage; we have
subiugated and conquered a brave and
heroic portion of the country, and now
the great work is done. | am for welcom
ing them back with warm and generous
greetings, trusting that the causes of all
our troubles have passed away forever, and
that hereafter in the future we shall be
friends and brothers as we were IN the
morning of the Republic. [Cheers. 1t
has recently been my fortune to travel for
four or five weeks through the rebel States,
and as they invited me to speak to them, |
said just what thought. held them re-
sponsible before man and God for every
drop of blood shed in this country, for
every life lost, for every dollar expended.
/ spoke to them palmer than / ever spoke
even to the people of Massachusetts; but
l tried to do it in spirit of kindness that
I really felt. l pitied their misfortunes.
They were more severely conquered than
I dreamed Of / tell you here to night that
the people of that section of the country
put into the contest all they had of blood
and of treasure, and they were defeated,
utterly annihilated, their powers gone. No
man who loves his country and his fellow
man, and who regards those States as part
of the country, and the people as part of
his countrymen, can witness the condition
of that section without having his heart
softened and stirred within him. For my
sell, while / spoke TO them plain words,
desired to speak to them in kindness, and
in thirty-two speeches [ made liz that sec
ton of the country, to various kinds OF
audiences, | never received a hiss, or
whisper, or unkind word Butt have now
innumerable invitations from various por
tons of that country to speak, which l
cannot accept. l trust that the men of the
North who can afford TO be generous as
well as just, while they have resolved that
treason shall never more sway the councils
of the country, win be kind and generous,
and forgive the faults OF their erring coun-
trymeni Applause. IL trust that the
public men of our portion of-the country
will visit that portion OF it. Freedom of
speech they have not had for generation:
they have looked only on one side-the
side of slavery, notification, secession, dis
union, civil war, hatred of Yankee institu
tons Now, when The truth is presented
when the cause of liberty, justice, aud
humanity is presented TO them-they listen
as no people ever before listened, and say
to you, it is the great missionary ground
of this country Kind words, words adj
dressedto the heart, conscience, and reason,
will do more there than in any other por-
ton Of the country for good. SO much for
the opposition Of that portion of the country
for good, as Icomprehend it, And, now,
will tell you what think has brought
about the rapidly improved condition of
that section of the country, and that is the
overthrow of the policy of the President of
the United States, and the utter hopeless
ness on the part of the people that the Pres
ident s policy can ever be sustained by the
nation 4 Loudeheers Thatpoliey brought
bitter words, violent deeds, wrongs and
outrages. Loyal men where everywhere
insulted,s freedmen were outraged, and even
murdered but when the, Congress OF the
United States, sustained by the veice of
the gpeople who bad fought them on 600
battle fields, laid down the terms and con-
ditions9 of reconstruction, and when the
Presidents policy was repudiated, when
their hopes in Northern friends failed,
when their hopes in the Supreme Court
failed altogether, then they saw that they
must submit to the authority of the nation,
and they are doing it with very good
grace. There is another thing that has
Contributed to the peaceful aspect of most
portions of the States lately in insurrec-
ton. That is the ballot put into the hands
of 100000 black mep These men, let me
say to you, will bring these States back
loyal to the country, and fully and unre-
seryedly committed to the, cause of human
liberty in America. Applause. l make