Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-07-03
SPEECH BY HON. WILL cUMBAcK,
DELIVERED AT PRINCETON, IND, JUNE
18th. 1868.

0kLkt EHEO Al Il hfNOElOt, lND.t otNl
18th, 1868.
Hon. Will Cumback. being called upol
for speech, addressed the crowd in his
most happy apd earnest style. his remark
being interrupted by frequent applause
Hespoke, in substance as follows:
FELLOW CITIZENS: Great events hav,
transpired since | had the pleasure o
meeting with you at this same place eigh
years ago. had been chosen to head th,
Republican electoral ticket for this, m,
native State, and was here as candidat,
for that honor at that time.
Being elected afterward by the peopi,
Of the State, had the honor to cast the
first electoral vote Indiana gave agains
fhe slave power of the country. and in fla
,yor Of free labor. recur with emotions
of pride to that vote. aud stand before yot
20 day the earnest defender of the princi
.pIes sad purposes OF The party that then
honored me. with increased devotion 10
the promotion of Its interest, and with th,
strongest convictions that that party is tb,
custodian Of the priceless blessing of civi
and religious liberty 10 this nation, aud
the only party Of progress and patriotism
IN this our cocimon country
AT that moment the Democratic party
was the great ruling and dominant power
an the nation. 1t had the Executive; the
highest judicial department was under Its
control; the Senate and House OF repre-
seetsfiyes were, by large msjorities, Dem
ccratie and with the army, the navy, ana
the Treasury under their control, fhey
ere a great and formidable organization.
= long lease Of power had corrupt
s b., -arty. In principle it had depart
e1 ."a' the wise and sound teaching
"a 's' "oA n who brought into exist
o. me foo1 ~ a. q -ernment of ours.
s'sS Ths IN nayoe.s,;. so O.. 'gress enacted stat
utes, for the purpose of 0'"a''s as,s, 49,
the chains of human boEdae ."e .ha a.r -
the vail Of oppression came TO : u ~.
the Democratic Judiciary, it waI he.
it said to our everlasting shame as b.
tion) that the oppressed. because God ha .
given him dark skin, had no rights that
the man Of fairer complexion was bound
to respect. Slavery rioted over a violated
Constitution while freedom wept.
In half the States in the union free
speech aud free press, though guarran-
'teed by the organic law of the land, were
denied to the people by proud aud des-
potic slsveocracy; and, in the other hat
the people were forced, under the laws
enacted by this same party, to engage In
the degrading. business of capturing fugi
-. nd
the Executive enforced with bloody rigor
the law compelling the return of the fu
gi,ive.
In the slave State innocent women we're
thrown into prison, for no other ofense
than teaching the poor slave to- read the
blessed word ofGod, aud the faiihfal min
lister Of the Gospel was driven from his
pulpit his home aud his State, if he lift
ed his voice against the horrid wickeduess
and Generalization of this abominable in
situation.
A Democratic Executive could look af-
ter the liberty of Martin Kosta In for
eign sea, aud Congress vote thanks to the
brave sea Captain who prevented foreign
power from interfering with his liberty.
do not condemn them for it, but com
mend them. 1t was right But men
tion this to show that while life and lib
eriy we're taken. before the very eyes Of the
nation, in our own household, by the slave
power, not single motion was ever made
By either a Democratic Executive or
Democratic Congress Of Court, TO punish
the guilty on protect the innocent.
That great party had wandered away
from the purposes of the Constitution OF
the United States SO eloquently stated in
the preamble, and had become the willing
and cringing servant Of the propagandists
of slavery. In obedience TO the demand
Of the slave power aud in defiance of the
protest Of the people. that party tore down
the barriers our fathers had erected around
some territories, protecting them FROM this
blighting curse, ADD Intending them as
rich inheritance f.. their children, re-
quiring and demanding that in that sacred
soil they should follow the doctrine OF the
good book, aud eat their bread by the
sweat Of their own and not another's
brow.
Our God-fearing and freedom loving
fathers dedicated all their territory to free.
dom and free labor, but modern aud cor
rupted Democracy, with wicked hands,
tore in tatters this will and testament OF
our noble and patriotic ancestry, und
handed the precious legacy over to slavery
and slave labor The wise teachings OF
Jefferson were abandoned for the false
dogmas of Calhoun, and the sound max
inns Of Franklin were laid aside aud the
stilty notions of men who were only serv-
ing slavery were adopted in their stead.
These things, with many others that |
have not time here TO name, began to
weaken the confidence Of the people in
the Democratic party, aud it began to be
difheult for them to keep the conscience oil
the nation still. State after State in the
North had gone over to the Republican
party, and, in 1860, eight years ago, the
indignation Of the people hurled them
from power, and, as believe, never again
TO be restored.
II the Democratic party ever was Of fany
service to the country "a fact that is moi
free from doubD the day Of its usefulness
has passed, and like some Of our great
men, it has lived too long already for it,
own good name. II ought to die.
know Of no service il could render the
country that would be so valuable. Its
morals long since corrupted aud its man :
ners hopelessly contaminated by contact
With slavery and slayeholders, the open
apologist and defender Of all the vioes OF
fhe dav .vsfb tha hlood Of half ,u;tl;o, al