The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-29
SENATOR YATES.
His Reception in SprinsGeId.

The largest political meeting held in Surlng-
felo, H., since the great Lincoln demonstration
in 1860, convened on Saturday evening last, the
occasion being the reception OF Hon. Richard
Yates, one of the Senators from Illinois. An
address of welcome was delivered by General
John Cook. After the cheering, with which his
appearance was greeted, had subsided, MIR.
Yates res ponded, thanking them for the cordial
greeting which they had extended to him. In
this connection he said:-
After nine months or weary absence, I come
back to you with the same principles and the
same faith with which l LETT you. You have
known me tor thirty years and more; you have
known all my faults and all my weaknesses, and
YOU have stood by me. But now am to vlndi-
cate my self IN enc regard. and that is this
That, whatever may have been those weaknesses
or those iauls, however much l may have
failed yet on all occasions, in the Legislature of
your State tor eight years, IN the House of
Repi iesentatiVes for four years, AS Governor OF
yaur State, and as your Senator IN Congress,
have been ever true to the principle OF human
freedom. have been forever true to the undy.
ing immortal principle of universal and uudt.
vlded human liberty. l have never concealed
my opinions. l have never willingly or know
ingly turned my back upon friend. / have
never lodged a question. When l have been
as ked whether was tor suffrage or not, have
spoken tor myself; have aus wered that l am
tor equal rights, for American citizenship for
every man q years of age, from whatever coun.
try, or wherever born, or Of whatever color; |
am tor the enjoyment u equal rights by every
man and by every American citizen; am for
everywhere. ! do not stand back bullied and
frightened; do not intend 10 let Wade Hamp-
ton, and seymour and Blair snatch from US that
loyal vote which stood by us during the war,
and which flashed two hundred thousand bayo-
nets in the face of Jeh Davis and his hosts.
l do not regret that in the providence
OF Almighty God | was called upon to be the
Governor of the State of Illinois from the COM
mencement to almost the end of the war. | do
not regret, telloW-citiZens, that | raised two
hundred and 6tty-eight thousand troops in the
most sacred cause of God gwen liberty aud
humanity; troops who covered themselves all
over with glo1S upon more than five hundred
battle. fields OF the war. l do not regret it,
owcitiZens, that myself stood with General
Grant amid the roar and thunder of battle.
do not regret it that called upon the citizens
OF the state of Illinois, upon her noble matrons
and her beautiful maidens to send to the brave
soldiers IN the field all the comforts and luXuries
within their reach. ] do not regret it that
went 10 the field of battle, and brought home
the sick and wounded; aud l do not regret
bIed in the capitol of the State, and passed
resolutions against the war, that / sent them
bowling to their homes. There is another
thing do not regret In the Executive chamber
up there, which is now so ably filed by your
gallant and glorious Governor Oglesby, and
which is soon TO be filed by your no less dis
tinguished able, and gallant soldier, General
John M. Palmer do not regret that there /
| issued my proclamation, appealing to the patri-
otism OF the people of the State OF Illinois, after
| our flag had been fired upon, and we had been
| forced into a war which we could not avoid, and
| which we we're bound to fight for our national
| preservation, for after we had been struck we
| were forced to strike back again; do not regret
| that in that Executive chamber where issued
| nv edict against traitors and cOpperheads, this
| feeble hand signed the commission of the worlds
| greatest commander u. s. Grant, the next Pre-
| sident of the United States"