The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-10-31


its record to day for all the wealth Of
the Orme or the Indus.
The speaker then rehearsed the de-
tails of its glorious deeds, and asked
Democrats to look at it, and if they
felt disposed within the next three
days, to come within its folds, they
would fad a hearty welcome. but that
we were able to triumph without them.
We believed that every wrong, real
or imaginary, could be remedied at
the ballot-box. We entertained no
fear of civil war. Countries of the
Old World had experienced civil war
to establish civil rights, but we had
hoped that we should be saved such
an ordeal.
The people of the South, when
they found that they could not rule
the country, determined to destroy it.
These were truly dark times-times
that really tried mems souls. Had
the veil of futurity been lifted that
we could have seen the hectombs of
precious lives, the struggle would cost
the bleeding hearts it would rend,
the widows woes and the orphans
wall it would produce, it Is doubtful
if we he'd not shrunk from the en-
counter. But God, wisely concealing
the future, had inspired US with cour-
age, and had strengthened US, and We
ttiumDhed. 1t was ~a.fearful struggle,
terribly illustrating the precepts we
bad read In our school books: " In
peace, childrenfbury their ssparents-
in war, parents bury their children"
We had read of the heroines of
antiquity; of the Spartan mothers
who sent forth their sons to battle
with the injunction to come home
with their shields, or to come upon
them" and had admired their valor
and their patriotism. In the war for
the Union these deeds of devotion
had been surpassed. Women sent
their husbands; fathers and mothers
sent their sons, their only hope and
promise, emulating the brightest ex-
amples of patriotism-as Jacob sent
forth his son Benjamin to redeem
his brethren from Egypt. Battling
with a devotion like the ancient Ro-
mans taking the oath of the sdcrG-
mentum-never to desert their ban
ners or lay down their arms until
victory crowned them. Such was the
| heroism of our brave boys. Thou
sands Of them came back to be hailed
as the saviours of their country.
Hundreds Of thousands never did
come back. They sleep where they
fell, and the whole South is dotted
with their graves.
But there is a brighter side to the
picture. La the darkest hour of our
country's trial and danger from the
Atlantic to the Pacific. our glorious
young party always stood by its
colors. Not one Republican ever
drew his sword or pulled a trigger
against his flag Our party not only
never despaired, but with strong and
unwavering faith, resolved TO rally to
the flag and go down, if go down we
must, with the old banner.
The glorious young Republican
party Not a man among them who
said, you can't conquer the South"
Not a man who rejoiced at your de-
feats or were saddened at your victO-
ries. Not a man called you Lincoln
dog" or " hireling," who would not
vote another dollar or another man
10 suppress the rebellion" The Re-
publican record IS a bright n to
transmit to our children.
[ never despaired Of this Repub-
/ H. Il uCNCE 0l0 Dt1lCNG OOA WOul0
desert US and deliver us over to our
enemies. La the midst of our dark
ness and gloom. III glorious Lincoln
determined to remove the last curse
that furnished our escutcheon. In
the midst of this chaos, Lincoln, see
iug the cause Of the rebellion, deter
mined to blot it out.
The most %opprobrious epithets were
heaped upon US. We were called ne
gro worshipers, negro lovers and abo-
litionists, but we faltered not In our
course. I told the people if they
dared to brave the title of abolition
lists, and would hurl this young but
vigorous party against slavery, we
should triumph. You stood by Lin
coln and the right and you did tri-
umph. Those on the other side
hive ceased their taunts, and even de-
clare that they are rather glad to see
slavery abolished, and that they
never desire to restore it. They talk
hypocritically with a view to deceive.
We struck at slavery with one hand;
at rebellion with the other-stamp-
ing both into an ignominious grave.
It is a record to be proud ola record
that will shine to your honor after
you have passed away, and your chill
dren's children will honor you for it.
On this whole broad continent there
is not a man that dare call himself
master.
Here the speaker pronounced a
most glowing euloey to the memory
of our glorious Lincoln, In words of
most deep and burning eloquence.
lie had but one purpose-to crush
the rebellion. He was maligned and
vlifed-Was branded as a tyranf, a
Nero or a Caligula, denouncing his
every act to suppress the rebellion as
. usurpation. But you upheld him
and he triumphed. But he is dead
to-day. stricken down by a rebel bull
let. lie has gone to his reward.
Wilberforce, when he went up to his
reward bore with him the shackels of
many thousand slaves. Lincoln bore
with him the chains of millions.
When he died the whole world we're
mourDers at his tomb. Deadl he
is not dead. He lives.
lone of the few immortal names
That were not born to die"
lie lives in every heart that burns
with the love of liberty-in every
heart that was bereaved by the war Of
the rebellion. 1t is a part of the rec
ord of our Republican party, hat we
stood with u arms and our shields
sustaining him.
The eminent speaker then passed to
the reconstruction Jaws, v~indicatipg
them In the most unanswerable man
ner, showing that they were just, mag
n%animous, reasonable and necessary.
Our motto had been that Loyalty
should govern what loyalty had pre-
served"
He pictured what would have been