The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-02-22
EXTRACTS FROM A
SPEECH OF HON. j. HICKMAN,

or WEST CHESTER, IN THE HoI'SE OF REPRE-
SENTATIyES OF rENNsyIN ANA, FEB. >, o.
now approach and not without great con-
Germ, the second branch of the resolution. |
know that my Judgment is 10 its justice is found,
as well as know the character OF the haunted
Iabitation into which am about to enter. Al
though like Peter tic Rock ofthe Church, lead
crs may deny us yet, ns in his case, the truth
shall he established, and they must he largely
instrumental in its accomplishment. Our Con
situiion Is wronT--nn ust-inhlmail--and we
all know it. Republican and Democrat alike
know IT, 1t was made 10 conform to that an
bitrary spirit of harbar,m, heretofore oriI mas
ter apd which disappeared beior the thunder
of cannon, the fire IF nusketIy, and the CLEAN
of sahrcs. The intr!uccine war that throtlIcd
American slavery IN pcricc: cataract of blood
completely established rs IL truth, if NOT Us II
fact. the political equality the races, and made
them homogeneous. This is the moral of the
great rebellion, from which we have ust emery
ed, if it have any. In ignorance we fought ior
IT, and gained The victory Who was 80 lar
sighted in 1851 rs to see the golden fruit of Lib
criy then ripcning Wc--ail of us--thr wisrst
---thougi; we were conlending against the South
TO preserve the ma lcsty Of the law How blind
we Were! We had enlcIel upon a work oldcs-
truction, not of preservation. From wha, SEEM
freedom. In councils, higher than those ever
participated in by man, common brotherhood
was reordained and controlled by an unfclt
will and guided by an unseen hand, we r,n our
national credit to the verge Of bankruptcy, and
sspent the young and bounding life of our mil
sioned populations to do what, 30 prove the
humanity of the negro! As certainly as noun
tains rise out of plains, this is true, or ] have
lost mp reason. If you shall interpret events
!. i 3,
gonn unieistandingof your main duty. Through
snoie and great"r trials, sacrifice, and agony
than any nation ever heretofore passed, we have
been enable 10 do us! half our allotted work
With seeming willingness we have allowed our
selves to be he'd 10 the utmost point of physical
endurance; can ~c now consent TO he led to the
utmost point o moral endurance to finish the
Nyoh Can we command the desperate courage
needed to oppose popular prcjndices, risk popn-
laiily and, il YOU please. to make ourselves
odiprs, in order that we may aid in lc,iicssing
the wrongs OF Two and half centuries; in
Gathering IN tllc harvest matured through cur
earrhces in screeraIing the world progress
:n1 in l,crlecring American unity and glory -
Gan We, dare we, ,lu this Can we atfo. to
accent destiny and assist Almighty God in the
accomplishment of His grand designs Can
we, a. individuals, consent 10 die thai The great
,.~t marion OF the world may i've
There - u ,Ii.aieut may plunge our wears
la f,iSi prn,tenrr and in the blight
at oar avn anil turn all over blood to tears,
aud cuinr ihivgs (" com" with hnes Of night:
FIN. IL III" hcCUU..E y hopeless blight
70 tir.-. that Wall iii la;LH,'>s: the sea.
4 he .i lest steer bat Whore tln.iy ports in,itr,
But t:,cr.. az Nnn,rirrt Ger "i-rnNS
yvi,o-" hnh drives and and anchored ue'er shall
Nov, l,clieva IN OAR "moneni." How move
a,r harks! do they drive, ~ 'lo we force them
ia answer 10 the helm ! bescech you that we
summon all oar manhood 3iIl carry them into II
sr.ue port There never can be pure rrpose Or
oGcat prosperity in the 'ni;ed States l!nless we
shall acknowledge otr gleat political sin, and
do wotks Rect ior repentance" II is scarcely
necessary Ior me To indicate what suppose the
needed works to be- but | will state them as
understand them. They are:
l. urxp.icit admission that the negro is Il
= Tha; he has a clearly defined interest in
-;be t,oue}nnent, nasmucil rs he fought for it
and hclp.l 10 save It
. That Ia, interest in the Government can
only be srclnn> hF his vote and
A. That his right 10 vote m,lSi depend upon
such a change in the Fundamental laws as pro-
.,0sn.
IhadleuS Stevens says VIC lost IL" Inst cleo
zion. through the coWarlice Of the Republican
a,arv, and ! believe him Certainty We deacrv-
I'D 70 lo> si,,n: and certainly we did loose them.
Now. mark vel! .hat | say, we will continue
10 oosr all elections uuiil we shall consent t"
assume more mani, attitude. W ho m tins
Sta'e can this day uulhmitatisnly dcc'a" what
the platform % tile Republican isP Not one
living soul II this is not true 10 the letter, ]
desire some gentleman here TO contradict IT,
No one does So and my declaration is, conSe-
uuentlv, ac ,cplcd as true. Unfortunately, il is
FOO true We--oIlr party, nean-arc for the