Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-10-08
THE CAMPAIGN.
Addresses by Wayne MoVeigh, Esq. and
Major Pangborn.

scat was filled, apd every bit Of standing room
occupied, while the vestibule was crowded by
men eagerly listening at the doors. The audience
was splendid one, consisting OF the bone and
sinew, as well as the wealth and culture of this
city, and was in full sympathy with the advanced
radicalism of McVeigh, who fearlessly preached
the pure gospel of real Democracy.
The meeting was called to order by Mr.. Higgins
aud organized by the election of the following Of
aeers.
PREsIDENr-Hon. j. S. Valentine.
VICE PREsrDENTs-1st Ward-Edward I. Bel
lab, Thomas Walter, james Stroud, George
Mccall, Samuel Miller. I'd Ward-Thomas Titus,
Morris Welde, James Conner, James Murdoch
ST., Andrew Hance, Jos. O. Roland. 3D. Ward
Levi g. Clark, Henry Il. Pickles. Evan O. SLOT
senberg, James Scott, Job II. jackson. 4th
Ward-Willlam McCauley, John z. MeLear,
9th Ward-Edward G. Bradford Thomas NJ. Rod
ney, Joshua I. Head, Capt. c. Gallagher, NJ. NJ.
Child.
SECRETARIES james Lewis, William r.
Postles, Col. William 5. Lamotte, George Thomp.
son, William T. Cioasdale.
The Chairman introduced Wayne McVeigh,
Esq, OF West Chester, Pa.
Mr.. McVeigh commenced by expressing his
satisfaction ut the interest manifested las evidenced
by SO large an audience This is no struggle Of
factions for place and power, but great and sub
lime struggle Tor the cause of American Demo-
cracy in its peril Applause. The people have
resolved once more that come veal, come woe,
government by the people shall not perish from
the earth. The question for you is what will
Delaware do in this contest? Under which flag
will she march 2 This is no new struggle. There
hnc Inn ,,Ht a
of progress, of disenthrallment; nor ever time
when there was not party of conservatism up
holding wrong, tyranny and oppression. The
student of universal history knows this, and the
student of American history has not read it Alright
If he does not see in this continent new field for
the old Struggle. Hundreds of years ago ship
disembarked in Virginia a cargo of slaves. and
hundreds Of years ago, also, another ship disem-
barked on the coast of Massachusetts, the nucleus
of the opposing force. From the mast head Of
one of these ships hoated banner inscribed
"slavery," which meant political inequality
amongst men, and from this was to flow asystem
which should permeate and corrupt society and
politics until 1t should insoenty proclaim by the
mouth of Alexander H. Stephens, slayery--that
is, political inequality,--as the cornerstone OF
government. From the mast head of the other
1oatcd the banner of Liberty" which was like
wise to pcrincate society, carrying with it the
press, the schoo-house and the pulpit, until Sc
cure in it, strength ii was to declare Liberty
that is political equal;ty-was to be the corner
stone of this government.
THUS the "Irrepressiblc Conflict" existed from
the beginning. II was not observed at first in
the colonial days, but the systems grew, as the
leaves grow imperceplby, and from Massachu-
sets to the Ohio there was the one SYSTEM and
from Virginia To the Gulf an antagonistic system
was growing and becoming the basis of society.
Two diverse and hostile systems under one gov
eminent
1t was not noticed at first because the question
OF whether this was 10 be democratic or I'M
arstocratic government could not be discussed
while England claimed the right to govern H. and
all the colonies We're united and equally interested
III declaring Independence. But revolution came
and 1t was seen that independence must follow
that new nation must be born. Then for the
first time il became important 10 declare what
was to be the principle underlying the new gov
ernment Then all men who loved America, saw
that it was their duty to proclaim TO the world
that equal rights 10 all men was to be the aniInat-
Ing principle aud foundation of the new govern
ment and in the first burst OF patriotic enthusi-
was the South, that Burke was led to declare in
his famous speech that the Southern colonies
were even more in earnest than the Northern in
their devotion to the cause of human freedom,
and Warren, just before he fell, declared that
never anywhere Was the spirit Of devotion to i'm
partial liberty so universally spread as through
out the South.
And so they declared in seven words the prin-
cipcs OF their government. Thomas Jefferson
wrote, and they accepted the declaration that
"All men are created free and equal, and they
gave year OF war To each word of truth. APP
plause THANK God through all the long strug-
gle they did not give up syllable of that deca-
ration; In all that long interval did not change
their ground for during all that time the hateful
theory OF slavery had been hidden out of sight.
But though the theory had been hidden, the
more hateful system had continued to exist and
had grown.
Constitution, and the system made its blots there
Aud these bots grew more and more hateful ur-
III they were washed out in the red blood of your
children. For every drop of blood drawn by the
lash another was drawn by the bullet. But at
| first the perricous influence was not so much
leli and ior thirty years the government was adj
| nllnistercd in the interest of the principles on
which /, was framed. But for forty years after,
this Democratic party controlled the government
| OF the country. The speaker said he wished to
be understood when referring to the Democratic
party, rs referring To the organization and It's re-
cogni2ed leaders. He always recognized the fact
That 'nany thousands of men had honestly voted
| with the Democratic party, patriotic men who
went into the army and still voted with it, with
such he had no quarrel. But the party as i'm or
ganlzatlon had controlled the country for forty
years, from 1920 To 1860. and for all that time
had been blind To the knowledge OF the truth,
for it had declared that the object of our pol.
Tics was to accomplish the impossible; by some
means, some how, in spite of human brotherheod
and Gods Fntherhood, to reconcile two conflict
ii,ns systems in some way to have South Caro-
linas system on an equality with that OF Massa-
chlisetls. They had labored to make true the
definition Of politician SHAKESPEARE gives in
iiainiet,-"A man who attempts TO cireumvcnt
| God"
In 1870 they had promised us peace If Missouri
was admitted with u Constitution recognizing
slavery. 1t was DONE and still VIC had no peace
In iSi3 they had promised lis peace if we would
repeal the tariff which protected our northern
industry; i was repealed, and yet we had not
peace In 1910 they had promised us peace If
the mails were closed against the transmission Of
| antl-slavcry documents and ant-sluyery agitation
| was prohibited. 1t was done and still we had no
peace In 1874, they said il we would give them
more slave territory, we should have peace. We
went 10 war with Mexico and acquired Texas, but
we had not peace. In 1850 they said If Northern
| men would bind themselves to capture and return
their slaves we should have peace. We placed
our hands upon our mouths, and our mouths in
| lne dust, and gave the shameful promise but ii
an not give us peace In 1854 they said if YOU
VIII repeal the Missouri compromise. which we
asked you to pass, you shall have peace. 1t was
repeated, and still there was no peace; and its
repeal was the last great crime of our political
history, In 1896, again they assured us that If
we elected our candidate John Charles Fremont.
we should haze ,car! but if we did not but
elected their candidate, there should he peace
forever and forever. and yet before the close Of
The four years of the administration OF that weak
old man-weak in purpose, weak in head weak
IN back-they had dismantled our forts, seized
our arInorles, burned or scattered our navy. rob
bed our treasury, and insolenty flung in our faces
The challenge to battle. This was the result of
all our humiliation; for forty years we had done
whatever they demanded and il had ended thus.
We had surrendered everything to secure peace
| and this was their answer We had scarcely
arisen from our knees in the peace Congress BE-
fore secession commenced. This was the sequel
to all your compromises Applause They led
US US down a shameful Shiny path, TO end after all
ern slavery. This was the result, and il had been
i forseen.
This rebellion was born in the brain of John
| z. Calhoun. 1t is folly to underrate your enc
mics, and Calhoun's was the greatest name in
American politics since that of Hamilton. He
the Irrcpressiblg Conflict thirty yenre harors,