The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-07-29
SPEECH OF SENATOR HORTON
Delivered at the Academy Of Music
in Indianapolis, July 9th, 1870.
REPUBEIOANF, READ and CIRCULATE
FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE.

Ladies' and Gentlemen:
l am in a very poor condition to-
night to make a speech, and shall not
speak to you as long o as fully as l
had expected to do. The theater of
war, which was closed in this coun-
try a little over five years ago-a
bloody drama of some six years-has
been reopened in Europe upon the
wanton act of q man. Napoleon
III. has made war, not only without
cause, but even without a pretext.
Rivers of blood will flow, thousands
and hundreds of thousands, perhaps,
of men will die for 10 other purpose
than to fasten the ways of his dynasty
upon the throne of France. When
we were embroiled in civil war, this
Napoleon sought to take advantage of
our situation, and supposing we would
not interfere, attempt to establish an
empire in Mexico. He besought the
British Government to unite with him
in recognizing the Confederate States.
He was our enemy In all things. But
for this we should not hold the brave
and generous people of France re-
sponsible, for it was not their will and
act. On the other hand there were
many thousands of Germans In our
army-many thousands of them laid
down their lives for our cause, and
Germany stretched out her hands
toward US across the sea. The
heart OF Germany was with us in
that struggle, and now when her
hour of trial has come the heart of
the Republican party in the United
States will be with Germany. Ap
plause. The great Germanic family
sigh for liberty, for higher civiliza-
ton, and for national unity. And
that brings me to the consideration
tonight of the great fundamental and
central idea of American politics,
more important than all others, and
around which all others should re-
volve; and that is the idea of Ameri-
can unity. That we are one nation,
that we are one people, no difference
how extended our country may be,
from the gulf to the polar sea, from
the Pacific to the Atlantic ocean; no
difference how diverse the climate in
soil and In attraction; no difference
how divided by rivers and mountains
and vast plains, we are but one nation,
living under one constitution and en-
j0ying now the same liberty aud the
same equal rights and the same Justice
to all. / am glad to be able to say to-
night that this idea of national unity
animates and vitalizes the Republi-
can party of this nation. It was this
idea of national unity that put
the rebellion down.. that preserved
the government, that abolished sla-
very, that gave equal rights and equal
justice to all, and if our government
is preserved, it will be by this idea of
national unity. And here, my friends,
Is a great guilt between the two parties.
The idea of the Democratic party is
that this Is not a nation; that we are
not one people; that we are a confed-
eraey OF States; that the sovereign
and independent States are held to-
gether by an agreement called the
Constitution Of the United States, and
tnat when this agreement shall be
Glssolyed or repealed, that then each
state becomes a separate and distinct
people. That is the old Democratic
idea. 1t was the idea that made the
rebellion, and it is the idea that will
yet destroy the country, if it shall be
destroyed. On the contrary, we hold
that this is q people; that this is
one nation; that the States are but
subdivisions for local and domestic
purposes; that while these States
nave well and fairly established
rights guaranteed to them bv
the Constitution of the United States
itself, yet the States are s~ubordinsts
to the nation, and are parts of one en-
tire whole. This is the very breath
OF the life of the Republican party.
1t is the great idea that will hold ms
together. 1t is the idea that shouId
be implanted In the infant mind: "a Is
the idea that should go with an
American wherever he NAV 90
throughout the World-that he ia not
simply a citizen of the State of In
diana or New York, but a citizen of a
mighty nation, now having forty-one
millions of people, and soon to have
sixty millions, and as we believe moi
a great way off an hundred millions
sllude to this incidentally nv atten-
tIon being called to it bv the strngoIe
Tor German unity. There ;s 81
point OF similarity between Cer-or;o
politics and American noIitics T1bo0
are struggling for unity. moi on;noIoS
Dy any miserable dogma of ssoess;on
while American unity is a great con.
f5olLlpg and fundamental idea in the
Now, my friends, l want to say ono
word about the general condition. 20
our country-about our general pros
perity, and 1 can say here to. night
with perfect truth, that this city-be,
ginning right here in the capital Of
Indiana-this State and this nation.
were never so prosperous before as
they are to-day. We are now enjoy
ing a national prosperity which we
never bad before; we never had any
thing like it; and we are enjoying
a State prosperity, and a local pros
perity-aud that which we have here,