Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-09-23
MR.. GREELEY ON POLITICS.
His Speech at Cincinnati in the Evening

After visiting the Exposition at Cincin'
matt, on the 2O,h, Mr.. Grseley's consent was
obtained to address the people in the eve
ming. The Democratic aud Liberal Rspub-
licAn Executive Committees had made
arrangements by which the clubs Of each
ward could be called out on q moments
notice, in case be should consent to speak.
By hNlfpsSt professions were formed in
the streets at various places, and shortly az
ter s, with lighted torches and Transparent
oies, and music, moved in the direction Of
the Burnett House, taking position on Third
street, from which balcony il was Understood
be would speak. An immense throng
blocked up Third and Vine streets stimuli
tausously with the arrival of the ward pro-
ossSiouS. Twenty minutes before niue Mr..
Greeley made his appearance on the balco-
ny, corner Of Third and Vine, and was
introduced by Hon. J. L. Kscke. AS soon
as the crowd caught glimpse Of him there
was great cheering. As soon as this sub
sided Mr.. Greeley spoke as follows:
CITIZENS or THE STATE OF ONO: I am
here a guest At the invitation of the Soon
mon Council OF Cincinnati. II is their
desire, as it was my wish, that l should,
while their guest, abstain from any remarks
which might seem to SAVIOR of pArtizan
purpose, aud l fully designed, mad bsen
leh mt liberty, so TO speak that no one Of any
party could possibly have taken exceptions
TO II. But there has been an attack made
upon me since / came here which | will
trust to the hospitality and the generosity
OF my entertainers to permit me to
repel here and now. Last evening, at Pitt
burgh, in the course of some off-hand re-
marks to . mass AssemblRgs like this, | took
the pains to explain the circumstances, the
extraordinary, unprecedented circumstances
under which / was impellsd in the winter OF
1860 and 1861 to offer, in good faith. to
submit the whole question Of union or dis
union to the fair, uncOnslrsined vote of the
Southern people. After due elaboration
and discussion, said then, that it was my
belief, and il is still my belief, that had the
people been allowed such q free and fair
opportunity, they would have decided that
the Union should be maintained. Those
remarks, which made last evening, have
been misrepresentsd; have been, ! think,
prevented into an expression Of present be-
lief and present convicticn that any State
has right to dissolve this Union at its own
good pleasure. Fellow-oitizeps, | utterly
repudiats and condemn that sentiment.
Cheers ] do not believe that any State,
or any ten States, even q majority OF the
States, has right to dissolve our Union.
Applause. That Union was founded on
the Constitution. 1t is u chartered Govern
ment, not mere league. II does not con
stitute ConfederRcy merely, but a nation
not Government OF limited aud defined
powers, bnt of unlimited duration. / be-
lieye that the Union ia not only destined to
be, was intended to be, perpetual, and /
believe that our great civil war, If there ever
was any reasonable doubt as to the nature
Of that Union, has settled that doubt for
ever Renewed applause that slavery is
dead and that the Union Abides forever.
Such is the sum and substance of the YER
dict pronounced through the issues of our
great contest. There is no longer a cues.
ton, there can never again arise question,
Is to the perpetuiiy Of the Union. The
apple of discord, the only thing that ever
made any American hostile to his own couD-
try and constitution, has utterly persisted.
Henceforth the American Union abides
forever, grounded in the affections, in the
necessities, in the fsrvent devotion Of the
whole American people. 1t there ever shall
again arise . question Of disunion, that
question will be presented, not for the South,
not for the Southern section Of this nation.
But no Such question will or can arise
As perpetual as the hills, as solid as the
everlasting rocks, the Union Of these States
abide and must abide forever. One senti-
ment, one purpose animAtes the American
heart, and that is that the Union Of the
States must and shall be preserved. Cheers.
Nov, fellow-oitizens, IL may be
allowed, let me say few words more, gen
orally with regard TO your position, your
duties, and Jour prospects. Cincin-
matt may be regarded IS very nearly in the
industrial and commercial centre of our
present population. What the future may
bring forth We cannot tell, but to-day the
city IL nearly in the middle of the great
eommereiAi movement Of the industrial Ac-
nviiy OF the American people. Its hills,
uhing In The summer abundance, looking
iOve,y on each other from the north and
''u'nj !" mighty river. which lavus YOUR