The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-10-03

Mr.. PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
Nearly one hundred years ago our fore.
fathers erected u political cdtice dedicated
to liberty, and Inscribed with the declara.
ton that al men are created free and equal
and endowed with The right 10 life, lioerty
and the pursuit Of happiness Over this
temple was unfurltd the flag OF thirteen
stars, representing the number of States
the maintenance OF the principle, to which
their people had pledged their lives, their
fortunes and their sacred honor.
AS time rolled on State after State was
added TO The glorious galaxy, which, like
the stars Of Heaven to the benighted travel.
or, shed their cheering light around the
pathway of our race, like them, shining for
ALL and guiding millions of the people Of
other lands to This land of freedom. For
more than eighty years that temple re.
malncd undesecrated, and the flag which
hoated over 1t untarnsbfd by the net of
single individual, who had been born under
or who had voluntarily sought It's prolec.
ton, AS each anniversary OF the birth of
our nation REQUIRED, the event was cele.
brated throughout the length and breadth
Of the land, our flag was revered at home
and respected abroad, and our country
rapidly marched onward in moral and
material progress toward n foremost position
among the nations OF the earth.
But a time came when our sacred temple
was Invaded, our honored flag trampled up.
on, and the hand CT treason upliited against
the Institutions under which so many happy
and prosperous years had been passed.
lis unnecessary to revert TO the causes
which led 10 tins event. They are familiar
TO all. 1t Is sufficient to say that II was The
work OF conspiTators, comparatively few, in
number, yet belonging TO the governing
class" IN the States which they were able,
subsequently,, to array in arms against the
goVernment-yet, as 1t Is well known, sew
eral of those States voted against secession,
and large prOpOl ton Of the citizens Ct the
entire South joined the movement reluctant.
ly, and from honest conviction that their
frat duty was due TO the State In which
they resided. Fortunately these conspira.
tors against the u uion selected the cl0se in.
stead OF the beginning OF an adminislr alton
OF the government which seemed either
crimlnally Indifferent TO its fate, or wholly
unequal, morally or intellectually, to the
tremendous issues presented for their con.
sideratlon. Ii we reflect that secession
might have been attempted at the incoming
instead OF the close OF an administration
which believed In the right of secession, we
shall heartily thank God that traitors lCatt3
Tor the illmsy preteXt found la what they
called the election OF a sectional President
What the cost of the war in blood and treas.
nre would have been, how long its duration,
and what It's final result had Buchanan ana
MS rebel cabinet been in possession of the
government during It's DrOgressare problems
which cannot he considered without shud.
der. But that Great Power, which guides
the deStinies OF nations as OF individuals
Ovefruled the Vaccinations of traitorous
ofnclals, causing them, In seeking q sub!cr
iuge for their crime, 10 choose the hour
most nnpropitious for their purpose. |. is
true thew employed every devc', and usad
their official power to It's utmNs ,Xtrn, IN
strip the government Of the means of Jf.
lending itself. They sent the navy II ;lc
most distant waters OF the earth. They
scattered the It.id ARM tn distant stations
60 tina, 4 rapid c 3nCcn'.ati ~ wugll bc i'm
possible Tbey emD'ied uOIthcrL arseras
anu seat their contents Ia the Southern
States. la short, they lei: nothing ual5ne
which they could do 10 render the Incoming
administration helpless III The !hpcnilne
conflict Bat they forget that hey LEFT h1.
hind them an or gaGiZed government backed
by the moral power, which eighty yeats 0.
reyercntlal respect on the part Oi the people
had created, and 10y the physical { ice found
III the aggregated muscle ant. determined
resolution of twenty millions Of lnyal then
some OF whom are before me 20 day. They
did not know whom Cod mad raised up as
the future lead oi the government aud
leader oi tue people, thai incarnation of
benevoleDce, that model OF official aud per.
sonal honor, candOr. and self abnegatlCn.
who. clad ~ the lusirOus paaopv Of truth
and justice, with "millcc 10 nuac, and
charity for all was 10 lead the nation IN
out OF the dark waters, Welding his own lie
TO their reiiIent surge They did not know
that 10y his side should stand. IN al the
moral subImity OF conscious rectiiule. IN al
the hGroism which devoted patriotism In.
spires. that other illustricus son OF Illinois
Douglas They did not know that by Eis
side would be ranged the hundreds Of thou.
sands whom Douglas represented, aud of
whom Logan and McClernand and DIckey
and Mullgan may serve as instances in our
own State. They Gid nos know that upon
the question whether the republic should
live or die there would be 70 division of
sentiment az the North, aud no hesitation
In shoulderiDg the muskei
10 fact. the people Of The seeding States
were told by the leaders IN secession that