The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-09-08


interesting oiour lives. We fought them
those Of us who were In the Union army
fought, As We believed, 10 make this for.
ever hereafter a united people, forever
hereafter free people, and we rejoice to,
day TO believe that those who were against
us now are with IA on both OF these aues.
tiOns, tCheers, lOud and long.l And
now, my friends, you will desire 10 hear
from some Of those who are associated
with me in the government Two mem.
bers Of the Cabinet are here, Postmaster
General Judge Key, Of Tennessee, and
Attorney General Devens. They fought
on opposite sides during those four years,
but to-day and here they are prepared to
6ght II need be on the same side, rgreat
cheersl and now l will introduce 70 you
Judge Key. am sure he Is an able
mani am sure he iS an honest mani /
am sure he is a pstriotl [Cheer'l.
JUDGE Keys sPEEcH.
Fdlor Ciiiiens IL appear before you
under peculiar circumstances. You have
assembled here to recite the victories
which you have won in former days; to
recount the triumphant results which you
achieved. appear before you as one Of
the soldiery frSm whom your victories
we're won; your triumphs achieved. But
the cordiality with which have been re.
ceived makes me forget that we have ever
been enemies, and assure you that I
would much rather meet You as l
meet you to.day-as friends-than in
the conflict Of arms as you have been met
heretofore. [Applnusc.l Ny friends, the
aag | fought under for four years has dis
appeared from the earth. The govern
ment lattempted with my companions 10
establish is no more. We have but one
flag; and that floats over every foot Of our
territory. We have but one Constitution,
and that Is the Constitution "a II Ia.
Cheers. Our quarrel, my friends, was
inherited. Slavery was established by
the Constitution Of our fathers. II was
established by the men Of tho North as
we'll as Of the South. 1t was relic Of a
former age. As the ages and the country
progressed the free States became
profoundly impressed with the idea that
slavery was wrong; that II was great
national crime; that it was the sin ol the
age; that it was a sin against heaven and
liberty The people Of the South had
been educated under different ideas.
Their statesmen and their platforms de-
Tended it; their ministers before holy al
tars taught the people that it was right,
aud the people OF the South believed I'll
was right. A conflict from time to time
"a conflict Of opinIon-grew up. We
had adjustments; we had the Missouri
eomprUmise, and that OF 1850, but vet It
would not suit. At last free ideas 30 Tar
prevailed that Lincoln was elected Pres
ident The people OF the South, afraid
the Institution Of slavery was in danger,
said, We have debated this quarrel in
the legislative halls, on the stump, in the
judiciary tribunals; we have debated 1t
everywhere; now let US fight it out and
they took up armS and they said, we
leave these debatable questions to the
power OF arms and the sword, and We
fought and fought bravely. Each section
oil the country fought for what it thought
was right. [CheerB.l
What was the result? Why, the South
was defeated, and as men and soldiers
they were bound TO submit with good
grace to the result and to admit that the
result was right; that the tribunals which
they had selected had decided the contro.
verSy against them, "Sirs, this is the
victory, this is the triumph" The YER.
dict was against us. The Judgment was |
pronounced against us, and what waS
1t? It was put in the three amendments
to the constitution. The first declared that
slavery should no longer exist anywhere
in this broad land. The second declared
that every man who was born in the
limited States should be citizen Of the |
United States. All men, white or black
were equal before the law. Not only
this, bnt they declared that the public |
debt Of the United States should never be |
they declared that no claims
should be made for Cmancipated slaves;
they declared that We should be a free
and that the flag Of the Union
should be the flag Of the people every.
where, and to-day we have but one coun.
Try, but one flag, but one Union, and that |
Union ia sinseparSbIe. [Cheers. |
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