Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-06-19
MIX. BsYARD,s POSITION.
what He Has to Say About His
Dover Speech of 1861,

SPpSSe VI hpVss
A Washington correspondent says:
"The only man who has ever, in my
presence, impugnsd my fidelity to the
Union," said Senator BAyard on Friday
last, twas Senator George g. Boutwell, OF
Massachusetts,. The time was March,
1875, and the occasion a debste in the
Senate on RESOLUTION offered by Mr.
Morton for Mississippi investigation. In
the course Of a speech. remarkable alike
for recklessness OF fact aud biitersess OF
invective, MIR. Boutwell, aaid
" For seven years the spirit Of hy poorioy
aud Misrepresentation dominaed over
the slsveholding section OF this oon-
fedetsoy. They continually presented
themselves IL the country and 10 the
world as the ffiends OF the Union, aud IL
ass a lie fiom FIRST TO last. Thev were
the enemies Of the UnioD, aud whs the
Union did not Answer the oh'ri pnrpose
which they had, aad the OILY purpcse
thsy had-the preservation ct thr
institution Of slsvery--they mad war
upon he Union. The senator from
Delaware wss the political supporter and
ally and tine substantial defender Of the
men who made war upon the Union; who
clung to the Union for 20 cara nnd-r the
fslsehood that they were its friends,
They were its enen les all the time
"lhere was much more in the same
vein, for Mr.. Boutwell, was excited, aud
permitted himsel. to be carried away by
the force of strong feeling. The reply |
made, aud the only reply | shall ever
make to such statement, was this
1.-the senator has suggested that in
some way | have been party to some
act or deed unfsithful to the integrity of
the government OF this country. will
simply say that every drop OF blood in
| my body comes from men and from
| women who, since this government was
| established, never harbored a thought or
did an act unfsithful or unpatriotio. No
man can assert the contrary. The
senator dare not do go He might at
tempt it by an ipnu-udo, by classifying
me with those whom he terms the
enemies OF the country; but he knows
as well as | that the man who says ever
did an act or uttered a word uniAithful
to the integrity of my country q govern.
mept has lied in his throat.
'"ls II to be held up TO me as a source
| OF reprosch that have tried to make my
brethren of the south feel that this waf
their country, that this wss their gov.
ernment, and that they were bound tC
come and support it, and tind protector L
"a they gave il allegiance : II il bs q
crime, then am ! the greatest sinner OIL
earth II such feelings, such professions
aud such pfinciples shall consign MT
forever to minority, then welcome the
shades Of private life with the unstsined
conscience that | shall carry there vitl
it. wonld rather have ii than all you
power, than all the power the people o
this country can give, for have come
thing they did not give and which they
cannot deprive me Of, and that ia my owl
self.respect.'
"My speech at Dover was made in June
1861, about four weeks before the bsttl
OF Bull Run. 1t was time of dangerou
excitement aud distress. High h-hsnde,
outrages were being perpetrated agains
good, law abiding citizens Of my State
Arbitrary arrests were freely and openl
threatened. 1t was such a speech as tn
occasion demanded, just such speech a
would deliver again under simils
circumstances. 1t advocsted the on
pr,i ciples Oh which this republic ca
sndure-mu'u nal good viii betweou ID
SECTORS AID mutual !oitearanos wit
9sca otaer's iaulta Ant tGlli-i
had, however, forgot,"n all abput Ii
Dover speech, vl-u my attention ws
called to it in 1851 10 years sfer its a
, livery. A New York peVsparsr sel
: George Alfred Townsend aud another r
, porter to Dover where they got 8 copy
Il, and il was brought out ostensibly
D the interest Of Mr.. Tildsua nominate
Tor the Presidency. II was printed wit
. headlines sLrewdly oontrived to give
wrong idea OF the text, and its pub
I cation was prefsced with ominous par
t graphs, day after day, in order to get l
s feeling that would harmonize with d
display headlines. But, as | have sal
there is not = word of the speech that
could wish had no, been utt.red -