Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-06-17
HAZARDS SPEECH.
Full Text of His Famous Dover speech
Early in the War.

NNtd"de "0>-Hsr J"'yH, 1871
Wy ,tetto'c cogItymGn: Bv no narrow
party name, in no narrow partisan spirit do
! address You. but as an aS>cmblage of
American treenen do conqratulate YOU
upon our meeting Of this day. Important
as are the issues we are met 10 consider. one
result Is accomplished most gratifying to
all talr-minded men, which | caauot pass
by without notice. | mean the right of
meeting unreStraiued, and Of free. unrr-
Stucted discussion by freemeu of THAR gov
ernment and the policy and measures Of
those into whose hands it has temporarily
been intruSted. 1t is well known 10 us all
that reign Of terror was sought TO be in
auguratcd in this State as it has been
throughout the North, and for this purpose
troops, not of our State. were encamped
upon our peaceful soil at the instance of
these politicians among US, whose inSOence
and oppression are limited only by their
fear and their ability to do mischief.
To-day we stand here in the spirit Of free
men to viudicate our privilege and perform
our duty as citizens, despite the reiterated
threats Of profigate and lawless press in
ncighbor;ng cities upon the north, echoed
by papers in this State equally shameless
and corrupt. 1t is known to us all that
personal intimidation has been applied to
each man present to deter him from coming
here to-day. That many worthy but timid
men have been affected BIZ such miserable
means is not to be denied, but the best ans
wer 10 these hounds OF the mob who sought
to preyent'a lawful meeting, called in the
sacred name of our cOuntryS peace, is the
aSSemblGge now before me Never in this
rpSpectabihty We have, It is true no
high judicial officer to leave the bench and
take Part in the excited scenes OF politics.
We have no delegation Of persons from the
city of Philadelphia, but We have the sub
stantial citizens Of Delaware, with as grc9;
n stake in her fair name and prosperity as
any others in her borders
4 In times of danger and distress like the
present the country needs most tho intclf-
gent aid Of her best citizens, and now, if
ever, should they give her the best efforts Of
their hands and hearts; undeterred by the
wild passions and frenzied violence which
have swept over the Northern States like a
whirlwind. The question for every good
| DO to restore your peace and happiness
The pas and its lessons should not be lost
upon us but to inquire now into the Origi-
nal cause or causes OfOur troubles would
not be within the scope of these remarks
nor useful at present The practical ques-
ton before Us forhidS mere speculation; it
sare> IL; in the iacc-a hard, stern fact
Eleven States have withdrawn from the
| Federal Union with solemn and deliberate
/ action and have united under new gov
| ernmCnt. They have made their deClara-
! ton ofindependence of the government un,
| der which we live and express their deter,
mination to maintain it at every cost. With
! this secession, or revolution, or rebellion, OF
| by Whatever name it may be called, the
! State OF Delaware has had naught to do.
| To our constitutional duties toward each
| and every member of the Union we have
/ been faithful in all times. Never, never has
/ a thought n word an act of ours been I'm.
| faithful to the Union Of our fathers-in let,
/ ter and in spirit it has been faithfully kept
! by us. But the stern fact is still before us
/ and but two alternatives present themselves.
| Shh we make war upon and Subjugate this
new cOnfedeacv, or shatl We peacefully
/ treat with them and consent to their self
government, trusting to time, which is the
great healer of all wrongs and passions, to
bring them again voluntarily into COM
mon government with u.s.
Take the proposition of war--Of horrid
civil war, my cOunirvmen! Grant to the
Northern arms complete success. Suppose
that every Southern city be reduced to
chastity ruin, every peaceful Southern home
deSolated, and Southern man slain or ma lie
captive. This is the evident completest re-
alzatiOn of that dream Of con lueSt so hOr-
riblv satisfactory to those minds who con
troll the Northern press. But what then?
Will Union with slaves and the possession
of desert satisfy YOU? You do not and
cannot love and aid in times of your neces-
sity from those States YOU have so cruelty
suhdued Ii is too plain, therefore, that
your success in such war would be the
most fatal Injury TO yourselves.
And Is such war necessary for the peace
and happiness OF the United States? For
half century we have lived at peace with
Great Britain, with her Canadian possessions
upon our northern border. Upon the South,
Mexico holds her government with no
threats Of trouble to us or our citizens.
Why. then, may not two American confede-
racies exist side by side without conflict,
each emulating the other in the progress of
Civilization? The co-terminOus Kingdoms
Of Europe offer many examples of similar
peace and prosperity With suck a sick
ening alternative as civil war; why should
not the experiment at last be made. 1t is
this question we are to pass upon to-day.
believe with the late Senator Douglas,
who has before been quoted to-day, that "a
war is disunion, certain, final, inevitable,
and so believing, l oppose it. believe
Solemnly that the war inaugurated by Abra-
ham Lincoln and his cabinet is worse than
fruitless-that it will prove more disastrous
to the North than to the South, and never
will accomplish It's protested objects. Al
ready it has driven out of our Union four
States, while others stand in doubt, When
take up the public papers and see the mar