Year: 1862

1862, BY HON. A. j. HAMILTON OF TEXAS.


"Fellow citizens of the city of New York
Could i, by the exercise of some supernatural
power present to those left behind, the scene
upon which l now gaze, and bring back the
answer which springs in every heart which
throbs with loyal feeling, you would be
thanked as alone would be fitting for this over
powerlng welcome. | remember well, as / en-
tered your magnificent harbor but a few days
past, for the first time in my life, | could but
be impressed with the evidence before me of
the magnitude, the progress and greatness of
our country, as represented upon but one sin
gle spot of its country. But there was con-
nected with it painful throb and it arose from
the recollection that all was now being mper-
illed; and whatever you, fellow citizens may
have supposed with regard to the progress of
this rebellion, or to the extent, so far as terri
tory is concerned, or the integrity OF the peo-
pie of any section of the country, satisfied as
you may be in your minds that it would not
go beyoud the state of the south, entertain
different opinion. l mean to be uderstood, if
it is to succeed where it is already attempted,
in my humble judgment, it will not stop there;
in short, that ii the government of the United
States as it existed before the rebellion is not
maintained in all its integrity, we may look
forward to period perhaps not so remote that
some here present may not see it, when it will
give way here also. Had the theory now advan-
ced throughout the south. that republicanism
was afalure. been put forth at the commence
mentof the rebellion, it would have been nipped
in the bud. But when the arms and powder and
lead were all concentrated in the hands of the
government they raised the cry democracy is Il
failure. We must get rid OF the people of the
north. because they are democratic Slavery
and democracy cannot live together. loud
and prolonged applause.) The only reply
which he made, so long as he could make any,
to these statements as to the weakness of de-
.mocracy, was: gentlemen, by the time you
have got through with Uncle Sam, you will
find it strong enough for common use." loud
cheers.)


He had been what was called loyal man to
the institution of slavery, but the moment the
old flag was torn down, he had told them that
they would make him not only an abolitionist
sympathzer, but an active practical abolition
ist (Cheering.) He feared that there were
those here who still fancied that by some con-
cilatory measures the south could be brought
back to the old government. There could be
no greater lallacy. The loyal men of the south
were praying to get back into the Union with
out any condition or Cancellation. Would any
man consent that JEFF. Davis should ever be
president of the United States? (No, no')


do want to see the old government when
it shall have asserted its power make a wise
ana 1uSI DtlWttH llle guilty. ana
dended. want the really responsible trail
tors punished. | want the down trodden, the
ignorant. to be allowed to come back like the
prodigal son and be forgiven. Ii we cannot
conciate these men, what can we do? Shall
history record it that twenty-seven millions of
free men, women, and children, have not the
moral and physical power to strangle treason
in fifteen hundred thousand? Is republican
ism to fail on this continent because that twen-





of their duty to themselves, to the government
of their fathers, 10 humanity the wide world
over, to realize the fact that this rebellion can
alone be crushed by physical force? l have
not doubt but peace propositions will come
from the confederate government, but they
will not come in the shape of an unconditional
proposition to assume the Union as it was,
leaving the elective franchise as it was The
very desperation with which they are strug-
Cling ought to prove to you and the world that
they will never stop while they can get men to
bleed; they will never cease to fight as long as
there is a hope of success, because il is the
only salvation to them. The war must be put
down by bayonet, by powder and bali, by brave
hearts and strong arms. Cheers.


do not say this because / have suffered
it is because thousands of brave men are suf-
fering now. 1t is true had | not suffered and
witnessed suffering | might not, and probably
would not, have been so earnest in my feel
ings. We are all sufficiently selfish, and / am
no exception. If secession is an accomplished
fact. and the government that has resulted
from it an established government among the
nations of the earth, do you believe that seces-
sion would stop there? Are there not men
even in the Empire State, in your goody city,
who would listen TO treason? There may be
no such men in all New York. but fellow citi-
zens, / would dislike exceedingly to think that
my hopes of the future depended upon the
fact of there being no such men. daughter J
say that do not question the loyalty of the
great heart of New York. | mean that man
has not, even here in New York, attained TO
human perfectabity. There are men, doubt
less, here who would be willing TO be the great
particular magnate here in New York at the
expense of the government at Washington
1t is certain to my mind that if il once is es-
tablshed that it is possible thing to tear
asunder the states, there will be men tugging
at it day by day and year by year,and you will
not have the confidence you once had that
these attacks should be resisted. and you may
be led to ask whether, to escape anarchy AT
last, you had not better have stronger gov
ernment. There is safety for us and fallen hut
manlty throughout the world in the preserva-
tlon Of the government of our fathers. loud
cheers.) We have confidence in the flag which
floats over the soil of New York to-day. bui
when the one shall have been DESTROYED and
the other be trailing in the DUST what conf
dence shall we have in equal success. | al
home felt that | was degraded man because
was a son of the south, and the people with