Year: 1864

should be irretrievably plunged into th
fathomless abyss of disunion. That polio.
] am about to enter into discussion OF
On no occasion can it be wisely discussed
| in all its details within the hearing of ou
Southern enemies. can but say that tha
policy has been eminently fatal in dividing
the counsels of the North, and in uniting
and concentrating the South, and it accom-
plished that il it accomplished no other re
suits. The all important, the only impor
tant end in restoring the Union, seems Il
have been lost-lost sight OF, at least. AmiG
the multiplicity Of the cries now set forth
is the subjugation and determination Of the
South, and the other great and leading
almost to have been abandoned, and instead
we have been treated to hundred project.
of reconstruction.


There seems to have been an almost pos
tive willingness in some quarters to vie
with the efforts Of the enemy in destroying
the old Constitution Of the States, whose
birthday we celebrate. We have heard
sweeping propositions to abolish and des.
troy whole States, and whole systems al
States, and to blot out their stars from the
national banner. At one time we have
heard declarations from some high places
in the land that we are never to be permit
ted to see again the Union as it was, or the
Constitution as it is. What then, in Heav-
ems name, are we fighting for? What
other Union are we fighting for but the
Union as it was, or what Constitution is
the President and his generals and the ar
my fighting to maintain, but the Constitu-
ton as it is Why, my friends, language
like this, if we heard it from the lips of
rebels in arms, We might understand it,
But when it comes from lips profess
ing to be loyal, we cannot help recalling
man, when he bade US look with horror upon
the children Of the country who would
hack their aged parent to pieces, and put
him iu the kettle Of q magician in the hope,
by their poisonous weeds and wild incan-
tations, they might rejuvenate the patcrnal
constitution, and renovate their father
life. Heaven save us frotn any such res.
toration as that


We cannot fail to remember that it was
the sectional Republican party, four years
ago, who furnished the immediate occasion
for that atrocious and ungodly assault upon
the Constitution and the Government which
inaugurated this gigantic civil war. We
cannot help remembering that it was their
alleged sectional bias which furnished to
the leaders of the secession cause the fuel
which was wanting for the kinding Of this
awful conflagration. The secession leaders
rejoiced in the election of Mr.. Lincoln then,
and he (Mr w } believed they would re.
joice again if he should be re elected in No.
vember next, as he hoped in Heaven he
nunciation or condemnation which, in his
judgment, it did not deserve, ano If it
would do any good to stand all night in
railing at the rebellion or the authors of it
but they all knew that the whole North
rose up nobly as one man, resisted the re-
bellon and supported the Government,
pouring out their blood and treasure like
water in the cause. .- ...t.


This they had done; but no considera.
tons OF loyalty or patriotism called upon
them to 60 further. They would supper,
the Administration as long as their term
lasted, not as approving their policy, bu,
as recognizing the legitimate position Of the
authority Of the Government; but no con.
siderations Of patriotism or loyalty called
upon them to prolong the supremacy of a
party whose policy tended to destroy every
spark of Union sentiment in the Southern
breast, and to implant in its stead dogged,
desperate determination never to be recon-
ciled or come again under rulers whom they
had learned to hate. The policy of the
present Administration had rendered the
victories of our armies hundred fold more
difficult to be achieved and had robbed
them of almost all their legitimate results
Cheers. -.l


There were no victories which cost Sc
much or come to so little as those which
were extolted from foe who had been
goaded and maddcned into desperation
The goading and maddening process would
serve very we'll to increase the sport of a
bull fight, but it had already cost us one
Bull Run, and in his judgment, Union and
peace could not be secured by such victo
ries. [App.ause.] He (Mr. w. would moi
be understood to cast imputations upoT
the patriotism Of President Lincoln or any
body else; he had no doubt that Mr.. Lin
coin honestly desired to save the country


How could any man doubt that tn,
President should desire to write his name
upon the roll Of history as the restorer 0
the American Union? 1t was title which
might satisfy the most exalted ambition
but he feared that Mr. Lincoln had become
incapaciated for the work by his proclama
tons anA pledges upon the slavery ques
ton.


We could not bring about successful
conclusion Of this terrible struggle; he hat
weaved for himself gordon knot which h
could not unite, and which the bravest an.
sharpest swords which we could emplo,
had not yet been able to cut asunder
["That's So" and applause.] Who hat
forgotten the manifesto "To whom it ma,
concern p in which Mr.. Lincoln was pledg
cd by his proclamations to insert condi
ton which discomfitted his best friend
and rendered hopeless every proposition 70
peace. We needed new counsels and


change Of policy; We needed to return t
that constitutional policy under which tn
North was originally rallied for the suppres
sion of the rebellion, the policy which wa
embodied in the Crltenden resolution
That went in for the restoration Of tn
Union without any view to subjugatior
conquest, determination or prescription
but with single view Of restoring the NJ
thoritiy of the Constitution and the restora


ton Of the States. ..... s..


That was the policy which would hav


divided the South and which ought to hav
united the North. 1t was still the polio


which, pursued under the lead of me


against whom the loyal heart Of the Sout


had not been embittered and poisoned


under the lead Of men who were not ashau


ed to avow their readiness for reconciliation


that highest ornament Of the Christia


character, without which we could not hoE


for the blessing Of God upon our arms.


it were pursued he believed the Union


the States would be restored, and the f.
Of the country once more in the face Of It