Year: 1864

Speech Of the Hon. Robert c. winthrop


OF Boston, At the Great Mcclellan


Meeting in New York.


Mr.. Winthrop thanked them for the cor
dial reception he met with, and said he fel
It an honor to be associated with gentle
man (Mr. Gallatn) whose patriotism, spot
less integrity and financial wisdom had gain
cd him such an enviable reputation. They
knew him (Mr. Winthrop as member o
the old Wing party of the Union as long al
that party had name and an organization
lO the land. He could not refuse the invi


htion of the committee, seconded as it was
BY the selection of an old and valued friend
whom he had known for so many years as
the tried and trusty friend of Daniel Web.
ster, to be at least present as witness Of
this great demonstration and being there
l'e could not refuse to respond to the call
| which had been made upon him that he
should bear his humble testimony to the
cause in which they were engaged.


This, said he, was glorious sight.
was promised that should see the largest
meeting that was ever held in America, and
| think none will doubt that the promise is
in way to be fully verified This is glo-
rious spectacle, this vast assemblage OF
American citizens in the great metropolis OF
the nation, itself the noblest product of the
Union Of men unseduced by patronage and
unawed by power, Of assembling under a
common banner, all animated by common
resolve-that banner the Stars and Stripes,
and that resolve to do all that in us lies to
rescue our country from the dangers by
which it is encountered. Applause. You
are assembled, my friends, in Union Square,
and l am glad to be assured that you all
intend to stand square on the Union Plat
form. Laughter and cheers You are
assembled on the anniversary day on which
the Constitution Of the United States first
received the attesting signatures of its fra
mers, and | rejoice to be assured that you
are resolved to uphold the authority and
to vindicate the supremacy Of that Consti-
tuition.


In yonder city of Philadelphia, (Which,
l am glad to remember in this connection,
was the birthplace of George B. Mcclellan,
on the 18th of September, 1856, that sacred
instrument was perfected, which has secu-
red union and peace to our land for more
than seventy years, and which, if the ra!i.
fcaton Of this day shall be successfully
carried out, l verify hope and believe will
secure to our land union and peace for
seven or even seventy seven times seventy
years to come. [Applause.l We are as
scmbled, too, on the anniversary day on
which our noble candidate himself CON-
pleted his great work Of rescuing the capi-
tai of the country from the Confederate
hosts by the splendid victory OF Antietam


Cheers. You cannot have forgotten those
early days Of September, 1862, when the
the scale, when every mans heart was fail
ing him for fear; and when our young and
noble candidate, forgetting the unmerited
indignities to which he had beensubjected,
remembering nothing but the danger of his
country, determined to stand or fall with
its flag, gathered up the fragments of his
brave but broken army, re-organized those
scattered battalions as if by the wave of a
magcian's wand, drove back the invaders
across the Potomac, and re.assured the
safety Of Washington and the AdminIstra,
ton. [Chccrs


would not disparage the successes which
have been achieved undsr other command
ers. We all recognize with admiration the
splendid victories which have been obtain
ed by Meade, Grant, Sherman, the heroic
Farragut ana the Kearsarge Winslow; we
all give gratitude and honor to the heroes
of Atlanta, Of Vicksburg and Chattanooga: !:
but none of these victories have eclipsed or
Idimmed the brilliant record Of the little
army Of the Potomac and their gallant leader
on those memorable days which ended at
South Mountain and Antietan. 1t is
glory, perhaps, for that young and gallant
leader to say, as may be said of him in re-
gard to the result Of that brief but almost
miraculous campaign, that, born in the
birthplace Of the Constitution, he was privi.
legged by an auspicious and beautiful cein-
cidence to commemorate the thirty fifth
anniversary of his birthday by rescuing the
capital Of his country. And who of us
will not accept the omen, that it might have
been reserved for him who rescued the capi-
tai on that day to rescue the whole country
at this? Good and cheers -.
You have not forgotten, am sure, that
this was the very last military service which
Gen. Mcclellan was permitted to render to
his country. You have not forgotten that
within few weeks only, afterward, he was
summariy dismissed from his command.
and sent into that retirement from which
no patriotic purpose Of his own and no
persistent efforts Of his friends have been
able to prevail on the administration thus
far to release him. T'Shame, shame.'l But
thank Heaven, the day is at length at hand
when the people Of the United States have
the constitutional opportunity and right ,o
A. -.
istration; and hope with all my heart
that this decree Of theirs, if no other, viii
be revised and reversed. heartily hope
that the people Of the U. S. will resolve by
their votes in November next to take upor
their shoulders this young and gallant lead
or, whom the rulers have rejected, and beal
him triumphantly into the White House
That, as l understand it, is the proposition
before this meeting, and am glad of tn


opportunity-the earnest which has beer
presented to e-to give my hearty assen
to it, aud hope all the people will sa,
amen. TShouts Of we will'l


Young men of New York and the natio,
it is yours especially to see to it that th


great work is accomplished. Our candidat


is especially young mans candidate-th
youngest man who has ever been name,
for the Presidency, believe since the his


tory Of the country. 1t may well be tn


pride Of Young America to see that he ha


not only fair play and a generous support


but that he has an opportunity of showin


what the young men Of the country ar


able to do and are destined to do in tn
high civil places Of the land as well as upo


the field Of battle. [Shouts of 1--WE wi
, do it," But. my friends, would not fo


moment be thought to rest the issues {
this campaign upon any mere persons
! grounds. 1t is not mere question of car


ddates; it is a question Of the country.


is not a mere question between George l


Mcclellan and Abraham Lincoln; it is


question as to the nations welfare and tt