Year: 1863

Highland County, July 29h, 1868.
Mr.. Chairman and FelIo,o Citizens:


cannot look upon the present state
OF affairs without feeling an uncomm on
interest. Everything dear to you aud
to me, is involved in this calamitous
/. crisis; therefore, it behooves every man
to look about him and view matters as
they are; to ask himself If this re.
bellion succeeds what will be left worth
preseryingp


Have you read the history Of your
fathers? Did you ever thiuk for mo.
ment of the toll, the privatious, the
hardships they endured to maintain in
independence, and to establish the best
Government the world ever knew2 For
upwards of70 years we have been en-.
joying the comforts and blessings Of the
fruits of their labors; and why had we.
fourished so long2 Because the Gov
ernment they established was free one,
and men were permitted to act free for
themselves.


But why the present state of affairs2
A portion of the States rebel against
the General Government, and think
they can do better out of the Union
than in it. Shall we consent to allow
this separation? Never! Look at the
geography of the country; look at its
wealth, its resources. All, all forbid
dissolution. That moment you agree to,
or suffer separation, that moment you
impoverish yourselves and your chill.
dren. The prosperity of this country
cannot continue with out the States ex g..
list together. The very governments
that have always been our enemies are
now looking on and exulting over our
troubles.


l stand here, fellow citizens, foe to
the North or the South that wi hes or
attempts to destroy this Union. Divide
it into two separate Confederacies, and
but short time will intervene ere as
many will exist in each State, and a
standing army be required to suppress
home insurrcction.


low-citizens-Now is the time to
act; now is the time for every man to
swear he will support his country or
die; now is the time for every man to
do his duty.


Let us look at the condition of oul
army. Our force already in the field
is so distributed, covering SO much ter
ritory, as to render it inconveneut to
concentrate at any given point, force
sufficient fer the emergency. On the
other hand there is scarcely prominent
point in the South without large force
for its defence, am told that this day
the South has more able bodied, effect
i've men in the field than we have If
this be true, aud this war can be closed
by no other means than the sword, we
must have superior numbers. Can we
sit quietly at home, read our newspa-
pers, and expect to quell this rebellion?
No, sir-we must arouse.


How long did it take our forefathers
to gain the liberty we have been enjoy
ing? For seven long years, with a small
army, they toiled on, enduring and en-
countering every hardship, and yet
shall we be so forgctful as to what it
cost? God forbid!


SEE NO OTHER MEDIUM
THROUGH WHICH PEACE CAN
REACH EITHER PARTY, NORTH
OR SOUTH, BUT FIG EET; WE
WANT LARGE ARMIES OF ABLE,
STALWART MEN; TWO OR THREE
MORE BATTLES, and the question is
settled.


We must arouse and consider our
condition at home. We are not going
to be as secure in future as we have in
the past. The policy of the enemy is to
meet as on our o,on SoiU Heretofore the
contest has been on their own soil.


What is our condition for defence to
dayH Have we military organization?
Have we single regiment to defend our
own frcsides2 Do not fancy that we
are secure. The recent raids in Ken.
tucky, upon the borders of our own
State, are but the premonitory symp.
toms of what is to come, and, five are
not prepared, we must meet the conse.
quences.


Gen. Mcdowell concluded by saying;
If there is anything on earth I es-
TEEN above all others, it is that Union
given US by our forefathers. If there
=. 4