Year: 1863

twsen the Government and the Rebellion.


1t has been nothing else, it is nothing else,


and it never will be anything else and


you may baptiae 1t at the fount of infdel
politics as often as you choose, and when


it comes out, the same bastard of Rebel


lion will be seen, Laughter and cheers.
But it is feared by the politicians that


some incidents may be drawn In, that


may be uncomfortable. This reminds me


of the transmigration philosopher, who


begged man to desist from the chastise


ment of dog, for, he said, he could re-


cognize in its howl the voice Of decea.


sed friend. There are great many poll.


ticians, l think now, who the moment


they hear Slavery crying, believe that they


hear the voice of deceased friend


Loud laughter and applause. Now l


have been one of those conservative peo-


pie, not according to the modern doctrine


Of conservatism--for was old-fashioned


in my detinition-but l was for letting


the institution of Slavery entirely alone


to work out its own problem, under the


guidance of a benelicent Providence


not interfering with it in any shape or


manner, but leaving it to the localities


where it existed, to be dealt with in their


own time and way. When they said


"Constitution," l said "Coustitution."


When they appealed to that as their


shield, invoked its protection for them,


When they said powder, l said powder
Applause. And when they inquire


who can make war upon the Beast, | said


the American people. [Cheering.l l


have had no anxeties upon this subject,


except to afford them the shield of the


Constitution, so long as they invoke it.


But when they threw it away, when they
resorted TO arms, said then, put them
down by the whole power of the Ameri-
can people. Applause.l l was an old
fashioned Democrat, as you may remem-
ber. l am Democrat now applause,


of the staightest sect. Buta great many
who were Abolitionists when l was a
Democrat-or tried to be if it paid WELL
now call me to account, and say am rad
ical, very radical, indeed, and they are
conservative. Well, l will admit they are
conservative in one sense, and only one,
and that is not the chronological or tech
nical sense, but it is the American sense,
and that is opposed to the Government
and all its institutions and interests. APP
plause. They say l am radical. / ad-
nit l am radical in this radicalsm, if they
intend by this that am for making this
cure complete, and thorough, and effect
aal, then am radical, for, being fairly in,
/ have all idea to see this war fairly out


The question of Emancipation has be.
come one of the questions Of the day. 1t
cannot be blinked any longer; and l have
no disposition to get around it. l will
meet it as l have always met questions
Many of you thought was on the wrong
side; but always took one side. new
er took both sides on any question:


Laughter and cheers. l took the side
of letting this question entirely alone, SO
long as they appealed to the CONSTITUTIONS
when they threw that away. and -epudi-
ated it, said, as say now-and l want
the reporters to be sure to get me down.
| speak for the benefit of political sneaks
generally cheering Il say shat the
only safeguard of Slavery was the recog-
milton of the Constitution; that the opin-
ion of the world is against it; all the in
stincts of humanity and religion are
against it; the advance of civilization is
against it; the moral material,
commercial, and relgious-of the country
are all against it; and while I would pros
ecute the war, solely and entirely for the
purpose Of putting down this Rebellion,
if Slavery happens to go along with it,
will hold up both my hands and cry amen
to putting them both down. Great ap-
plause. / never favored it as an insti-
tuition. I favored letting it alone when
they invoked the Constitution; when they
threw that away, and exposed its naked
ness and deformity,I cared not how quick
it went by the board, Cheers.] They
sent their pitcher to the well once too
much. Laughter. 1carus scared SO
near heaven that the suns heat melted
away his waxen wings, and he came down
to destruction and baptised the Icarian
sea, we are told. Although his father
cried Icarus, Icarus, he needed not, he
was determined, in his ambition and Sc
,urity, to soar up to heaven; and thus he
was destroyed.


Slavery has traded SO long in the poll.
,ics of the country, had controlled con-
had made the mean mighty and
The little great, that it thought it could do
and remembering that soaring
Upward like Icarus, melted waxen
wings, and went right downward. But
t melted its waxen wings there and de-
'troyed the institution forever. Great '
aughter and applause The friends of !
Slavery have done for it what its enemies
lever could have done; and the Aboli. '
;on;ets o,,,rbt In hold a dow of tbontc cniv 7