Year: 1863




On the Duty Of the Citizen.
,3Ng 'm


NY FELLOW CITIZENS: The recep-
ton that this mass of my old friends
has extended to me to day calls for an
expression Of my profound thanks, and
an assurance Of my most warm and
fervent gratitude, Old memories have
been busy with me to-day; reminis-
cences of the past have been crowding
constantly upon my mind; but amid
those of the future that may come up
to me, either in my waking or sleep
ing dreams, no remembrance will hold
a more precious or greener place in
my heart than that of your cordiality
and Kindness to me here to-day. Yet
in all this vast crowd, l miss the IA
miliar face and the cordial grasp of
one whom it would have delighted me
much to meet-the companion fmy
boyhood, the political and personal
friend of my manhood, and one whose
soul was full of honor, and all"full OF
integrity-an original and lifelong
Democrat, who was Jackson man
when it was almost a crime in this
county, to be one-a Democrat in all
things, without guile; he paused not
10 consider party lines, to see on which
side weresthe defenders of his country,
but went forth at the head of his regi


ment to the tle-field, to meet dis
ease and death in the camp, and was
brought back to be laid in the grave Of
his patriot fathers. Peace to his mem
DRY, and light lay the sod and green
grow the turf on the remains Of Col,
Jesse Hildebrand! One who knew
him well, and loved him dearly, desires
to drop alike a tear and an evergreen
upon his grave. ~


There is but a single topic which
one who appears before an audience at
this time is expected to discuss, and
that is, the condition of the country in
view of the most fragrant rebellion
which history has ever recorded In
entering upon the discussion Of this
matter to-day, / desire, in order to save
myself trouble and avoid misappre
bension, at once to define my position.
n / need not tell this vast audience,
assembled in this my native county,
that from the days of my boyhood up
TO. this hour, have been ranked with
the political party known as the Dem
ocratic and l believe the time has new
er been known, from my entrance in
to its ranks till now that ! have ever
wavered or been false to it, | am, in
all things appertaining to the general
policy, of the country, u Democrat to-
day, and ever hope to remain one with
out mitigation, without change, in all
those great principles on which politi-
cal parties divide But when Il crisis
of this kind arises, it is aprinciple of
, my Democracy -and shall not at
tempt to interpret other gentlemen S
Democracy for them-that the first
great duty every man owes is to his
country, that this is where the principles
of his party ought to lead him.


.,. Although there is President in of
flee that did not help to put there,
and although, in all human probability
/ would not cast vote for him to-
morrow, yet in this great contest ac-
knowledge him--not the head of a
party, but as the head of the Govern
ment, as the Executive officer of the
nation ECheers,1 And, like d sol
,dier fighting in the ranks hold it to
be my duty to obey him, my comman-
ding officer, in all things, without
questioning his policy in this great con.
test. BY and by may have some
thing as citizen, to say on this sub
iect; but at the present time my duty
lies in another direction, 1t is true
that I have differed from Mr.. Lincoln
on many questions, but they are mi
nor ones. and this is no time to cavil
1t is not whether this or that man


rights have been infringed upon, OF
whether some common wheel has beer
run over a corner of the Constitution


but the question now is, what's the du
ty of every man to his Government il
this contest? Let us first settle will
these rebels and when we have dom
that, we can begin to take matters a
4. home in hand, and | have no doubt w
will be fully equal to them.


In discussing this question, | shal
necessarily recur to topic on whicl
public speakers profess to have grea
.delicacy in treating, but on which


have none at all. have no. more deli
cacy in approaching the topic of sla
very than any other; but in doing it


will firstsay, that with slavery as a do
mestic institution, both as to maste
and slave, have nothing whatever t
do. Ihaye no care in regard to it,
Whatever may be my opinion in re
gard to the relation of masterand slav
IN the South, is entirely immaterial i
this discussion it has nothing to d
with this contests ] have always bee
willing to leave them free in the er
joyment Of their slaves; and if it b