Year: 1862




Amid the hardslips of an exhausting cam,
paign-amid satferings from exposure and
want-amid those anguishing upon beds
of sickness, or those struck down bs the
casualties Of war, heard and saw only
devotion to our Constitution. and love for
our country's flag. Each eye frightened
as it looked upon the National Standard
with its glorious emblazonry of stars and
stripes. From this scene of patriotic de
votion | went into our National Capitol
traversed its Mosaic pavements; eazed
upon its walls ot polished marble ; 1 saw
upon its ceilings all that wealth, lavishly
poured out, could do to make them sug
gestive of our country's greatness and its
wonderful wealth of varied productions
t Art had exhausted itself in painting and
sculpture to make every aspect suggestive
! Of high aud noble thought and purpose
Full Of the associations which cluster
about this vast Temple which should be
dedicated to patriotism and truth; | en-
tered its Legislative Halls; there gilded
walls and gorgeous furniture did not con
trast more strongly with the rude scenes
of martial life than did the glisening pu
trescence and thin lacquer of Congression.
al virtue contrast with the sterling loyalty
and noble self sacrifice of our country
defenders. | listened 10 debates full ol
bitterness and strife.


saw in the camp a heartfUl homage to
our national flag-a stern defiance of those
who dared to touch its sacred folds with
hostile hands. | heard in the Capitol
threats of mutilation of lis embIazonry-
by striking down the life Of States He
who would rend our national standard BY
dividing our Union, is traitor. He
who would put out one gl;ttering star
from its azure field, is traitor too.


This war cannot be brought to a sue
ccssful conclusion or our country restored
to an honorable place under the Republi-
can leaders. Our disasters are manly
due to the fact that they have not dared 10
tell the truth to the cc:nmuuitv. A sys
tenn of MISREPRESENTATION had been prac-
ticed Sc long and so successfully that
wien the war burst upon us they feared
to let the people know its full proportions,
and they.persisted in assuring their friends
it was but a passing excitement. They
still asserted the south was unable to main
tain and carry on war. They denounc>
ed as traitor every man who tried to
tell the truth and to warn our people Of
the magnitude of the contest.


Now, my republican friends, you know
that the misapprehensions of the north
with regard to she south has drenched the
land with blood. Was this ignorance ac,
cidentals l appeal to you republicans il
for years past, through the press and in
publications which have been urged upon
your attention by the leaders Of your par
ty, you have not been taught to despise
the power and resources of tue south |
appeal to you to say if this teaching has
not been part Of the machinery by which
power was gained I? appeal':o you to
answer if those who tried to teach truths
now admitted have not been denounced
| appeal to you if a book, beyond all 9TH
ers, fa..se, bloody and reasonable, was not
sent out with the endorsement Of all your
managers and is it not true that now,
when men blush to own they believed its
statements, that its author is honored by
an official station? 1t now freely cons
fessed by you all that you have been de
caived with respect to the sonth. Who
deceived you! Who, by false teachings,
iDstilled contempt and hate into the
minds of our people? Who caused ruin
and distress! All these things are within
your own knowledge. Are their authors
the leaders to rescue US from our calami>
ties? They shrink back appalled, from
the mischief they have wrought, and tell
you it ia an irrepressible contest. Tha,
reason is as good for Jefferson Davis as it
is for them. They attempt to drown re-
flections by new excitements and new sp-
peals to our passions. Having already, in
legislation, gone far beyond the limits at
which, by their resolutions, they were
pledged to stop, they now ask to adopt
measures which they have heretofore de-
nounced as unjust and unconstitutional
For this reason they cannot save our coun.
try.


A proclamation Of general and armed
emancipation at this time would be a
cruel wrong to the African. 1t is now
officially declared in the Presidential ad
dresses, which are fortified by Congress
sionaI action, that the negro cannot live
in the enjoyment of the full privileges of
life among the white race. 1t is now ad
nltted, after our loss OF infinite blood and
treasure, that the great problem we have
to settle is not the slavery, but the negro
question. A terrible question, not spring
ing from statutes or usages, but growing
out Of the Interchangeable distinction OF
race. 1t is discovered at this late day, in
republican Illinois, that it is right TO drive
bum from Its soil. 1t is discovered by a
republican Congress after convulsing orr
country with declarations in favor of his
equal rights, ard asserting that he was
merely the victim of unjust laws, that he
should be sent away from our land The
issue is now changed. The south holds
tina. the African is fit TO live here as a
slave. Our republican government denie.
that he is fit TO live here at all


The republican party cannot save the
country, because through lis powerful
press j. teaches contempt for the laws,
constitution and constitutional uthoritias