Year: 1863

as between The master and his slaves, |
have always been compelled to believe
that the servant had the best Of it, !
have been content that the Southern
people should have all the laws they de-
sired for the recovery Of their slaves
when they escaped from bondage, and
l would be willing to it now. l don t
wish to disturb the. relations existing
between them, if they will keep their
relations to themselves and away from
the people of the free States, j have nc
disposition to meddle with it. 1t has
cast a blight and mildew over their
whole country, but it cast none here,
1nor dove desire that it should.
But there is another character of the
institution of slavery, and against it
do fight 1t is the political character
which has been given to it for the last
five and twenty years and that is The
character which our people are look
ing to to-day, SO long as the slave
holder was content to keep the institu-
ton in his own. territory, it didn't be-
come an element Of alarm to either
section of the country but there came
up, as long ago as the qualification
times of Calhoun, the idea that slave
ry was to be made the balance of po-
litical power in this country. 1t was
contended, on the part Of Southern
statesmen, that whenever free State
should be admitted into this Union, "a
slave State should enter at the same
time-that in Congress free and slave
States were to be represented equally.
When speak of slavery in this con
nection, | desire to be understood as
speaking of it in its political character
and not as domestic institution.


Now we come to inquire what is the
great cause and controlling spirit of
this rebellion with which the country
is now concerned2 If we would look
to the end, we must first find the begin
ming Two causes have produced this
state Of things and if any gentleman
in this assembly imagines these causes
have been suddenly sprung upon this
country, he has not been a good politi-
cal student Of the times in which he
lived. The first Of these causes was
the inordinate thirst for political pow
er and domination on the part Of the
Southern leaders; and the second was
the determination to make the politi-


cal character of slavery the balancing
power in the nation. These two things
have precipitated the rebellion; they
have been the causes working for a
long period of time toward this result.


If man Of even ordinary capacity


had stood on the pavements in Cincin-
natl during the sittings of the Conven-
ton which nominated Mr. Buchanan


and failed to see these elements at
work he must have been as blind us a
mole. At that time and for years be-
fore it, this rebellion was determined


upon 1t was no sudden movement Of
the Southerners. The first leading
motive was an ascendancy in the con
troll of the government Of the country


With their snbordinates, they made the
institution of slavery the means by
which to secure it. - rc.t t-..


Wearc told that sectional elections
have produced this state Of things
Ny friends we have not had an cleo
ton in this country that has not had
these elements in it, excepting one
perhaps-that of 1910; for know to
my deep chagrin, that in every instance
where the Democratic party have taken
Il successful part in the elections of the
country they have been compelled to
90 to the Southern States for their man
or take man which those Southern
politicians had bound hand and foot
before his nomination., Great ap-
plause. When you come down to the
election of 1860, which is said to have
been sectional in its character, ! will
show that the election Of Mr.. Lincoln
had no more to do with the Inaugural
tion of this rebellion than would an act
of the Chinese Emperorin hiskingdom
have done, That it was issued as a
pretext will admit, but that it was a
moving cause | deny. These things
have been gradually working to their
issue for Years, The Southern politi.
cians saw what every one else has
seen, that on account Of the institution
of slavery, the political power Of the
Government was passing out Of theil
hands. They found out long ago, what
the world could have told them much
sooner, that civilization and material


prosperity could not go hand in hand


with slavery they found that, by the


laws of population, while they were 10


sing in their political character anC


strength, the virgin soil of this great


Northwest was being occupied with {


hardy and thrifty people, who were no


only extending the area Of freedom, bu


what they disliked more than all else


extending the area of votes; that the
time was not far distant when the eState
north of Mason and DiXon's line woulC


control the destinies of this country
What was to be done? Then came VI
: the dogma that slavery must be the bal
ance wheel in the Government,and reg
ulate etheadmission offree States into tn
, Union. They therefore said to theNorth
t youmust adopt therule thatslavery shal
, go hand in hand with freedom, in orde


to preserve the equilibrium of power
Well, the Democratic party had shoul
dered great many things in its tim
till, to use a steamboat expression W
used to employ under such circumstan
: ces, they literally loaded us down t