Year: 1863

with enemies in arms, except by taking
the views of their leading journals and
speakers. We have these views. They
demand the independence of the South
and insist upon their right to secede.--
This utterly deny loud applause and
il God should spare my life never will
cease to deny it. There is nothing in
tho Constitution to warrant it. 1t is the
destruction of cur form of Government,
and must be resisted at all hazards
This, then, is the condition of the coun-


try. Now, in regard ID the holding Of a


Convention, ii Which we may all confer


with each other, and they of the South,
as well as we Of the north, might debate


how we conld get rid Of the existing


Government. For it is plaih that Mr..
Lincoln is the constitutional President,
elected for four years, and he must serve


two years longer from march next, un-


less the people Of the Union choose to go


into convention and decide otherwise.


If they do this, a ne# election can be or


dered in sixty days, if the contention so


decide. Loud and continuous applause.


But the people Of the south do not


choose to see the thing in this light;


they choose rather, to abide by the opn-


ions of certain head men, who have led


them into this controversy, and are une


quivocally opposed to anything like a


restoration Of the Union. / never doubted


that Jefferson Davis is opposed to 1t, or


that the ringleaders of the rebellion ale


opposed to it, or that the ringleaders Of


the rebellion are opposed to reconciliation.
Their existence politically, morally and,
it may be, physically depends upon the
establishment OF an independent confeed-


racy. No man who has any regard for
himself would uphold these men, or treat


them as political brethren hereafter. The
certain fate which awaits any one who
would do SO, would deter every one from
the thought. Therefore, they are op-
posed to reunion. Our friends in llli-
nois, who propose 10 endeavor to hold a
convention, will find it "a barren task be-
cause theSonth is determined not to re-
turn. and, until their armies have power
to resist and put us down, this war must
90 on, and those who would attempt to
stop it will be carried away by the tor
rent. Loud applause and a few Kisses.
These are my oplnons-my pei sonal views.


And now let us consider what is The
best mode Of prosecuting the war. !
have already stated that prefer peace.
That we cannot have. Those whom we
are dealing with will not have it, and
those who attempt to obtain it without
their consent are on fruitless errand
The articles of their Journals and the
declarations of their speakers show it,
Now, some persons have suggested for
eign intervention. 10 that oppose NY
objection, in any and every way, whether
it be in the form of advice or Of forcible
would not even consent
to the plan Of the Tribune, to refer it to
one of the Swiss Cantons. This rebellion
is real, and rather than call on foreigners
to decide whether we shall live or ot,and
on what terms, it would be better to die
at once. Applause. So there is no use OF
talking about foreign intervention, we
must either subdue this tumult ourselves
Or not at all. Ne1s, we should inquire
upon what terms the war should 60 on.


There was but one opinion in the
North, when the war broke out. When
Congress resolved that the war was to
restore the Constitution, there was but
one unanimous opinion in Congress to
sustain the Administration. Subsequent
Y to that time, there have been occur
'ences which have worked sensible chan.
res in the Northern mind, producing not
,nly an open opposition to the Admins
ration, bnt almost plain sympathy
With lie Sonth, and desire to end tie
var, Let us see what is the cause.


Here Mr.. Vau Buren, referred to the
Presidents Proclamation, and approved
# the policy of which it expressed.


AS our armies progress, freedom TO the
laves must follow as matter of course,
ust like the destruction Of every othel


ind Of rebel possessions. II this is whaI
he President means, it is all right but il
10 means to say that all slaves in the
'outh are free, it is false; for they are
ow Just as much slaves in law as il the
reclamation had never been issued. Ii
as, therefore, fallen dead on black as on
,hite. do not think he can excite All
1surrecton in the South; and if be could.
very soldier in the United States would I
ise up to put down tic slave rebellion.
In a way against women and {
hidren, we are with The women and !
hildren, Applause More: if it could {
g plainly seen that this was the purpose |
the proclamation, every Demscrauc
oldier in the army would lay down his
rms--[loud applause land then we
ould have an Interesting war. l would
Ike to see war between the Abolition S
is. Laughter. AS for exl e;ting Gree t
and Sumner to go there, that is out Of a
the question Renewed latighter. But Il