Year: 1864

the other thing, and the people of the
South, fearing that it was to be all the
other thing, cried out for more guaran-
tees of the safety of the institution
And when. the blow was struck, we
found that the Confcderacy was based
on negro slavery-established solely
for the perpetuation Of that institution.
We had never divided the Government
of our fathers and we found, to our
grief that in Our anxiety for the safe
ty of slavery we had founded a gov
ernment on no principles ofpatriotism
merely as matter of dollars and
cents. We thought that you wanted
to drive slavery in corner where
1t would sting itself to death,
and we wanted to protect it. We
thought we would have government
all to ourselves, where this institution
would not be interfered with, and we
hoped still flirther to strengthen it, in
the course of time, by grasping the is
lands adjacent to out States by an
hexing Mexico, and by reaching even,
and swallowing some Of the anacondas
of South America. Laughter. This
was all before Lincoln's proclamation.
But what was the result? Delaware
would not come with us; Maryland
hesitated and then clung to the old flag;
Kentucky did not respond. She hest
tated in gloom and amid fields of blood,
and then, emerging from the cloud,
shone brightly as ever in the collcc-
ton of stars. Missouri, too, long a
scene of bloody conflict, has returned
to the Union. She toppled amid the
wreck and disorder, but again spark
les in the nations coronet of stars
This looked bad to us. Slavery seem
ed worse hemmed in than ever before,
and we feared to abandon it and the
struggle. We waited long and patient
ly for our recognition by foreign pow
ers. But, instead of that, came Lin
coins Proclamation of Emancipation.


Loud .Applause.] J don't think the
vast Importance Of that measure was
fully understood, either by the people
or the President himself, when it was
issued. We of the South certainly did
not fully or nearly appreciate it. But
first caine his notice, and at this we
laughed.


What, said we, has Lincoln or his
Government to do with us, that he
sends us his notices. Let him try it
on, and see what coed it will do him.
Sure enough, the famous Emaicipa-
ton Proclamation was issued. But
still we laughed. What docs his Proc
lamation amount to, said we. Our
Government dosn't ratify it; it dosn't
affect our Constitution. But armies
had been raised, and under the old flag
the legons of the North and West
bore down upon us, and they
brought with them-the Proclamation!
[Cheers. We called them Lincoln S
hordes, but with their appearance, the
manaclcs fell from off our slaves, and
they were free. We in the interior
saw this result along the rivers, and we
pitied our friends who were thus feel


ing the effects of the Proclamation
but we soon felt the same trouble, and
we laughed no more on that subject
And here let me express my belief that
God Almighty intended this war to be
the death blow to slavery. From the
first, we can trace circumstances and
signals which point Enthusiastically to
this fact. Every circumstance of this
rebellion shows struggle in the ma


ture of things to free the nation from


the blight of this curse. And we will


throw.it off and be more homoge.


neous and united than ever before


The people of the South did not un-


dcgstand this at first, but they are be-


ginning to learn it, and to see the phi


losophy of events. Many Of us see il


now, and desire the evil uprooted for


ever. l believe this war is nearly end


ed. | believe that if certain men in


the North will stop talking about


peace and conservatism, and use every


effort in support of the war, that the


rebellion will be SO pushed as to col


lapse by spring time. You would


think, fyou visited us in Arkansas


that the seat of Abolitionism had beer


transferred from New England to Ar


kansas. Our people have right
l God knows-to be sick of slavery, and


they are sick oft. Oh so sick. They


can point to desolated homes, devasta


ted fields, fbrsaken iiresides, and smo


king villages as a monument ofslavery


They turn from it with loathing in
describle But while we, who are 81


much interested pray for deliveranc'


from the curse, there is sneakinG


party in the North who would forc'
us to keep this curse with us. W.
would return to our allegiance with
slavery blotted from our State Con
stitution. What sight is here pre-
sented2 l tell you, my friends, tha
if you desire to prolong this war, yo'
/ have only to continue this talk abou
conservatism. There is nothing tha
has more assisted jeff. Davis than thi
{ conservative, peace party of the North
, The work of that party, he said, wa
/. the first ray of light he had perceived
and rejoiccd at during this who'll
: struggle. Let me appeal to you, then
Q to drop this talk of conservatism, ant
support the war measures which ar
0 in force. You people of Ohio hav
done glorious work in this war;
@ Your soldiers have bravely represen
s ted this State on many a battlefield