Year: 1861

| II
upon the battlefield, that the charge that
the citizens Of the South were cowardly,
incapable of manly exertion, or destitute
of yirtuous and heroic qualities, was a
malignant libel upon the American char
acter.


Ii it was in my power to name those
who should determine upon what princi-
pie this war should cease, and what meas
urcs should be adopted to restore the
former fraternal regard between the citi
zens Of different sections Of our land,
should select the armies which now con-
front each other upon the banks of the
Potomac. Deeply as l have deplored
this unnatural contest, i believe that the
mutual respect which must be the basis
of future reconciliation, can only be
gained upon the battle field. Every act
of chivalry, of heroism and of fortitude
displayed by American citizens, North or
South, tends to restore those sentiments
Of mutual respect; without which our
Union cannot stand. In no other way
can we wipe out the effects of inisrcpre-
sentation, of calumny, of passion and of
prejudice.


/ hope and believe that our arms are
to triumph in this contest, but do not
believe nor do 1 wish that the men Of the
South should prove themselves unworthy
of being our fellow-citizens. If / tho't
they were what they have been represent
ed to be, by the authors Of that sectional
agitation that has brought our country
into its present peril, would not wish to
bring them back Into the family of the
States of this Confederacy. While /
look upon them as mistaken and mis-
guided men, while know that they have
listened too muchto the counsels Of smbi-
tious leaders among themselves, and TO
the malignant attacks of those Of the
North who hate and dcnounce the Con-
sttution of our government, know they
possess in common with ourselves the vir-
tues, the heroism and the determination
which mark the American character.


We are to triumph oply by virtue Of
superior numbers, Of greater resources
and a juster cause. Our fellow-citizens
who are now volunteering to fight the
battles of our Government, do not go
forth with the expectation Of encounter
ing feeble or cowardly foes. They have
been foremost in denouncing and correct
ing the unjust impressions which have
been caused by false statements and
charges. They have defended and will
continue to defend with jealous care and
with chivalrous pride the regulations of
those against whom they have struggled
in the deadly combat. They feel for the
armies Of the South the


Stern joy which warriors feel,


In foemen worthy Of their steel"


Those who enter our armies are ami
mated by patriotic impulses. They swear
to uphold our Constitution, and they will
do it, They rally to support our laws,
and they learn and practice in the camp
those habits of obedience which are es-
sential alike to true liberty and vigor-
Gus Government. When peace is restored,
and after they have made those great
sacrifices for their country, will they look
with favor upon agitators who have made
those sacrifices necessary Will they
tolerate the doctrine that laws are not to
be obeyed, simply because a portion of
our citizens claim to be inspired by q
higher virtue than animates our Govern
ment or pervades our statutes? / tell
you that at all times in the history of our
country, those men have proved them
selves most loyal to the principles of our
Government, to the supremacy Of our
laws, who have been ready to peril their
lives and their fortunes in their defence.


In addition to strengthening our Gov
ernment by obedience and by our arms
and resources, it is our duty to inquire
into the causes of this war. Guilty ag-
itators at the North and South, who now
shrink back sffrighted at the terrible evils
which they have brought upon their re-
spective communities, and who dread the
resentment of an indignant people, seek
to create the impression that this war was
inevitable aud not the work Of their
coansels. They agree in saying that
Slavery and the Uni m cannot co-exist.
| At the South they insist that the contin-
uance Of the Union invol es destruction
Of their rights, their interests and their
safety. Their co-laborers of the North
use the same argument, and insist that
the institutions Of the South must be de-
stroyed If the Union is to be restored.
deny that slavery is the cause of this
war. II has always existed in our land.
1t was here when our Government was
formed. 1t has existed during our won.
derful progress as nation. 1t has never
occupied so small proportion OF our ter
ritory, or welded so little POWER in our
national representations as at this day
But admit that il is one Of the princi-
pal subjects of controver y. But we mast
not confound the causes OF contention
with the subjects of contention. They
are frequently distinct. When fanata-
cism put incendiary torches to churches
in our laud, were these churches the
cause of public disorder, or was IL bigotry
which disgraced the religion il protested
to honor? When our citizens Of foreign
birth were prosecuted with malignant
hate, were they the cause Of controversy
aud was their removal the proper mode ol
restoring peaceY or were the ignorance
and iliberality which would drive them
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