Year: 1861




oyer-indulgence Of your committee of ar>
rangements for the position which [ occupy
here TO day. E


Itis no small honor for private citizen
one who can bling with him none OF
tie prestige of public station-to be per-
mitted to preside over the deliberations of
such an assenlbIage as this,-ofmen whose
patriotism, embracing one whole country
over which our flag has right to float,
(applause,O is an active principle ple,-who
are actuatel by such loyalty to the con
stitution which our fathers blessed us with
as no prince or potentate can hope for
from his subjects,-whose love of the
Union is second only to their love of God,
who realize that participations in the
blessings of system Of self government,
such as the people Of this country lave in
their keeping, itself involves the necessity
of great sacrifces-aye, sometimes even
sacrifices Of cherished opinions and Of deep
rooted convictions. (Arplause


Believing that the unhappy difficulties
which now exist between the North aud
the South, are capable OF a peaceful solu-
ton, and desirous to do what we may to
promote magnanimous and prudent coun-
sels, we are here TO consult with one an
other as to what we caa do, as citizens Of
this Republic in aid Of those who are stri-
wing elsewhere to put speedy end to the
unnatural strife


We are here TO declare before the coun-
try and the world that we prefer compro-
mise to war with our brethren, (cheering)
and that we are ready to give cordial as
sent to such compromises as the Union
loving and loyal men in the Southern
States can stand upon in their own com
munities. Great cheering, and cries Of
+" Good."J


1t is time that the people Of the country
should awake from the false security in
which they are slumbering, and call upon
those who occupy their public places, to
do all that can be DONE and that speedily,
to save this fair land of ours from the
dreadful devastation Of civil war. Let
the demand upon our Representatives be
Save this nation from disintegration
Save it from conflicts between countrymen,
and compromise with your offended bro
ther! (Uheers)


One Of the worst feature of the times
seems to ne to be want of appreciation,
on the part of many good citizens, of the
dread reality of the danger which is i'm
pending. g..


They find il hand TO believe, ii is hard
to believe, that II is possible that this
great nation, so happy, SO prosperous, and
with such high hopes, is about to be rent
asunder, not 10y a CONFUSION Of nature, but
by differences Of opinion in regard to
either the present or the future condition
of the black race relatively to the white
race on this continent.


And they seem to think that the men
Of the South will soon be both weary and
ashamed cf the course which they have
unhappiy taken, and will return TO their
allegiance.


1t is to be feared that this is vain hope
The very general belief which seems to
have taken possession Of the minds Of so
many Of the people Of the more Southern
States, tha: the time las come when thev
will be able 20 live more happily and salts
factorily, if separated from the North, (no
matter how entirely insufficient tie foun-
dation of such a belief may be, } forbids its
indulgence.


We are not here to handy words as to
who is responsible for the unhappy rela
tons which exist between the two sections
of our common country.


The occasion is too high for that. If
your dwelling is in flames and your wife
and children are slumbering in it, in the
fancied security Of home, will you not bend
all your efforts to their rescue and to the
extingiishment of the fire, before you stop
to inquire by whose carelessness or bT
whose crime it was kindIed! (Applanse,
and cries Of ''gool.O So now, tie dan
ger is imminent, and We are here as loyal
citizens Of the United States Of America,
realizing that our own security, our own
rights, our own progress, our own pros,
perity, and our oSn peace, all hand upon
the preservation Of the country that We
love, to take counsel together how, taking
all things as they are, that glorious coun
try can be preserved in is full proportions.
(hpplause.)


Can this be done by coercion, as it is
called! Do you believe that the kindly
feelings and the fraternaI regard, which
are essential to our domestic peace, can
Ue revived by the force of arms (Csies
Of" Noi Nor) No. The first step un-
less YOU are wiling to take a fatal one,
must be towards reconciliation by com
promise.
F |, for one, would give willing support
to either of the scheiies which have been
suggested at Washington, that of Mr.
! Crittenden, or that Of MIR. DoucIas, or
that Of Mr. iigler, or that of the border
States, aud TO that one of them, lIost
heartily, wiich wise and patriotic men a,
/ the South, understanding better than dt
I the feelings of their own people, should
I assure me would serve be.t 10 allay tho
unfortunate feeling that exists there ZAP
/ plause1


VIA. is most neelel nou, and q. ono,
Is such ln Indication ot the willingness o
the North t, pu.the whole suhiect q sla
very out of the vortex OF party politics auC
Cong interference, a. will cnabl,
aobo, minded men in the Southern State