Year: 1860

are a ruined people, and the worst ruined
people who have ever trod this earth since
the sacking of Jerusalem. Come near me,
plain, honest farmers, mechanics, laborerS
and young men, and let US talk over this
matter candidly, prayerfully, and with sole
eye to truth and our couutrys good. And
the better to accomplish these ends, dismiss
from your minds all those glowing harangues
under which you have wept and shouted
and voted; and listen to little plain com.
mon sense, which you can understand per,
fectly, remember, and use for the benefit of
your children and neighbors. And I here
make most startling assertion, upon which
reserve your judgment until you hear my
reasons for it. 1t is this if Lincoln would
pledge himself under oath, and | were sure
he would keep his oath, to enforce the fu.
gitive slave laws to the letter-if all the
people of the Northern States would not
only VOW to repeal their anti.savery codes,
but actually do it, and pledge themselves to
allow your servants to accompany you
through al the States without whisper to
decoy them from you-as hope to be saved,
| would not stay in this Union one hour
longer than could get out of it ! And
now for my reasons they would keep their
vows, 1--WE suppose that, but they would be
exactly the same people they are now
they would hate you, and hate slavery, as
much as they do now: little more, if you
extorted these concessions from the love of
your cotton, rice, sugar and tobacco; and
their children would be exactly what they
are now. Let me put case to you. But
first, let me draw moral from your sur
prise, which ought to alarm you, and i'm
prove you. I only suppose the Northern
President and Northern people to do what
all Presidents and all people did for thirty
years after the Government was established
respect the Constitution. | only sup
posed you to give them an acquittauce for
all the past, upon their assurance that they
will observe the law on single point for
the future; and it amazed you that for this
great boon l would not yoke myself to them
indissolubly, as you would do joyouslJ.-
Oh, my countrymeu, have you reached this
point, while your wives and daughters are
hallowiug the grounds and consecrating the
tomb of Washington ? Have the once
called "chivalry of the South" sunk so low
before all of General Greene's children
have passed away! "But it would save the
Union" l tell you, men, the Union is no
more like it was, when first knew it, than
a zephyr is like tornado-than Caligula
is like Luther. But have you any hope
of realizing the supposed case in single
particular? You do not dream of it.
Lincoln will give you some double-faced
promises to lull you, and gull you, and his
supporters will dress them up in heavenly
attributes-this is all you may expect. He
cannot even give you encouraging promises
without belying himself. But he is not the
thing to be feared it is the power that
pushed him up, and will pull him down if
he dare to resist it. But to my case Sup.
pose should ask which you would prefer,
to live under an absolute despotism of one
man, or an absolute despotism Of ten tbous


and men? You would instantly answer,
"Of one man, without doubt He would
treat all his subjects alike If he plunder-
ed, he would plumber all his subjects alike.
If he were bad, We might chop off his head
and get better; and if no. assassuated,
time would soon dispose of him. But the
ten thousand would make all others tribu-
tary to them and their neiehbors. A little
comparatively, would satisfy the rapacity of
one man, but millions upon millions would
not satisfy the ten thousand. If the one
should be inclined to butchery, his murders
must be limited to the range of his ac-
quaintance mainly. But the ten thousand
would butcher by whole communities, and
they would never die" Now, hencefor-
ward, you are to be subjected to an absolute
despotism, not of ten thousand, but Of nine


teen millions, concerning whom there need
be 10 "ys;" for they have disclosed their
character, their conduct, and their plans,
fully, fearlessly, and shamelessly.


The Republicans have all power in their
hands, and are under no restraint of laws,
oath or conscience They believe that to
abuse you, persecute you, plunder you, tax
you, degrade you, and force you to con-
ditiou worse than all these put together,
(better conceived than priuted,) is doing
Gods service Your fathers fought seven
years to avoid taxation without representa-


ton. You will remain hundred years
under taxation without representation for
your representatives will be no better than
dead men in Congress. Your fathers would
not endure tax upon tea and paper; you
will have to endure tax on everything !;
and only to glorify your masters, and
strengthen your bonds. At the footstool of
a Nero you would have hearing; by fiat
tering him, you would receive largcsses
from him; but you will receive no hearing,
no crums from your masters. Is this fancy!
No, l take it all from the lips aud acts OF
the Republicans themselves. To their