Year: 1863

which the constitution throws around Il.
1t is made strong not only by what the
constitution says it may do, but by
what the constitution says it may not
do The constitution forbids Congress
from taking away the right to make
laws interfering with religion, with the
rights Of home, with the rights Of free
speech, because the power Of exercising
those rights would shatter it TO atoms.
Great applause.) If l might make
very paplpable illustration, l would
say that the nation is ike well bound
cask. Suppose cask should take it
into its head, reasoning perhaps, as
wisely as they sometimes do at Wash
ington, that if it Should burst its hoops
it might become hogshead-it might
increase its strength and dimensions
Why, if it should burst its hoops it
would not even remain . barrel it
would be 8 mere bundle of staves.-
Laughter and cheers Now when our
general government at Washington
shall succeed in bursting these res
traints upon its power which are placed
there for the purpose of its preservation;
for the purpose Of binding the govern
ment together, so far will it be from true
that they have strengthened the govern


ment the fact will be that they will have
brought upon it weakness, discontinue,
dishonor and disgrace. Let us see if
these views are purely theoretical. Last
winter was called upon by a friend of
very different opinions from myself-for
| have friends on the other side, not
withstanding so much is said about my
''friends" ds"-concerniBg the draft, and he
wanted to know if feared for the rights
and existence of the States from its
operation. | told him | had no such
fears. l told him | should not fear for
the States, but that should tremble
for the general government itself, and |
then tried to make him see that the at
tempted exercise of such powers on the
part of the general government so far
from arming it with greater strength,
would prove perilous to it. | begged
him to see, and to tell those who sent
him to see me, that the strength of the
government should be based upon the
affections of the people. Loud cheers.)
l begged him to tell them that if they
would make this government strong and
powerful, it was by addressing them
selves to the affections and regard Of
the whole American people. (Cheers.) }
Not many months have rolled away
since, in response to a call from the
government, the people of this country
sent six hundred thousand men to fight
the battles of the country. Why did
they 60! Was it because they were
called for by the voice of power? It
was because they were sent for, to vol
unteer for the defence Of the nation,
and they came from school district,
village, town, city and State, until they
swelled into the mi ghtiest militaryarray
the world has ever seen. Well, as
result # this voluntary action Of the
public, the administration found itself
in control of a mighty army, and for
getting from whence it derived its
strength-that it was the power and
strength of the people alone which they
held-they were bewildered with the
splendor of their position, and they de-
clared that they would no longer live
upon the charity of the community, and
send around contribution box when
they wanted men or money, but, when
ever men were wanted, they would send
officers to force the people mo the
ranks. | warned them of tie result Of
that experiment. | implored them for
their own sakes, for the sake Of the
cause in which theN had engaged, not
to make the attempt. If had been
influenced by personal or party consid-
erations, should not have said one
word when they persisted in the way
that was to lead them to discontinue
and disgrace. But told them. that if
they would pursue policy that would
appeal to the hearts Of the people there