Year: 1868

allienated in their affections from the
Uoion, that they were, at last, led to de-
spise and assail it; that the overthrow
Of their rebe llion has left in their hearts
only q rancorous spirit Of hate and re-
venge; that they would fly to arms again
if they saw any fair probability Of sue
cess; that, disappointed and defeated in
their appeal to the sword, they do
not retire from the contest, and leave
the country to be governed by its
saviors and its friends, but in another
way snatch at the reins of power; that
they do not pretend to seek power for
the country's good. but boldly avow that
they would use it to subvert and de-
molish what the loyal people Of the Ma
ton have established; and that we are,
therefore, daily walking over subter-
ranean fires, which may burst forth any
hour from hundred volcanoes, cum
moning the Nation again to put them
out with re- opened streams Of its best
blood. 1t were impossible that they
who so lately fought through four
years war for their country, should
sleep in the presence of this new danger.
They are awake and contesting the
ground with their country's enemies,
inch by inch, but with a steady and re-
sistless advance. From every quarter
the thunder of mighty popular con-
fict rolls over the land. In the midst
of it, two voices ring out upon the air
to the furthest verge Of the Republic.
One calm, shoughful, sincere, resolute,
speaks these four simple monosylables,
"LEr US HAVE PEAcs" applause], and
straightway from millions ofloyal hearts
comes back the glad echo, "Let us have
peace!" [Great applause. From lisp
ing infancy % decripit age, all can com
prehend and offer up that simple prayer,
for all know the blessing there is in
peace. NJ people ever yearned more
for peace than the victors in the war
which swept with such fierce blast over
this land. But their dreams Of peace
have been rudely broken. Another voice





cious, proclaiming war anew,-war upon
the victors, war upon the Constitution,
war upon the Union, war upon a weak
and harmless race, war upon the free
dom they have but just gained, war
upon the enfranchisement without which
that freedom were but mockerv, anil in
wider field, war upon human rights and
liberty! That is the naked and terrible
import Of the letter have discussed be-
fore you. I boldly say that no man of
unbiased judgment can see anything but
war in it; unless, indeed, it first appear
that the American people, are no longer
the same people that subjugated the
rebels. Show me that, and / will admit
that peace may follow the triumph of
the rebel Democracy in this contest.
But if this stalwart people are still ready
to grapple with insurgency, in whatever
form it appear, and to th rottle treason
choke it to death again, then must war
follow the very first attempt to carry tho
Blair platform into execution. re- reat
applause. It would, in the very neces-
sity of things, be impossible then to
avoid an appeal to arms. This nation
will not stand by and tamaly see the
power Of its Congress defed, its Senate
stripped of its constitutional preroga-
tives and humbled by military force, its
laws nullified, it's Chief Magistrate
grown by usurpation into a Dictator,
and its Constitution 'trampled into DUST
without rallying to its rescue. Zap
planse. And in view of such peril, it
would make not the least difference to
them that the army and navy were under
the control OF him who. by the Constitu-
ton, is their Commander in chief. He
Is such to execute the laws, not to defy
them; to guard tue Republic, not to sub
vert it; and he is sworn to t'preserve,
protect, and defend the Constitution
not to overthrow it. When he ventures
to employ the forces under his command
for purposes hostile to the country
whose executive power is vested in him,
he that moment becomes q usurper and
traitor, and though he had many
times army and navy under him that he
has, the people would sweep him and
them from the face of the earth, in much
less time Snan it took them to crush the
rebellion. Great enthusiasm and ap
plaase


Again say, that the very first step
taken to carry out Frank Blair's pro-
gramme makes war necessity. That
first step is to compel the army to dis
perse the loyal State governments in the
South. Would those governments sub
init to he dispersed Would the SEQ
ple7that formed them submit? Would
Congress suhnit2 Would the Nafion