Year: 1863

MR. CuAIRNAS--For the cordial and fiat
tering terms in which, in behalf OF my old
friends and fellow citizens, you have exten-
ded this kind welcome to me, accept for
Yourself. and these fair ladies and loyal and
brave men Of the Forest City, my most hearty
acknowledgements. accept the more read
lily. and | appreciate this welcome the more
highly, because any thing which is personal
to himself but is the mere efiusion Of your
generous sympathy for those who, in what
ever lands, are exerting themselves TO main-
tain the honor OF the flag, and the integrity
OF our Union. l know that that welcome
would have been as earnest, and as cordial
towards the humblest soldier in the ranks Of
our victorious army. But know that you
have extended this welcome to me, that |
may bear back to them this evidence Of your
kind appreciation of their labors, and their
sacrifices. will carry il back to them, and
will tell them, those who have gone there
to meet the foe, that here at home their la
bors and their sacrifices are appreciated: |
will tell them that they have here at home u
loyal people I will tell them that il the for
tunes Of war shall call upon them to pour
out their blood and to lay down their lives
in the glorious cause in which they are en-.
listed. here are thousands and tens OF thous-
ands to Gil up the dccimated ranks and push
on this work TO victory. Applause.


receive this greeting now the more joy
fully. at this auspicious period in this great
contest in which we are engaged, now when
the brave and gallant soldiers from the North.
west, coming from the sources Of the Mis-
sissippi, have met and shaken hands with
those no less gallant soldiers Of the North.
west, coming up the Mississippi; have Joined
hands and formed circle embracing the re-
belliOn, until the last armed rebel shall be
srbdued or expelled from the soil.


When, my fellow citizens, it was last my
fortune to stand before you, on the spot
where now stand. | said believed that in
the one great question Of the preservation
and perpetuity Of this government, all other
political questions were to be merged. l
said then, and say it now, that during this
contest, and so long as this civil war con-
tinued, would know no party, politics, no
cause but the cause Of my country, and
the Union. (Applause.)


come here now in response to your gen.
erous invitation, not to take part in any
mere partian or local contest, not to discuss
anv mere partizan or local question. But l
don't fear to discuss these. have no reluc-
tance to say here or any where, what my
opinions and my convictions Of duty are. The
last political act which it was my duty and
my pleasure to perform before l left this
beautiful city to enter on my new and un
tried duties, was to cast my vote for one who
was then gloriously and calamity fighting
the battles Of his country, the gallant and
lamented JAlESoN, whose voice was so often
heard amid tho din of battle, as he cheered
his gallant regiment, and afterwards led his
gallant brigade to victory whose clarion
voice is now hushed in the silence Of death
which he met in tho cause Of his country.
And he would have given up not only that
life. but hundred lives, if he had had them
to give, Us cheerfully as he laid that down
in the glorious cause.


voted for him upon platform which is
rs good now as it was then as true and as
loyal us it was on the day when it was en-
unciated. II you will pardon me the slight
allusion to the past, will read you those
eloquent and loyal words. They are no
words Of mine, but they are words that |
adopt. They are words that adopted then !;
they are words to which adhere now.
read the resolution.


Rssolred, That the best tribute we eau pay
to the memory Of our late distinguished stan
dard bearer, that deeply lamented, true patriot
and statesman, Stephen A Douglas, 1t to follow
the counsels he-gave US as his last legacy, and
stand BY and defend the constitution and flag
- 18th hat sstbs
pTeSe' ration of The GOrsrameat is paramount
10 all other political questions, and that there
cdR be cut tico sides 10 this controversy. Eps-
ry man must be on the side of the Uaitsd States
or against u. There can be no nsutrdls in this
,rdr. Thsre can be none but patriots and
trGiiors.


There can be no neutrality. There can be
none but patriots or traitors. These were
words OF truth, words OF patriotism. They
are true now, rs they were true then, and
they are rs worthy as rule OF action and u
guide Of our conduct now. rs they were when
they were thus enunciated. II, therefore,
fellow citizens, now rs then, question
should arise with regard to my duty to my
country and my government, | would act
upon that question with an eye single to
this principle; that the perpetuity and the
preservation of the government is paramount
to all other political questions. would care
not by what party name man might choose
to call himself: would care not to what
party organization ho belonged. l would
look solely TO this one test question which
was then made, and would see what man
was most earnest in the labor OF suppressins
this rebellion and preserving this glorious
Union: Tor him and with him would act
and work until this labor Of preserving the
Union was accomplished.


With this slight allusion to what is local
and partizan l dismiss this part Of my sub
ject.


Two great questions, fellow-citizens, pre-
sent themselves now to the mind OF every re-
ilecting American citizen. They are so oil
absorbing. they are 50 all-important, that
they leave us neither time nor thought for
the consideration Of any other. They are
simply these; :.


Can this wicked rebellion DO suppressed ?


And after this armed rebellion Is put down,
if put down it shall be, can this once glori-
Gus Union be restored?


These are the questions of the day; these
are the Issues Of the hour, and oil else is
trivial, and unimportant, and unworthy OF
the thought or consideration Of man. Until
these are disposed Of. there is no question Of
politics, there is no question OF property,
there Is no question OF health or life itself to
which these two great questions are not para
mount.


Can this rcbellion be suppressed3 What
is now its condition? Let US glance for
moment over tho map Of our country, and
look ut that portion OF it which ut the out
set was given over to the hordes OF the TO