Year: 1863




duties, they shall also enjoy their rights as States


than that is, if we say that they must. when they


return, bow abjectly to the dictation OF passion


ate and infuriated men. Cheers. Let me call


your attention to the history Of this war. When
Il began, by the unanimous vote of Congress,
representing all parties it was solemnly declared
that the object of this contest was TO put down
resistance to the laws, to maintain the dominion
of the Constitution over the whole country, and
to restore the Union of our fathers. At that
time there no division at the North All
were united in carrying on the contest. All gave
their contributions of men and money, and for
time the voice of party seemed to be hushec. But
little while after that were told that the war
was TO be continued for another purpose-that
there a cause for this difficuIty-that slavery
wasthe cause and that slavery must be removed.
We protested against this issue. Time has
moved on and now we have another issue Not
content to have the war end with the restoration
OF the honor and the supremacy Of the Constitu-
ton. or even with the destruction of slavery you
have recently heard the declaration from the
Vice President of the United States and by Sena
tors from the Eastern States, who not only prog
nosticate but make the policy of this administra
tion, that this war is to go on until the general
government has added 20 it new power over and
new relations to the vast regions of the South,
which, they say, once we're States. You have
heard the boast by one Senator that not only
should tie war 20 on, but that it had gone on
until the great and imperial State of New York
was dragged at the heels of conqueror. Laugh
ter and applause.


Can we hope for a successful termination of this
war within period of time that will save us from
national bankruptcy and national ruin, If we are
to have. day after day, new and more difficult is
sues presented and il day after day in its progress
we are to be told that its ends and objects are to
be more and more revolutionary and subversive of
all we haye been taught to honor hold dear in
our system OF government. Wepropose to wage
this war for purpose upon which the whole
North is united-ior purpose which will draw
to our standard hundreds and thousands ofhearts
in the South that vet beat with love for our old
banner and old constitution. Cheers
They propose that we shall carry on the war for
that we at the North cannot unanauim
Ously consent to; they propose not to put down
revolution, but TO make revolutions; thev propose
to offer inducement for rebels to submit TO the
laws, but they say 10 anu to them that shall
no longer have guaranty of the constitution, for
the preservation of our liberties hereafter, rs they
have been preserved before. l appeal to YOU If |
this is not their attitude Can the war be brought
to successful conclusion bv party that cody |
proposes THAI when every interest OF the South |
shall vbrate toward the Union we shall plunge |
into an abyss of controversy and discussion in |





as in times past be our guide Consider, pray
you. seriously, the propositions that have been |
laid before the community by our opponents, in |
reference this war. See If il is not true that
they make this war one for indefinite purposes, |
for objects that we cannot attain and ought not
to attain-if they do not go further than saying |
it is war for the purpose Of restoring the Union
and the Constitution. They declare boldly and
openly that we to abandon the traditions and |
E.sl.~ IL
necessary to trample upon the Constitution, so
that the general government shall be vested with
greater powers than we have ever heretofore been
willing to confer upon it. They will tell YOU
that We want strong government Mt Washing |
ton. They say that if we take jurisdiction from |
localities, from towns and counties and states |
and centralize il at Washington, we shall have a |
stronger government. | deny that proposition.
Applause | insist upon il that if thev should |
succeed in that policy, SO far from making the
government stronger they will make il weaker. |
do not charge that they do not honestly enter
tain the convictions that they express, but
charge, if carried out they will involve the coun-
try in ruin [Cheers. The strength Of the
general government lies not alone in the power
which has been conferred upon il. but the re
straints which the Constitution throws around it
Ii is made strong not only by what the Consttu
ton says it may do, but 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 might make a very palpable illustration,
would say that the nation is like well l-bound
cask. Suppose cask should take it into its
head reasoning perhaps as wisely as they some
times do in Washington. that 1t it should burst
its hoops it might become hogshead-it might
increase its strength and dimensions. Why, fit
should burst its hoops it would not even remain
a barrel. it would be a mere bundle of slaves.
[ Laughter and cheers Now, when our General
Government at Washington shall succeed in
bursting these restraints upon its powers which
are placed there for the purpose of its preserva-
ton; for the purpose of binding the Government
together. so far will il be from true that they have
ngthened the Government that the fact will be |
that they will have brought upon it weakness, dis
dishOnOr and disgrace. Let us see if |
these views are purely theoretical. Last winter
was called upon by friend of very different
opinions from myself-for have friends on the |
other side, notwithstanding so much is said about
my "friends the draft and he
wanted TO know If feared for the rights and ex-
istence OF the States from its operation told |
him had no such fears told him should not |
fear for the States bHt that should tremble for
the General Government itself, and then tried |
TO make him see that th- attempted exercise of |
such powers on the part Of the General Govern
ment, so far from arming it with greater strength
would prove perilous TO it. l 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 |
begged him to tell them that il they would make
this Government strong and powerful, il was by
addressing themselves to the affections and re
gard OF the whole American people TCheers
Not many mouths have rolled away since, in re
sponse to a call from the Government the people
OF this country sent six hundred thousand men to
hight the battles of the country Why did they
GOT Was il because they were called for by the
voice of power? 1t because they we're sent
for 10 volunteer for the defense of the nation and
they came from school district, village town. city
and State, until they sweled into the mightiest
military array that the world has ever seen. Well
as a result of this voluntary action of the public
the Administration found itself in the control of
II nightly army, and forgetting from whence it
derived its strength-that il was the power and
strength of the people alone which they held
they were bewidered with the splendor Of their
position, and they declared that they would no
longer live upon the charity of the community
and send around n contribution box when they
wanted men or money, but whenever men were
wanted they would send officers to force the peo-
pie into the ranks. / warned them of the result
Of that experiment. / implored them for their
own sakes, for the sake of rhe cause in which
they had engaged, not to make the attempt. If
had been influenced by personal or party
considerations | should not have said one
word when they persisted in the way
that was to lead them to discomft-
ure and disgrace. But / told them that
if they would pursue policy that would appeal
to the hearts of the people there would be no
limit to their strength but if they should attempt
to subyert the whole of our Government, and
should suppose that they were armed with power
to compel free people in any course. they would