Year: 1863


From the New York World, July g.


FELLOW CITIzENs: When I accepted
the invitation to speak with others at this
meeting, We were promised the downfall
of Ficksburg, the opening Of the Missis-
sippi, the probable capture of the Con
/ federate Capital, and the exhaustion Of
the rebellion. By common consent all
parties had fixed upon this day when the
results of the campaign should be known,
to mark out that line Of policy which
they felt that our country should pursue
But in the moment of expected victory
there came the midnight cry for help from
Pennsylvania to save its despoiled fields
from the invading foe, and, almost with
in sight Of this great commercial metro
/ polls, the Ships Of your merchants were
burned to the waters edge. Since that
time I have occupied every hour, to the
point of physical exhaustion, to rally our
troops to the rescue Of an adjoining Sis
ter State Tremendous applausel; to or
ganize the militia Of our own State for
our own defense, and to place New York
in that condition of dignity and power
which a great State should ever hold that
truly respects its own rights. TGrsat .ap-
plause. I have concerned myself with
those measures that I thought were cal
culated to protect The commerce Of this
great city. 1 stand before you, then,
upon this occasion, not as one animated
by expected victories, but feeling as all
feel who are now within the sound Of my
voice, the dread uncertainties of the con-
flicts which rage around US, not alone in
Pennsylvania, but along the whole line
of the Mississippi-contests that are car
rying down to bloody graves so many OF
rOur fellow. cOuntrymen, so many Of our
friends - that are spreading renewed
mourning throughout this great broad
land Of ours.


Under circumstances like these shall
allow to 60 unnoiecd many topics upon
which I meant to speak on this occasion
They might seem TO jar with the solem-
nifty of the occasion. They might not Be
in keeping with the feelings which nov
press on each brcast Of ours. But there
is one subject to which even now I fee
lit my duty to call your attention. There
IS one appeal that l want now to make to
this whole community, irrespective oI
party, and [ pray that you may hear that
appeal. A few years ago we stood before
this community to warn them of the dan
gers. of sectional strife, butour fears were
laughed at At later day when the
clouds of war overhung this country, We
implored those in authority to compro-
mise that difficulty, for we had been told
| by a great orator and statesman, Burke
that there never yet was a revolution that
might not have been prevented by CON-
promise made in a timely and graceful
manner. Great applOuse Our pray
ess were unheeded. Again, when the
contest was opened, we invoked those vi q
had the conduct Of affairs not to under
rate the power of the adversary--not to
underrate the courage and resources, and
endurance, Of our own sister States. All
this warning was treated as sympathy
with treason. You have the results OF
these unheeded warnings and UNDECIDED
prayers; they have stained our soil with
blood; they have carried mourning into
thousands Of homes; and to-day they have
brought our country to the very verge ol
destruction.


Once more I come before you to offer
again an earnest prayer, and bid you to
listen to q warning. Our country is not
only at this time torn by one of the blood
lest wars that has ever raraged the face
of the earth, or Of which history gives an
account, but, if we turn our faces to ou1
own loyal States, how is it there? Dc
you not find the country divided into P.
litical parties, strongly arrayed against
each other, and using, with regard to
each other, terms Of reproach and def
ance? Is it not said by those who sup
port more particularly the Administra-
ton, that we who differ honestly, patriot,
ically, sincerely, from them with regard
to the line Of duty, are men of treasona-
bic purposes and traitors to our country


Hear, hear But on the other hand, is
it not true that many Of our organization
look upon this Admin stration as hostile
to our rights and liberties; look upon
our opponents as men who would do III
wrong in regard to our most sacred fran.
chises? 1 need not call your attention
to the tone Of the press or to the tone Of
public feeling, to show you how, at thif
moment, parties are thus exasperated, and
stand in almost defiant attitudes to eacI
other. A few years ago We were tolC
that sectional strife, waged in times like
these, would do no harm to our country
but you have seen the sad and bloody re
| suits. Let US be admonished now IL
time, and take care that this irritation
Ills foeIinr mhinh Is crrnrinr M in ou1