Year: 1864

sations for it. Those of you who have


alluded to this subject know that from


the foundation of the present Govern.
ment before and since cur present Con.
stitution was formed, there have always
been parties that had no faith in our Go
I vernment. The men that formed it were


doubtful of its success, and the men who
! opposed its formation did not desire its


success. And l am bold to say, without


OBTAINING you on this subject, that for all


the outcry about our violations of the


Constitution, this present living genera
! ton and this present Union party are
more thoroughly devoted to that Consti-


tuition than any generation that has ever
lived under it. [Applause.] While /


say that, and solemnly believe it, and be-
lieye it is capable of the strongest proof.


[ may also add that it is great error,


which is being propagated in our land, to


say that our national life depends merely


upon the sustaining of that Constitution.


Our fathers made it, and We love it. /


intend to maintain it. But if it suits us


to change it, We can do so Eapplause] /;
and when it suits US to change it, we will


change it. GApplause.] If it were torn


into ten thousand pieces, the nation would


be as much a nation as it was before the
Constitution was made-a nation always
that declared its independence as a


united people, and lived as united peo-
pie until nova nation independent of
| all particular institutions under which
they lived, capable of modelling them
| precisely as their interests require. We
ought to have it distinctly understood by
| friends and enemies that while we love
| that instrument we will maintain it, and
will with undoubted certainty put to
death friend or foe who undertakes to
trample it under foot; yet beyond doubt
We will reserve the right to alter it to suit
| ourselves from time to time and from


generation to generation. Applause.
One more idea on that subject. We


have incorporated in that instrument the
| right of revolution, which gives US, with
out doubt, the right to change it. 1t


never existed before In the American
States, and there is no need of rebellion,


insurrection, or civil war, except upon a
denial Of the fundamental principles of
all free governments that the major part
must rule, and there is no other way of
carrying on society except that the will
of the majority shall be the will of the
whole, or that the will of the minority
shall be the viii of the whole So that.
in one word, to deny the principles |
have tried to state is to make dogmatie
assertion that the only form of govern
ment that is possible with perfect liberty,
and acknowledged by God, is pure and
absolute despotism. The principles,
therefore, which am trying to state be-
fore you, are principles which, if they be


not true, freedom is impossible, and no
government but one of pure force can ex-
exist or ought to endure among men.


But the idea which I wished to carry
out as the remedy for these troubles and
sorrows, dreadful as they are, is this
This fearful truth runs through the


whole history of mankind, that whatever
else may be- done to give stability to au-
thority, whatever else may be done to
give perpetuity to institutions, however
wise, however glorious, practical, and just


may be the philosophy of it, it has been
found that the only enduring, only i'm


perishable cement of all free institutions


has been the blood of traitors No Gov
ernment has ever been built upon unper-
ishable foundations, which foundations
were not laid in the blood Of traitors. 1t
is fearful truth, but we had as we'll aYow


it at once, aud every lick you strike, aud


every Rebel you Kill, every battle you
win, dreadful as it is to do it, you are add
ing, it may be a year, it may be ten
years, it may be century, it may be ten


centuries, to the life of the Government
and the freedom of your children
[Great applause.1 Now, passing over
that idea, passing over many other things
which it would be right for ME to say,
did time serve, and were this the occa-


sion, let me add, you are a Union party.
[Applause.1 Your origin has been re-
ferred to as having occurred eight years
ago In one sense it is true that you are


far older than that / see before me not


only primitive Republicans and primitive


Abolitionists, but | see, also, primitive
Wings, primitive Americans and, if you


will allow me to say SO, myself am here,


who, all my life, have been party to


myself. Laughter and applause As
a Union party, | will follow you TO the


ends of the earth and to the gates of
death [applause]; but as an Abolition
party, as Republican party, as Wing


party, as a Democratic party, as an A
merican party, / will not follow you one
foot. [Applausc.] But it is true Of the


nsass of the American people, however


you may divide and scatter, while this
war lasts, while the country is "a peril,
while you call yourselves as you do ip


the call Of the Convention, The Union


party, you are for the preservation Of the
I Union aud the destruction of this Rebel


lion, root and branch; and, in my judg-
ment, one Of the great errors that has
: been committed bv our Administration of