Year: 1861

Peace, Propositions of Peace,


and the Press.


From Dickinson's Speech in New York


at is not only the duty, but it is the privi.
llege of every citizen, fevery party, ofevery
age and of both sexes, to take hold OF this
matter and exercise the strongest vigilance
| in attempting to put down this Rebellion.
But we are told that war is dangerous p
Didn't we know it before Laughter. But
the Rebellion must be put down all the more
more readily, more thoroughly, and more
enereetically. A menagerie of wild beasts
would be dangerous. let loose in your city.
| II would be dangerous to shoot them, but it
would be still more dangerous to let them
run at large. Yon might do mischief in
shooting the animals you might injure some
one, but you must not allow them to 60 on
in their career Of destruction for all time
War is dangerous and terrible thing, and
particularly civil war inaugurated under
such ferocions circumstances as this. But
it must be taken hold Of all the more thor
oughly, and he who attempts to palter with
It is doubly guilty, for the very reason that
| it is dangerous. It is a rebellion that de-
mands the whole energy of the American
people, and it should have 1t, in the name of
the Government, by the memories Of the IA
theirs of the Revolution, bv all the great
memories that cluster around our history, by
the hope of a free government on earth, by
the great principles of Liberty which have
been achieved for us, and which have gone
on conquering and to conquer until they have
wrung envy and admiration from the whole
hciviliz world. Time to negotiate with a
rebellion ? Where was that infamous and
reasonable idea hatched He who tampers
with it is ten times more mischievous than
all tho armies Of Beauregard, Davis, the
Johnstons, and Price, and all the rebellion
put together.


We can meet them upon the battlefield
We can show them that among loyal citizens
although their swords may be thousands
their bosoms are one. Applause. And so it
will be, except for that miscreant Peace par
ty. [Applause and Kisses. That party that
attempted to cry peace, peace. when there is
no peace, and they know it. Applause. i
That party that stimulates rebellion !; that
party that apologies for and encourages re
bellion. and keeps it on foot. Had it not
been for the treachcrous press of the loyal
States had it not been for treacherous and
reasonable individuals in the loyal States.
this rebellion, in al! human probability, would
have been put down before this. But it has
beer encouraged by the hope that it was to
have aid, comfort, and assistance in the loyal
States. l has had every reason for suppo-
sing so. But when it sees its aids going
down to Fort Lafayette and Fort McHenry to
take lodgings. it will then entertain differ
ent kind of idea. know there are some who
are opposed to war, although they do not
take sides with the Rebels, and are for main
tanning the Union Indeed the Peace party
in this State is getting rather into that posi-
tion Just now 1t reminds me OF the words
of 9 dnggerel poet in a fable of the beasts and
birds in terrible conflict. He says


"The prudent bat Joined neither cause,
Among so many teeth and claws,


Until in battle!s thickest heat


He thought he saw one side would beat
And then he joined the strongest part,


And fought with all his might and heart,
At length it turned the other way


And back he few to win the day.


Now the peace party are going to occupy
just that position. They are going to fly
back and forth. When they think there is
a prospect for this rebellion, then they will
be great big peace men and talk large. When
they see that the rebellion is about TO be
crushed, as they will see, il they look on,
great applause1 then they will sing small
Laughter They will tell you that the Pres.
ident has violated the Constitution. Their
President, Mr. Confederate President Davis,
has not has he Oh, no; Abraham Lin
coin has violated the Constitution in the at
tempt to dispose ofand put down this infer
nal rebellion. He has committed, in tht
eyes ofthis peace party, an objectionable sin
because he has not hunted up mnsty pre-
cedent for everything he has done. Those


in arms against the Constitution, who with
fire and sword range through the country


-"Far and wide,


"Where many childling mother ant


newborn baby died."


they may go on their errand of destruction
in their perjury, their arson, their treason
their murder, and there are no words of con
demnation for them but the President o
the United States, in attempting to defend
our citadel, in rallying around the standard
Of his country's Constitution, they tell yo,
has not gone exactly according to the Con
stitution. They tell you he has laid his hant
upon the liberty of the press, and interfered
with that, and they ale distressed upon tn
subject because they are gentlemen Of prin
ciple, not to say interest laughter l-the,
are distressed that in this great free Gov
ernment the President Of the United State
should not permit an incendiary, trcasona
ble press to distil its venom through every
channel of society. They tell you that HI
suspended the habeas corpus, and therein HI
has violated the great and cardinal principl,
of American liberty, and there he Is con
demned. But they never find condemnation
for the treacherous m:screants who are at
tempting to destroy the Government. vii
tell you where President Lincoln could hav
done good service not only in suspendinI
the habeas corpus, not only in laying hi
hand upon traitorous press, not only il
arrestng individuals and sending them t


Fort Lafayette or Fort McHenry, but in sus
pending more of the parties to this treason
Prolonged applause and waving of hats
A VoIcE-"It is not too late yet" Renewed
, applause No it is "better late than never.
The President has done just what he has
!. right to do-precisely; what ] commend hin
for and stand by him for (Applause. HI
had a perfect right to do it. Itwas his d 1t,
and if he had not discharged it he woulc
have deserved impeachment, to seize ever,
treacherous spy, every wretch spotted ant
leprous, who was attempting to sap ant
J mine his country's Constitution, and betral
his Government. Printed treason has n,
immunity over spoken treason or writer
treason The Press has right in ordinar,
times to discuss freely all the measures o
the Government aud that is what we NEAR


by the liberty of the Press. II is something
beyond mere parrot cry. Those who hav
, been raising parrot-cry of sliberty Of th'
press when they mean the destruction G