Year: 1863

glance 70 the south, and from that dav the
Uaion cause, south of Mason and Dixon's
line, was given up by its friends. and that
constitution which the Union mon Of the
south so much loved and :bey gave them
selvesf for all time to come TO the confeder-
ate cause and to the army ofrebellion.


The people Of this country were willing
to fight for the constitution and govern
ment. They were not willing to sacrifice
all that is dear to freemen for the sake of
releasing forthwith from slavery 4 few
million Of men who were not prepared to
be free. Up to this change in the policy Of
the administration, who was there but
would have given all he hal, who vas
there who had not given some dear friends,
and largely Of his property to the army Of
the north.


From the time party platform Was a.
dopted as superior TO constitution and law,
and in violation of all oaths registered on
high, from that time took the position,
no matter what the consequences personal
20 myself might be, that wa As people
could never follow the President of the
United States. He bad broken his oath
and committed violence upon the cons,itu-
ton which had been given US to protect
and defend. The REPUBLICAN party asked
US to lay aside our party; they said there
is but one party, and that must be for the
government; that any other party must BE-
against the government and so from the
time the proclamation was issued holding
the reins Of government they would force
us as one man to swell the ranks Of their
party.


Such are the changes which have been
undergone. But our political opponents
dare not even now declare their policy to
be the abolition of slavery AZ purpose su-
perior to the restoration of the Union
They wanted the democracy to aid them
and they cannot get alcng without them.
When the abolition policy of the adminis-
tra,ion became developed, my own heart
sank within me. did think and feel the
government was gono forever. Simulta-
neously opened a scene in this country
which would disgrace England or any
monarchy under heaven. Then followed
exhibitions Of arbitrary power such AS
hope you and / will never witness again.
If the occasion should require hope that
the same firmness and patriotism that We
have ever rs party shown for our coun-
try, will inspire US to stand BY the people
against the party that would oppress US
Did you think they would have dared gone
TO the State Of Ohio and taken Mr.. Vallan-
digham, tried him by military court,
condemned him to punishment in viola-
tion Of the constitution, Of civil liberty. and
the rights Of citizens which we possess o.
That hour came The minions of power
went in the night time TO seize a citizen
like ourselves, at an hour when his friends
were asleep And what did they do -
His little son, clinging to the father with
the fond embrace of childhood, was torn
from his arms. and the father separated
from his child. did feel. when | heard
of this transaction, did feel to condemn
the State Of Ohio, that she allowed such
things to be practised Oh her soil. |
supposed they would rise up in their nigh,
and assert their Gcd-given right Of liberty,
and that they would have taken the vic
tim from the despot. Fellow citizens, l
did expect further than that I do not
know Valandigham except BY the history
he has written. II is possible he Was not
prepared for this emergency. but did ex-
pect he would have sold his life for the
best price he could have received for it, a
martyr to American liberty, an | written
his name in the annals Of his country high
er than any patriot had ever done before


And let me say here, without any intent
to inspire YOU with fear. persist. if you will,
in placing high in power such pigmies as
he who ordered his arrest: but the time
will come when blow will be struck by
a man who is willing to write his name
high in the annals Of hi. country. The
spirit of '76 is not dead. because it slum-
beretl,, and feel that the acts Of Iawless
oppression and the military despo'i.m
which the administration is brewing for Us
may awaken and arouse that spirit 80 tha,
it shall sweep over the land like bosom
of destruction. and as of old, assert its su-
prernacv over lawless wrong and oppress
ion Fellow citizens, counsel you to
look well before you; and as ono who
fears the consequences, | warn you against
acts Of violence, lest the ,ims shall come
when the blood Of the patriots spilled shall
be taken up, and that blood be demanded
in return. But I feel the democracy never
will do this or any other act in defiance of
law. They are law-abiding people. One
of their doctrines is never, under any cir
cumstances. to violate the laws of their
country. But they are fast coming to
love another right, and that is the right
that, while standing by the constitution
and the laws themselves, they will hold
every other man fast to the same duty.


cannot pa,s here without calling your
attention to one other fact. The people
Of this country have ever claimed the right
OF free speech under the constitution, and
Of free press The people will never
surrender tha. right As long as God reigna.
You may threaten .hem with death, the
hastile, transportation beyond tho lines,
but you can never drive them beyoad this
PEDESTAL of free speech and the freedom Of
the press. ... .....f.... ......


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