Year: 1864

the ambition of Southern politicians;


to give power and place to JEFF Davis


and the slave aristocraey, by establish
ing slave oligarchy, and placing him


and the others at its head Undoubt-


edly slavery was the means used in


deed nothing else, but slavery, with its
prejudices, and arrogance, would have
caused US to fight each other Nothing
else could have brought about this great
revolution. Every body believes this
now and every one is astonished that


the rallying cry of traitors from the
first and all loyal men, in spite Of the


most indignant denial, were set down


as its enemies, and denounced as Abo-
litionists, Hessians, and Vandals.


1t was arrogantly and fOolishly thrust


between them and their government;
and the whole nation was invited and
in fact forced to make war upon it. 1t


was not enough that we held it as pro
perty; and acknowledged the right of


the master to his negroe, as we did to


his horse and his hog, but we were re-
quired to say that it was a holy and


sacred thing, directly from God and
that we should fall down and worship
it; that we should sacrifice every other
right-even liberty itself-to this ebony
idol On the pretext that it was in
danger we were called upon to give up


the government of our forefathers, and
the inalienable rights of American citi


zens. To place its existence beyond


o contingency it was to be withdrawn
from the Union, and made the founda-


ton of great slave republic into
which no "Yank" should ever be per-
mitted to enter.


Whatever this hue and cry about
slavery and abolitionism may have done
elsewhere, we all know what it did in


the border States; we are indebted to it
for whatever of treason we have had
within them. You know, as well as
do that Tennessee Jared, on that sub
iect, as they did As surely as the sun
shines, it alone divided Tennessee-and
Kentucky; and now when it has en-
abled these miscreants to bring upon us
all the desolation and bloodshed of this
War-and we modestly, and not above
our breath say that if slavery gets be-
tween us and the government it must
60 down, they assert that we are merely
setting up pretext for breaking down
the institution. But that will not in
the least affect the final result We
care nothing for what secessionists and
traitors may say we will put down the
Febe lion, but we will abolish slavery in
the hands of the secessionists first. !
say this, who am Southern man, that
if l had the power | would strip every
secessionist, and every secession sympa-
thizer of the last slave he has, and set
him free; would do it with alacrity.
and the doing of it would be labor of
love l would take away from them
the power ever again to divide the
American people, and involve them in
a cruel civil war. Now will not some
gentleman please call me an abolition
ist 1 don t care'i if you do; but have
never been an abolitiOnist; have never
had the least sympathy with political
abolitionism. If you please, you may
call me IOar abolitiOnist, for surely /
would abolish slavery in the hands Of
those on whom we make war as enemies
Of the government For the rights of
property of loyal mon, niggers included,
l contend, and will defend them But
the traitors under jeff Davis must take
care of their niggers if they can.


But slavery is hardly worth talking
about now 1t is "gOne up, and | al
lude to it as almost a thing of the past
and as being the cause of the war. It's
utter destruction is now but a matter
of time; and a short time at that
With you it is worthless, and l would
not give my riding horse for any 500
slaves in your State We loyal men
predicted this course of things at the |
start, and told the traitors they were the !
real abolitionists; and that war about !
the slave would set him free and ! |
ask you; Did we tell the truth, or was |
it a lie? | not only thought, and now |
think, the assertion was true, but am I
greatly inclined to make good what | |
then said. ! am satisfied we shall have /
no peace on the continent while slavery /
exists; and that its existence is utterly |
inconsistent with that Of our govern /
ment. Solemnly / declare this is my .
undoubting conviction. You will not .
wonder then, at what have said.


| believe we must abolish slavery in .
order to suppress the rebellion. The .
traitor leaders believe this too; in proof /
of which | refer you to the message of /
Gov. Brown, of Georgia, published a
few days since He lays great stress
upon the institution, to feed, and clothC,
and keep up the rebel army; and advi- .
ses the removal of the slaves out Of the /
reach of the "abOlitionists that they .
may still serve the rebel cause Then .
why shall we not abolish it? All it is 1
unconstitutional say secessiOnists and .
copperheads An invasion Of constitu- .
tional rights / like that Constitu- .
tional rights to those who repudiate all .
constitutional obligations, denouncing .
US as foreign enemies If these gentle .
men would have Us respect their rights,
as under the Constitution Of the United
States, let them pledge their allegiance
to it, and all will be right But they
cannot shield themselves under an in
stitutiOn which they scOff at, and spit
upon as Of LincOln's government


l am often asked if we will suppress
the rebellion and restore the old GOV
eminent Voices, yes, yes.) Well,
perhaps, yes, but with a qualification.
/ am for the old Government, less the
riding on rails, tarring and feathering
and hanging for opinions sake. ! am
willing to the old Government, with
free speech and free press, to discuss
all questions Of property and policy, at
all proper times and places. That we
never had under the old Government
Slavery was in the way; and if slavery,
with these incidents, is a part of the
old government, then don't want the
old government as it was


The Union as it was, and the COnsti-
tuition as tits, has been the cry; but the
Union now is as it was the day
it was formed, and only those who
sympathize with the secessiOnists, hold
that the Union ,ca8, and IS HoL ] tell
them do not doubt that the rebellion
will be suppressed. l have never doubt
ed that; and if we do not get the old
government as it was, We will endeavor
to retain as much of it as we can. The
government restored will and must be
stronger than the old one; and the
right of coercion 10 preserve the exist
ence Of the government viii be settled
beyOnda doubt, once and forever.


KENTUCKY AND THE DRAFT


Secessionists everywhere are just now
much encouraged by the condition Of