Year: 1866

Why, thaC tnO5o hen WHO uct In tn8t
Convention were insincere; that their
professions were worth nothing, and were
not to be believed. Gentlemen, what
better evidence csn.EA2-haye of loyalty
than these men give! Who has fought
this rebellion with more consistency
and determination than / haye3 Who
has sacrificed or suffered more for the coun-
try. But because my sacrifices and suffer-
ings have been great, as an incident grow
ing out Of great civil war, should |
therefore become insensble to truth and
principle! We are told that those men,
notwithstanding their professions of loyalty
and devotion to the Union, are not to be
believed; but / ask you what better evil
dence you can have Of loyalty and devo-
ton than profession and action! Who
dares, in this day of political and religious
freedom, to set up an inquisition and 60 into
the human bosom to search for motives
and sentiments. How many men have
lived under this Government all along,
from its origin up to the present time, who
have Loyalty obeyed the laws and paid
their taxes, and aided the Government in
every way required of them, yet who, per-
haps, would much have preferred to have
had it greatly modified In form, or even to
live under monarchy The best evidence
that can be shown Of loyalty are loyal pro-
fessions and loyal actions, and when those
gentlemen, met in convention from the
North and South, come forward and pro-
fess devotion to the Union and Constitu-
ton, and when their actions and pro-
fessions correspond, who shall dare to
doubt themi Have We reached that
point that all confidence is lost in
men2 If We have, l tell you that
your Government is not as strong as
a rope of sand. 1t has no weight, and will
tumble to pieces. The adhesive power OF
this Government is in the confidence which
the people put in each other. [Great
cheering.I These men who sat in conven-
tion sat in city the professions of whose


people in times gone by were that they
were peace loving and war-hating peo-


pie. These men sat there in convention


in the interests of peace, and their profess
sions are doubted. These people say to
them We wont believe you, and therefore
this present state of practical dissolution


of the Union must continue to exist. Why,
as a southern man-though do not speak
here tonight as southern man, because


first saw the light of Heaven in south
ern State-thank God feel that / enter
tain opinions and ideas that are coGxten-
sive with all the States and with the peo-
pie of them all. While am a southern


man, am northern man also-that is to
say, am citizen Of the United States,
and am willing to concede to other citi-
zens what l claim for myself. But l was
going to call your attention to a point.
The southern States or their leaders pro-
posed separation. Now, what was the rea-
son that they did so The time has come to


consult our reason, and not mere impulse.


What was the reason, or one of the


reasons, that the South gave for desiring


separation They said that they feared


that the Constitution of the United States
could not be enforced, and that their rights
could not be secured in the Union; that


was the reason they gave. They said the


Constitution cannot be enforced in the


Union, and therefore VIC will separate


from the Union, and we will form new
government for ourselves, and we will take


the Constitution of our country and en-
force it there. That was separation; 1t


was against the Union, and was always
opposed to anything that was opposed to
the Union. l took my position in the


Senate Of the United States, and assumed
then, as / have since, that this Union was
perpetual that it was great magic circle


that could never be broken. [Applause. J
But the reason the South gave was that
the Constitution could not be enforced
under the then existing combination of


States, and therefore, that it might be en-
forced, they wanted separation. They at
tempted to separate, but they failed. But
while the question was pending they cstab-
lshed for themselves form of government,
aud what kind Of government was it! What
kind of constitution did they adopt
Was it not the same old constitution with
some few variations-the Constitution OF
the United States You know that it was,


and that they desired to live under that
! Constitution, and enforce its provisions,
under separate government of their own


We said No you shall remain with us, and
the Constitution shall be preserved and
enforced. We fought on until the rebel.
lion was suppressed. And when the
armies of the rebellion were overcome


they accepted the terms that the Govern
ment gave them. The Government said
to them, "Disband your armies and re-
turn to your original positions in the Union


and we will receive you with open arms"


The time came at which their armies were
overcome and disbanded. That was done
under the lead of my distinguished friend
on my right. Three cheers for General
Grant, Well, they accepted the terms
of the Government, and what did they
says They said we want to return


Some of them said we have been mistaken.
Others said we selected the arbiter, and
the arbiter of our selection has decided
against US, and therefore, as honorable
men, we accept the decision. But they
all say we want to return. Now, will
their offer be accepted2 Do we want a
| Union again9 / have said before, and
now repeat it, / do not want to let them
back into the Union degraded and debassd


They would not be fit to form part ofthis
great American family. ! want them to
come back with all their manhood. tGreat
cheering.l / have not approached the
point that intended to, and know that
am talking too long. [" No, no !" Go on


go on."l / have just called attention to the
Constitution, under which they were de.
sirous of living-the Constitution of their
fathers, but they wanted it separately
Now, however, in returning, having lost
the institution of slavery, which was the
apple of discord, they take up the Consti.
tuition under which they lived before, and
ask that it shall be the law, and shall be
enforced. Where, then, is the cause for
distrust or want of confidence! There Is
none. do not como here to apologize for
those who have tried to destroy this Co
vernment. And If my public speeches
and acts do not disprove the charge that