Year: 1866

Mr.. President and Fcit0w Citizens:


Ten years ago when the political at
mOspherc began to grow murky, and
lowering clouds denoted the approach
ing storm, had the honor to stand be-
fore an audience in the City of Patter-


son, and urged by every consideration
that could command at that time the
reason why all men should join the Re
publican party. The intervening time
has been full of strange incidents.


Events have followed rapidly upon each


other, from the forum to the field, that
we lose ourselves in their contemplation;


and it is well for us to look back over
the past, and see what has been done,


and to look forward to the future, to see
what must be done to complete this
great work / need not stand here in
New Jersey to call to your recollection
the trightful evidence of the last five


years. Every hearth-stone within your
borders finds vacant seat, and every
household is clothed in the habiliments
Of mourning, and every father and moth
er is reminded, by the manglcd living,
Of the dreadful events Of the past.


Rich as New Jersey was in her Revolu-
tionary history, and in her reminiscent
ces, sheis richer still, my fellow citizens,
in the late conflict, in the bloody strug-
gle to preserve what her fathers fought
to obtain; and these soldiers, these he
roes Of the late war of the Republic,
bear scars as honorable, and are as de-
serving of everlasting. gratitude, as
were our Revolutionary soldiers and
fathers History has been accumulat-
ing more rapidly within the last twelve
years Of this Republic, and there has
been more important history made than
in any two centuries preceding them.


To the careful observer, to him that has
studied philosophically the operation of
the detail of our Government, it was
long ago plain that there was yet one
great and final struggle to be made be-
tween freedom and oppression, and
that that great struggle must be here.
Sir, thank God that that struggle came,
and that it was put upon our shoulders
the only people on The face Of the
earth that could have stood it, and be-
come the victors over oppression every
where, [Applause.] We had been
trained, sir, by the events of our own
day, for just such work; and l assert
again, that it is matter of proud con-
graduation that this great work was i'm
posed upon the sons of freedom in the
land of our own America. Applause. !
The lesson, Mr.. President, that this his
tory has taught, should not be lost


The spirit that moved this Rebellion
was born long ago; it was nursed here
by the only mother that could give nour-
ishment to treason-Slavery-and oppres-
sion. In that hot-bcd has grown up all
these evils with which we have been af-
fiicted, and it required the stern old Pu-
ritan blood to keep it down. The first
great lesson that it teaches us is, that
liberty is worth preserving, and that it is
the settled determination of the sons OF
the noble sires Of the country that it
shall be pcrpetuated. Inever supposed,
Mr.. President, for moment that this
great struggle would cease when we
heard no more the marshaling drum; |
never supposed that this conflict was
over when Lee surrcndered-by no
means, That was the first great lesson
in the drama, and it was the first act
convincing the enemies of republican
institutions that there was a power as
resistess as the elements themselves
that would meet and conquer oppression
under whatever guise it approached.
The great lesson they have learned.
There is another more important one
for us all to learn, and that is, my fellow
citizens, how to complete this great
work that our hero soldiers have so no
bly, commenced. In all cases of chron-
ic disease, there are about as many pres
criptions as there are different doctors.
Some are for treating it homeopathlcally
some ALPHABETICALLY, and some hydro
pathically, and all the pathies that you
can imagine; but | will tell you what
my treatment is: If / was called upon
to prescribe for this disease, the first
prescription would make is that rebels
shall never control the political destinies
of isnation. [Applause.] And why


sir? Because they have forfeited all
claim to the confidence of q liberty low
ing people; they have drenched the
thirsty earth with blood; they have at
tempted to tear the temple of liberty
down; they have rent the garments
with which this goddess of liberty was
clothed with gashcs longer, deeper


broader, than was found in great Cae-
sar's cloak when he offered up his life
they have attempted to overthrow the
great system of republican government
but, sir, they intended, were they sue.
cessful, to rear upon its ruins a govern.
ment of class, destructive of the rights
of the people of the nation. | woulC
not trust them for another reason


They never did love the institutions o


this country, their principles were dia


metrically at war with the principles 0
republican freedom. Talk to me, sir
about mans heart being imbued witt
the spirit of liberty who buys and sell


his fellow men at the shambles; show
me as well a white black-bird. No liv


inn nhilinct lesson Of frnednm was nvn