•14? 
 
SPEECH *''* 
 
 OP 
 
 • JLJ9 \Jl JLX^VJJJJXIK 
 On the Results of the War-The Position of Parties and Heeon 
 struetion of Eebel States. 
 
 Delivered in Eonse's Hall, Peoria, Oct. 21, 1865. 
 
 Fellow-citizens: It is 'said that the re- 
 bellion is over; that the war is ended. It 
 is true that the clash of arms lia<s pnrlpH- 
 
 that the roar of artille y is he^M L ^o e- tZion' "^^^"^TT' ''' ''' """ ""'' 
 that the rattle of musketry has c-asedrancl time ' ^'''^'''''''^ *'^« msutut.on fur 
 that the flow of blood has been stanched 
 but is the war at a i end ? 
 
 until It has ratified the Consticutioi H 
 amendment prohibiting slavery for-ver no ' 
 until It has, in addition, by its' own Cons i 
 
 — . The armi s of 
 the rebpllion have been crushed— annihila- 
 ted, by the heroism of our Icyal armies. 
 The ^jA^s/ca/ power of the rebels has been 
 broken ; but has the demoniacal spirit of 
 rebellion and treason which fed ^nd direct 
 ed the rebellion been sub'ued? Until we 
 can say that it has, we c;:nnot truly sny 
 that the war has ended. The rebels, foiled 
 
 Beiore the rebdlion, Congress north 
 President had the power (and by power 1 
 mean the Constitutional power) to interfcr 
 with slavery, nor anyother purely local ir.- 
 stiuitiou within atjy of the States; but bov 
 IS It now, so far as the States ar • conrerne:' 
 which constituted the so-called Confederate 
 Crovernmeat? Has Congress acquired ^la- 
 extension of powers, or simply called, into 
 exercise a latent power by reason of the rebel 
 
 
 summon all their energies to accompl sli the 
 same object by th^-ir political power. If we 
 suffer them to accomplish this design, the 
 war will have been in vain. Better, far 
 better, to have acknowledged the right of 
 secession, and tjie rebel government,'at the 
 outset, and have saved the enormous outlay 
 of money and the shedding of so much pre 
 Gious blood. We must not fail to gather! 
 
 of the rebellion, and the chai-actei- of the 
 late Confederate Government. 
 
 It is admitted by all candid men, that tho 
 Southern people rebelled and inaugurate'.! 
 war without justifiable cause. The'^peoph- 
 of those States wl^ich adopted secession or- 
 dinances were never denied by the Govern- 
 ment the exercise of any of- their Constitu- 
 tional rights. They were never opr.resse(?. 
 
 the fruit of onr great victory. It is notJThey were^ never\lenQ";;;;.7tior J 
 that we have g^rou>,d the rebeUion Jo own aggrandizement. . Thc^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 powder — we must prevent its return. We 
 have the power and the legal constitutionl 
 right to do it, and posterity will justly hold 
 us responsible for a second rebeilion should 
 we fail now to thoroughly eradicate from 
 the people of the rebel States the spirit of 
 rebellion, secession and treason, which lay 
 at the foundation of their late. fiendish 
 struggle. 
 
 This spirit of rebellion is thq offspring of 
 slavery. Slavery, then, must be abolished 
 in every State, and freedom must be univer- 
 sal and eternal. There must be no power left 
 in any State to re-establish slavery. Ko 
 -rebel State must be restored to "harmoni- 
 ous relations" with the general govcrumenf 
 
 of com2>laint. 
 
 They rtbellpd in favor of the d-snot^sta 
 of slavery. They hwd no fault to find with 
 the govennment. Ic had done all that topy 
 had asked— the government had do idess 
 in aata.goiiisra to their ide.is But thero waj 
 a power within lh,;j jurisaiction of the gov- 
 ernment that gave tnem cause of Hlirm-^ 
 rhf.t filled them with an indescrirabie ter- 
 or : 'and that power. was the power of the 
 Northern idea, in fuvor r.f universal liberty 
 This is what " precipitated tbe cottor 
 States inta revolution." The idea enter 
 lained by the rcbebs that slavery wcg a di- 
 vine institution, met an uiifliGching oppo- 
 nent in the idea ente^t:^iaed by the loya 
 

 men of the North, that liberty was a divine 
 inatitution, ar.d that slavery waa a mon- 
 strous and unmitigated evil. The idea en- 
 tertained by the rebels that siavery was a 
 blessing; to lbe?;black and white races, 
 especially the black, met an uncompro 
 mising opponent in the idea entertained by 
 the loyal men of the North that slavery was 
 a hideous curse to the black and white 
 races, especially to both. With these 
 ideas on the one side, and the additional 
 idea that secession was a constitutional 
 r'ght, the rebels went to war to overthrow 
 the Union and confirm slavery; and the loyal 
 liberty-loving people of the North accepted 
 the issue and went to war to maintain the 
 Union and to confirm liberty. This war. 
 then, has been in a great measure one of 
 ideas. The rebels threw down the gage 
 of battle for their ideas — the patriots took 
 up the gage for their ideas, and before we 
 can properly say that the war is ended, our 
 ideas must triumph over their ideas. We 
 may demolish the windmill, but the wind 
 I may remain. Our artillery, our muskets, 
 our arms may triumph over theirs, but their 
 ic'.eas may remain. We may win the physi*. 
 oil victory, but they may win the victory 
 of ideas. The physical tvar may be ended, 
 bat the war of ideas is upon us stiil, and in 
 this conflict vfe must be triumphant or 
 those grand victories won at Doneison, 
 Shilob, Vicksburg, New Orlerns, Gettys 
 burg. Mission Ridge, Chattanooga and in 
 the dreary depths of the Wilderness, by the 
 invincible and unconquerable heroes o*f 
 the Union, will turn to bitter ashes on our 
 lips. The army has done its part, and done 
 it nobly and well. Now let Congress do 
 its part as well, and the whole country will 
 bo covered with glory, and the grand re- 
 public will be radiant "with univers'l lib- 
 erty. [Applause.] 
 
 In the latter part of the year 1861, and 
 Parly in the ye'ar 1862, most of the slave- 
 hjlding States in their several conventions 
 declared that their rela-ions to the govern- 
 ment of the United States bad cessed: They 
 piocetded at occe.to form what they term-'* 
 ed the "Southern Confederacy." They form 
 ed and adopted a constiiution. They elec- 
 ted a President and a Congress. They es>' 
 tsblished a judiciary. They raised an sncy 
 ;ind created a navy. They possessed legis 
 lative executive nnd judicial powers. So 
 tir fiB forms were concerned, they made un^ 
 10 themselves a po^enment, and ha-d v«e 
 "let them alcne" in their iniEncy, it would 
 1 em.iin "even utto ibis day." Thpy declar- 
 ed that they were a tcpardite and independ- 
 ent government, and, to maintain tbis de- 
 claration, they summoned immense armies 
 :i nd such navies aa they had to their aid. In 
 f^ct, they did all that a recogrnized End in 
 (lipendf-nt govrrament could have done. 
 They irsned letters of marque aud r; p;-is»l, 
 
 and their pirates were recognized and pro- 
 tected by foreign governments ag privateers. 
 They claimed the character and the rights 
 pertaining and belonging to a de facto gov- 
 ernment, and this claim was acceeded to, 
 not only by foreign governments, but by our 
 own. They claimed the character and rights 
 belonging to a belligerent power, and this 
 claim was allowed them by our own and 
 foreign governments. They claimed that 
 they were an alien enemy to the United 
 States, and our government acceeded to this 
 claim, also. All these demands were acquis 
 essed in by our government during the con- 
 tinuance 0/ actual war; but now that they 
 have been whipped and subjugated, they 
 wish to deny the real character they made 
 for themselves during four years of cruel, 
 bloody and atrocious war, and now ask 
 that they may be regarded merely in the 
 light of "wayward sisters," eo that they may 
 be permitted to creep back into the Union 
 which they moved heaven and eartii to de- 
 stroy, without losing any of their rights, or 
 incurring any of the forfeitures or penalties 
 of their treason and rebellion. And that 
 same copperhead-democratic, party, which 
 sympathized with themduring the war, and 
 did so much to aid thc-m, and discourage 
 and embarrass us — that same party which 
 sainted Vallandingham, and traduced and 
 slandered our true and noble-hearted Lin- 
 coln — that same party which despised our 
 soldiers and called them hirelings and mur- 
 derers; that belittled our victories and mag., 
 aified the victories of the rebels ; that swore 
 we could never whip the chivalrous South, 
 and that we ought not to whip them ; that 
 threatened that they "would start a fire in 
 the rear of our troop8"(of course ihey would 
 never start one in the tront) — that same 
 party that declared in their Cbicxgo Con- 
 vention that the war was a failure, and 
 loudly called for a cessation of hostilities 
 and an armistice, (at a time, too, when final 
 speedy and complete victory was at hand, 
 and they knew it,) so that they might again 
 embrace their Southern brethren in a "con- 
 vention Of all the Slates ' — that same party 
 which resisted the drafi^, and shot down 
 Provost Marshals and soldiers detailed to 
 enforce the law; that organized the Knights 
 of the Golden Circle in aid of the rebellion; 
 that refused, in ■ oar State and all other 
 States controlled by them, to allow the sol- 
 diers to vote in the field, and did m^ny 
 other outrageous and detestable things, all 
 against our government and our army, and 
 in aid of the savage rebellion — I have not 
 the time to enumerate them all — lend wings 
 to your imaginations and darkness to your 
 souls and you will not do thim injustice; — 
 this party, of course, asks that they, 
 the rebels, be so regarded, and restored to 
 all their original rights under "the Consti- 
 tution as it ia and the Union as it wag,"-— 
 
f^^^^^'^Tthei^^^^ to all their former 
 
 onginal rights within the Uniorf, as thof^h full ^.In i^'^ T ^^"^^ '« ^^ ^^^ea into 
 there had been co rebellion '„ j^ ,^ "" fellowship; that there is to h« r,„^ 
 
 Confederate .o^ern^e^t'^^ '1 ^Tau^s 'f '^"1!:^/^^^^^^ ^"'^^°^ between ^o^a^r^n^d 
 So far as our rights, and their rights un PhfXh ,^°'r^° Patriot and rebel? If 
 der the law are concerned, I have no dnnh'Jh " ^^' *^^" '"^ ^^^ s«red name of the 
 
 butwebavetherieht to rLt Ihem as an mn?/r •"' -"^ '^' ^^P^^lic who are no^ 
 alien enemy, conquered by the Hn?*^ "''^u"°S '°*° impalpable dust on tbi 
 States government; that they have nnli-"^ ^'*."^ ^'^'^^ °^^^^^^ 
 the rights belonging to the vtViZdTnJ pSt btl ^'^ l'^ "^^ to wash the 
 we have all the rights belong^Ho thp FA nf ^'°n^ ^^"^ *^'^' traitorous hands 
 Victors Had the rebellion beeT^o fn.S Lee th""b'.L^' ^^'i' "^'^^ shudder to 
 
 nificant in point of numbers and power tl^ft on th.t ^' ^' ^''''' '' °°t yet green 
 our government could have supCs'ed thell^r^'''. ^.'^i^ «» th. earth abo'e 
 with only ordinary effort, and wifhff *t u '^ covered with verdure before von 
 
 space of a few months, anrhld'norb enT'onTof ?."' ""^^ ''''''• [Sensation J" 
 compelled from the necessity of the case ^o„«,-! .^^ ^^^ ^^^^t^st ;danger8 which beest 
 enter into a cartel for the exchange oTmilu' rlVf^r.^^^^^ ^^''^ ^o bring,, 
 
 oners, and had not from the same^ausfrT withX ''';°'° "barmonious relation"" 
 spected their flags of truce, and aSo'ro^irha^Sf '?^ government. Thev ought 
 the like cause recogn zed their so called thevf! ti^e to cool, to reflect, to 'repent, 
 pirates as privateers, Then the rights of h. Jn F ^°^' "' ^'^^ '^'^^^^^^ for four years 
 
 uou a ler he had eaten of the husks The 
 ngbt of self defence carries with it, and in! 
 plies, the nght of selfpreservation. We must 
 make the future secure. [Applause.] Te 
 
 as alien enemies 
 jugated, would 
 
 case the government 'couid only ""try 
 the offenders under the law of the land S 
 their treason. They could not be treated 
 as flhen enemies under the laws of war 
 Vattel and other eminent writers on the- 
 
 thrr:Lryr:ti'S^e wZ;etfstrt:tlr'V^^ ^rresecure.-[A"p7i;u3;'.i T, 
 mere rebels and become public enemies en wJ' ^'n f '^' '^^^"^°" ^« '^'^ wellstaod 
 titled to belligerant rights. Th° T.'l'?!^", ^^^ ^^^« .°o ^ove. We must root up 
 
 titled to belligerant rights. This deDend.Knd '^Z "''''*' u"" '"°'^' ^^^ ™"8t i„„. ^„ 
 upon the number and power of he rphpfo .-, 'K°^ ^'^ causes of rebellion. This 
 If the rebellion be suffiXtly powerfal too'aJv bf "^""V^"' of State Sovereignly mu 
 make head against the govefn^^rt b ia^feir n^'"'' ^^°°- tbe relics of the 
 
 able to dispute the occupation oTih; te4f & 1 TVh ^«'. not confound State S.ver! 
 torywitb the government by tU f^xe o^ i^ve/.r i^'-rl" ''^^'' '^^^ distinction 
 arms, then the lawsof humanity and the law' ^n.^ '''^- ^^' ^''"^ Sovereignty meacs 
 of nations declare that the Jebels shal bTlfs ^ 0"",' P^^-^^c^^^roHed power. There 
 reated as a public enemy, entitled to JelLf^ limitation .ot power State Sovei^ 
 hgerant rights ; that their prisoner sSiffi n' '^'' the Sta-e is supreme; 
 be treated as prisoners of TJ-notfsof^^^^^^^^^^ 
 rebels d re.pect shall be paVtothetr ess oT' K^\r.^^'r5^^-P^^ ' 
 
 TcU^}^ J f-"""^-^= 01 war — not as 
 
 rebels-and respect shall be paid to their 
 flags of truce. The war then, when it had 
 assumed these proportions and aspects, 
 should m all respects be conducted as 
 though the parties to it had originally been 
 independant nations. & j- c" 
 
 cession If then Sovereignty belongs to 
 the State we have no nation, we are mere- 
 ly a people without a nationality. By State 
 
 Th.!^-! '' ''''^'' *^^ Constitution, 
 ihese >7^A^5 must remain inviolable. State- 
 
 We could not try' the rebel nrivateers i,^,f'^'''^,^^* """^^ remain inviolable. State- 
 
 which we capturedL piracy on' the high Lt/^^^^^^^^^^ ""' x""" '' ^^^^« ^««^r^«'I 
 
 seas, because they were nrotectpd Htt iptt^,.o rvu ' 
 
 Of marque and re'prisal f%m tte'rebVll^ tion'purfSwTd %' '-^"^'f '^°°^^'^-«- 
 ernment. The war between the government Sf^^prhi.T! °°f \'' *^*' ^^^ ^^bel 
 and the rebels was carried on in mosfre fh't/hp , ' i""*^^ 
 
 spects, and could lawfully have SeeTin a T - harmonin'^ ' r "^^ ^' brought into 
 as though we had been at war with Li Lpn, h * '^^^^'^'^f with the govern- 
 land. During the progress of the r-^hPlliTrKV^u^ represented again in Congress- 
 the rebels had absolutdfuo rigfc Jl^t; F^^^^^^^^ -A the 
 
 our Constitution. They tad only snoh f '„''^'"'° « ^^''.^^> ^bat all interference by 
 rights as they were entftled to uiir the ndTfTtrV.^'^^!;^'^-^^^'^"'^!^ ^^-^^^J 
 
 nary power dissipated, is it to bttldThit Jit. To^iJd ttif^^fan^^T l^^f;,! ^^ 
 
'ok forward "to the good time coiniQg",lkind. Tbey Langed Jobn Brown, but his 
 hen Davis anuBucbanan shall shake handslideas went ." roarching on." They mur- 
 
 Lrain over '-the Consii'ution as it is and the 
 
 "nioa as it ws." The other is to treat the 
 
 r b(?ls as an alien enemy — a public enemy. 
 
 ^'le rebels compel'; d us to traat them as 
 
 I! ch for four years How tben can they 
 
 'jriinlain if we should compel them to ac- 
 
 rpt the legitimate results of the character 
 
 'bey madft for themselves? Confiscate the 
 
 •states of the leading rebels, and out cf the 
 
 roceeds pay the national debt, and increase 
 
 he peusiotis of the soldie.s and the widows, 
 
 tnd create a fuod for Ihnir crphans j_flp- 
 
 plause]; and only lestore thj rebel people 
 
 ■/.'hen they ure willing to admit thetriurjph 
 
 of the ideas upon which the war was prose^ 
 
 cutsd upon our part, and to incorporate them 
 
 ■jto their organic l:vws The Union partj 
 
 3 in favor of this plar. ^ 
 
 Congress has completejurisdiction over the 
 
 Stale;! I'-tely in rebrl'i jn, and should see to 
 
 -t that only reiubli<aa governments, in form 
 
 -ad in f iC, sbnil b-e establ saed thensio uu 
 
 :er the consii'U'ior.; and Congress should 
 
 iforce therein the immutable truths "that 
 
 :'! men are created equal, aud endowed by 
 
 heir Creator with certain inalienable 
 
 ' ights — ^that among these are life, liberty and 
 
 ■i.e puisuit of hvppiness" [App'ause.] 
 
 ' is the bounden duty of Congress undtr 
 
 :ie constitution to, guarantee a republican 
 
 'rra ol goverrment lo every State in the 
 
 !,nion, or which may hereafter be admitted 
 
 ,uto the Uaion. 
 
 Congress must require in the reconstruc- 
 
 :on of any rebel State the abfolute ester- 
 
 linationof slavery, and also the barbarisms 
 
 - slavery. There must be no reconstruc- 
 
 n thai does not recognize the immutaile 
 
 uth that all men are equal belore the 
 
 I ^. The application cf this truth, as a 
 
 adamental principle, in tbe government O' 
 
 ■ 1^ Catholic Church, is the true secret of its 
 
 •>\ver. Ira members are all equal — in the 
 
 ■larcb. Tbe prince and tbe peassn" — tbe 
 
 ientatioufi rich and the hurable poor, are 
 
 ' eqnals there, without regard lo color. 
 
 ' le by side ih-y kaetl befora the same 
 
 ■i<v. Thetheoiy of ibe Britibb governraen' 
 
 in Hiira-ionssm to this priocipie. Hence 
 
 - r.;iiffer:ngs, m-iseries a'/i distractions ot 
 
 1 ihd. Tbera roust not be one law for 
 
 : f?hite aud-atjother law for ihe black 
 
 T. The law that protfcts or punishes 
 
 ' ine, rinist protect or puaish the otlser. 
 
 ir, was not till we had been engaged in 
 
 ; •gigantic struggle for nearly two years 
 
 't the people got their cye^ open to 
 
 ; great fact that itie war was in the mam 
 
 ." of ideas. The South, blinded by sl.ave- 
 
 and pBSsioa and malice, grasped the 
 
 •'ord to fight against the onward march of 
 
 ! ral Ideas, as though such ideas couid be 
 
 ■-)_yed o-" stayed in tbeir onward niarch 
 
 dered Elijah P. Lovejoy, but his ideas were 
 immortal; [Applause.] and ihey have been 
 " marching on" for thirty ■ years, battling 
 oppression, stiperstition antl tyranny, and 
 they will go foiward to the grand day of 
 their final triumph. [Applause.] The rebels 
 resorted to physical means — they erected 
 harriers to oppose tbe progress ot ideas. 
 Their physical means have been destrayedi 
 their barriers have been broken down, and 
 the ideis, gatharing strength from the pow- 
 er of the opposition, went " marching on " 
 [applause] — aud they will march on till 
 that great and divine truth is recognized 
 and acquiesced in — that "all men are cre- 
 ated equal," and that equal and exact jus- 
 tice shall be meied out to all men. [Ap- 
 plause.] Now that we have learned, at so 
 great cost, this fact, there must be no let- 
 ting up — no backing do-vn, until we have 
 m ifie this nation one homogeneous p Ople, 
 with governments fjunded on the natural 
 fquality of ail men. [Continued applause ] 
 During the progress of the w.ar, Prttijent 
 Lincoln, as a necessary means for trhe sup- 
 pression of the slaveholders' rebellion, is- 
 sued a proclamsiiion declaring their slaves 
 forever free. God bles-^ his gaicttd memory 
 for that pr clamation ! [Applause] We 
 gave the freedmen muske's, and they tought 
 with heroic vulor against their late masters. 
 They have won their share of the glory in 
 the conquest of the South. They fought 
 well, and there was not a disloyal one 
 ami ng them them all. With insolent, per- 
 fidious and cruel masters aud traitors around 
 •isd over them, their hearts were undaunted^ 
 ind they rendered us all the aid in their 
 power. They g«ve us, free'y, inVf»luatde 
 service iu maintaining the Uoion; and the 
 government, in return, gave :hem that di- 
 vine, but loLig-d'.-ferred boon — liberty. And 
 ;iow the government must defmd and pro~ 
 'ect them in the enjoyment of that liberty. 
 [Applause] It. must not leave it. to the 
 
 ■clemenijy ' of their late masters, who 
 would, unrestrained, forge fcr them the 
 '.{ailing fetters and shackles, and- iratupre 
 their sacred rig.bts into the dust. Woe be 
 ro this nation if it turns a deaf ear lo the, 
 voioe of humanity and justice I The gov- 
 
 rnment is bourd to do whatever is neces-. 
 'Ssary for their protectiou. !•■ roust not 
 leave them to the " tender mercicci " of the. 
 rebels. 
 
 In order to accomplish thi^, one of three 
 things, iu my opinion, snouid be done. The 
 oaais of representation should be changed 
 trom population *to electors, so that the 
 representatives in Congress shall be ap- 
 uortioned among the sevtr il S>a:e8 accord- 
 ing to tbe number of electors tor the mc;!; 
 numerous branch i f the State Legislatures. 
 
 e civilizaiioa aud elovauoa of maii^'.Oth-.Twific, en the prtisent basis, we w-iU 
 
reward the Soiit'a fori s treason and perfidy, never been out of, but are 8*ill in the Union, 
 
 by givirg tbem some fifteea adoitiooMl Con 
 gres3mfn Tbis chnnge can bp ticcomp'i-hed 
 by amending the C 'nsuiuiion. Or, if Con- 
 gress will disfranchise the rebel?, and make 
 loyally the condition *"or the exercise of the 
 elective iranchise — all will be well. But 
 if all rebels are allowed to vote, tnere will 
 be DO enduring peace for the country nor 
 safety for the Union or the Preedmpn. Con- 
 gress may exercise this power so long as the 
 rebel S'.ates remain in a qi^asi teiritorial 
 condition; but when they are "reconatuct 
 'ed" and readmitted, then this power 
 ceases, and a reconstructed S^ate will pos 
 Bess the same power over the elective fran 
 
 is correc*, where does tht Prrsideni get the 
 authority and the right to a;-.p"ini- M.lit-iry 
 or Provisional Governors fmr such S:atc9? 
 What necessity was there fir such States 
 to hold conventions and repeal their ordin- 
 ances of secession, or declare them void, 
 and frame and adojM: new cousiituiioue ? 
 Why is it that the Pi-fsident does not ap- 
 Doint a Provisional Governor for Illinois ? 
 You answer, Illin'-,i-> has- always been a loyal 
 State within ike Un'on, and bus the right to 
 elect ber own Governor; and should the 
 President interfere you would denoucce it 
 as a usurpation and an onirage. States 
 
 „.. ^...w ,.„„- wtC/jm the Union -ire fqit'ils. ThePresident 
 
 chise that Illinois does. It is difficult to has no more power over one than another. 
 say, at this t\me. what measures are neces- If r^outli Carolina is a Stave withiu the Uii- 
 sarv to 8-cure liberty and jistice to the ion, it is within the Union uader the fe'ou 
 
 Freedmen ; but whatever is necessary will 
 be d ,ne. [Applanse.] 
 
 After a careful investigation of all the va- 
 rious plans p"ouOied for reconsiructins: the 
 rebel State;', I 'see no one wLish presents so 
 few difiSculties, or which promises results 
 so satisfactory, or which so fully guaran 
 tees the preservation of the Uiion, the es 
 tablishment of enduring pe:ice on the basis 
 ot universal libettj and justice, — as that 
 plan which propoises that Congress shall 
 declare that tbe rebels are alien enemies — a 
 conquered public euemy. I have shown 
 the legal r ght in Congress to exercise this 
 power; and that it ought to exercise it, I 
 have but /little doubt. Had the United 
 States been at war with' Great 
 Britain, and had cur armies driven the last 
 vettige of B.-itisb authority (rom the Arxieri 
 can coDli'ieat — in such CMse, how would 
 we treat 'h-. provinces of Canada? There 
 id but one answer to the question — simpij 
 as alien euemi-s. Congress would make 
 laws and estnblish governments for ihem. 
 Tae Canadians would be entitled only t-^ 
 the rights of the vanquished. Why, then, 
 should we ire^t witu' such tlemcLCy and 
 tenderness those, who, owing allegiance to 
 this f ovtr -meat, fores-.rore rbeir allt'giiince, 
 aac made war upon us for lour long years; 
 to desrroy a govtrnment which had never 
 denied tbim a right, or scarcely a favor? 
 By declaring them aiiea enemies, and ex- 
 cludiDg them fro,m partictphtion in the gov- 
 ernment — tsfhose very existence would b^ in 
 iiDmiuent danger by restoring th tn that 
 political p.>wer which they vyould use onl.v 
 tor its deatiuciion — Congress would 
 make laws for their rej^uiation until 
 
 stit'ition, and is t'le equal of any of the 
 Sates, and is entitled to all rhe Constitu- 
 tional rights of any other St-ite — among 
 which are the rights to elect a GdVeruor, a 
 Legislature, seed Representatives to Con- 
 gress, and min^ige generally its own local 
 institutions in its own way under the Cju- 
 sti ution. "It follows, then, that the Presi- 
 dent, in his exercise of authority over the 
 Southern States, 's acting upon the assump- 
 tion that the rt-beis are alien enemies — a 
 conquered enemy, and entitled only to such 
 rights Hit are accorded by civilized nations 
 to a sui'jngated psople, and in this I en- 
 dorse bim most fully. 
 
 Since the last adjiurnment of Congress 
 the militiry power of the rebellion received 
 its death blow. la the recess of Congress 
 he PreLddeot found himself with a con- 
 quered people on his hands; and from the 
 veri nec-ssity of the case; as the Chief Ex- 
 ecutive of the Nation, and the Commander-- 
 in-chief of its armies, he has assumed the 
 direction and control of affairs within the 
 rebel States. He has conferred upon them 
 the right to hold conventions with the view 
 'o ihsir rcstbr.Ht'on ■ as States wilhin the 
 Union. If they prove themselves worthy of 
 this confi.lence, and of the confidence of the 
 whole people, as regards their loyalty, and 
 their devotion ' to republican government, 
 and republican institutioas, and to the prin- 
 ciples ol jistice between min and man, it 
 is expected this Congress will re-admi- 
 them into the Union. But if the Soutbera 
 people, !:iy .heir acts, tv.il to i:\spirethis 
 confidt^nce. Congress will consider this "ex- 
 periment of recoustriiC'ion" a_ failure, and 
 ^^ject their claim for admission, and hold 
 
 such time as they could bs safely trustedltbem in abtyanca until such time as thejr 
 with the exercise of the functions p-rtain can be restored with safety to the nation's 
 ing to civil government. Then they would honor and its perpetuity. 
 n;tiurally and riiihiiuily come into "harmo The coppsrbeads say ihat it is safe to 
 nious relations" with the genoral govern- Tust |hei« ufw. I must confess, howcTer, 
 ni.M)-; upon an equ li ,o>tacg with the otherjthat that the> have given but little evidence 
 >.{;.. t„g I to justify the asseition. In none 
 
 if \be idea that the S Ufa ira States hscvel of tbeir StatBB fcare tbey r»tiflcd 
 
the constitutional amendment abolishinglstrength. Let us not lead them too soon 
 slavery. They have not recognized the to the pillars of the temple of liberty. It is 
 
 freedman as possessing "any rights which 
 the white man is bound to respect." In 
 Bome of their conventions they have abol- 
 ished slavery— 6y words. By the same 
 power they can re-establijh it to-morrow. 
 If they are sincere in regard to the abolition 
 of slavery, why do they not ratify the con- 
 stitutional amendment abolishing and pro 
 hibiting slavery forever? The reason is 
 obvious. If that amendment should be 
 ratified and become a part of the Constitu- 
 tion, their power over the subject would 
 cease forever. This is just what they are 
 determined to defeat. 
 
 In the South Carolina Convention a reso- 
 lution was introduced to the effect that a 
 committee be appointed to wait upon the 
 President and ask him to pardon "our 
 former noble and beloved chief magistrate, 
 Jefferson Davis, who is now langu shing in 
 prison, while the fanatics of the North, not 
 satisfied with the wide-spread ruin and deso- 
 lation which they have caused, are shriek- 
 ing for his blood." Mr. Coleman, late 8 
 Captain in the rebel army, asserted in thf 
 Alabama Convention that "the morality ot 
 slavery need not be discussed before a con- 
 vention of Southern gentlemen. He read 
 his Bible, and he conscientiously believed 
 in slavery." 
 
 In Louisiana there is a military school 
 which has been, until recently, aad since 
 the conquest of that State, under the super- 
 intendence of Union professors ; but the 
 rebels having resumed partial control of the 
 State, at once deposed the Union professors, 
 and installed three rebel officers in their 
 stead. Is this calculated to inspire our con- 
 fidence? The Democratic Convention— 
 what democracy .'—lately held in Louisiana, 
 passed almost unanimously, and with great 
 
 for you, ih^ people, to determine which of 
 these parties you will support — which of 
 these parties you will trust with the destiny 
 of the republic. If you are patriotic and 
 honest, you will sustain that party which 
 will the most certainly promote the pros- 
 perity of the country, sustain its honor and 
 aggrandize its glory. 
 
 In order that you may form a correct 
 judgment of the character and merits of the 
 two parties that ask for your support, it is 
 well to review the history and' the record 
 they have made for themselves, and by it 
 let them be judged, their character 
 and merits estimated, and their 
 claims upon you for support be determined. 
 In 1860, the Democratic party was ia^power, 
 and had control of the general government. 
 It was then that the Southern leaders of the 
 Democratic party plotted their foul treason 
 and concocted their schemes of rebellion. — 
 It was then that Buchanan, the Chief Exec- 
 utive of the nation, and the head of the 
 Democratic party, proclaimad to the world 
 that the United States Government possess- 
 ed no power to coerce a State. He saw and 
 estimated the powers of the General Gov- 
 ernment only through the heresy of " State 
 Sovereignty. ' With him and the Democratic 
 party State Sovereignty was superior to and 
 mightier than National Sovereignty. With 
 him and his party the Uuion still existed 
 under the old articles of confederation; and 
 so ignoring our present Constitution, and 
 virtually denying its existence, he leaned 
 back in his easy chair, and complacentlv 
 looked on while traitors combined for the 
 destruction of the Union. The Southern 
 portion of this Democratic party, with a 
 unanimity rarely seen, jointd in the tn-ason 
 of their lead-rs and waged war, barbarous 
 
 r ---_ .,-.-„. ^„u».j,, „uu „iiu gi-eai oi lueir leau-^rs ana wagea war, barbarous 
 
 applaase, a resolution calling upon the war, for four years against the Govern- 
 i-resident to pardon Jeff Davis. They ment, and at last, being overpowered, they 
 might,_ with equal propriety and fitness, have sullenly accepted the inevitable — 
 have included the name of the infamous Shall I recur to the sufferings— sufferings 
 j5^" , . unprecedented, borne with a heroism un- 
 
 ineseare but a few of the evidences paralleled in the world's historr, by the he- 
 showing the sentiments and feelings of the roic and immortal defenders of the Union'' 
 bouthern people. When you have over- No language can portray the trials, the 
 come and disartned the assassin, will you hardships and atrocities they endured — 
 restore htm his dagger ? When you have, They bared their breasts to the relentless 
 CHUght the incendiary, will you load him storms of war; they went forward in the 
 down with combustibles and let him go ?:face of certain death;— they fell by thous- 
 When you have overcome an enemy, equal- jands, on the blood-soaked fields of battle;- 
 ea only in his gigantic power by his savagejthey languished and died by thousands in 
 
 CrueltV. will VOU relp.H.sn him onrl Qi,«vv,.,„. *!,_ ci„....i ^ _• _ "^rrii . , 
 
 cruelty, will you release him and augment 
 his power, so that in the next conflict he 
 may be the victor and you the vanquished ? 
 Yon will not, if you are wise. When 
 you have the monster down, beep him di)wn, 
 until he is rendered powerless for further 
 mischief. [Applause.] Like Sampson, they 
 have been shorn of their power, and are 
 
 ».ori,o«o 1 •• f-..-., o,uu aic jjiausc.j ine Diooa 01 out 
 
 peruaps, onl3^, awwtmg a renewal of their'cries to Heaven against it 
 
 thi Southern prison pens. The rebels cal- 
 led to their aid fierce blood-hounds and 
 remorseless starvation, and by starvation 
 thousands upon thousands of our brave boys 
 faded away into the silent land. And now 
 we are asked to trust and restore these de- 
 mons in human form. God forbid! [Ap- 
 plause.] _ The blood of our martyred heroes 
 
This was the work of tte Southern wing 
 of the Democratic party. Let us now look 
 at the North rn wing of that party, and see 
 the part it has plaved m this bloodiest of 
 tragedies. It declared that the National 
 Go ernment coiild not coerce a State back 
 in the Union. Had this doctrine been ac- 
 quiesced in, we would to-day be but a dis- 
 membered and dishonor d remnant of our 
 former selves. They declared at their 
 Springfield Convention, that a further pros 
 ecution of the war only tended to anarchy 
 and misrule, and the subversion of the Gov- 
 ernment, and that the war ought to stop.— 
 Had their voice been heeded — had their 
 opinions been adopted by the people, the 
 Southern Confederacy would to-day have a 
 name and place among the nations of the 
 earth. At their Chicago convention in 1864 
 they declared the experiment to restore the 
 Union by war a failure, and they demanded 
 an armistice with the rebellion. Had the 
 people concurred in these opinions — had the 
 people acquiesced in this declaration and 
 demaud, our country would ni>w be covered 
 wth ruin and with infamy, and JeflF. Davis 
 would this day be sitting in Richmond in the 
 insolence ■ f his pride and power, as th- 
 head of the slaveholders' empire. But thank 
 Gi)d, the undaunted loyal people of the 
 country could not be deceived. [Applause.] 
 They pressed onward in the grand work of 
 maintaining republican government, until 
 Victory crowned our arms, and the old 
 starry banner of our fathers floated in tri 
 umph again over every inch of American 
 soil. [Applause.] And now will you re- 
 store this Democratic party to 
 power? will you bring these 
 
 two wings together? If you want the re- 
 bellion and slavery to triumph, you will. If 
 you want the Union and liberty to triumph, 
 you will not. [Applause.] 
 
 In making your choice as between these 
 parties you will remember that the South- 
 ern wing of this democratic party, after 
 having practiced every atrocity that the in- 
 genuity cf hate and envy could devise; 
 after having been beaten by the sword to 
 which they had appealed, standing in 
 the presence of universal defeat — stuDg to 
 madness, they appealed from the sword to 
 the dagger of assassination, struck down 
 the chosen magistrate of a nation and car 
 ried us with one blow back to the dark 
 ages of the world. The true people took 
 the great martyr and buried him in their 
 hearts, and there he will remain forever; 
 and they have sworn that the principles for 
 which he died shall be adopted by the 
 Southern people before they shall again be 
 come part and parcel of this gloiious nation. 
 [Tremendous and long continuedapplause] 
 Can you support a party that sustains, lu 
 an adjoining State, a paper published by a 
 democrat, which makea nse of the follow- 
 
 ing language in a late isgae in refereccB to 
 The last and most diabolical act of the re- 
 beli'on : 
 
 "Where isLiacoln, the joking patron saint 
 "of niggerism, who owes so much to John 
 "Wilkes Booth, and who is well nigh for- 
 "gotten already, with hardly a dozen in the 
 "land to revere his memory? 
 
 "Where is Chase? 
 
 "Where is Brough? 
 
 "Where is that crowd of conatitntion- 
 "breaking, law'^despiaing fungus ? 
 
 "Gone or going, into oblivion, leaving & 
 "nation in tears — a country in ruins — a 
 "once hippy peop'e In debt and taxation—- 
 "a treasury once well filled with coin empty, 
 "and thousands of millions ferns to pay. 
 "They have gone to perdition, and their vic- 
 "tims are many, They have gone from their 
 'field of power. 
 
 "Right is again triumphing. 
 
 "A Statesman instead of a Clown is now 
 "President, and the element which two 
 "years since said a President can do no 
 "wrong is now arraying itself aj^ainst the 
 •'head of the nation, and trying to drive him 
 "from the constitution behind which he is 
 •'entrenched. 
 
 ''We deprecate assassination, yet we feel 
 "to thank God fo*" calling Lincoln hom«, 
 "wherever that home may be." 
 
 Great God! how thankful I am that I waa 
 not a Democrat daring this war 1 [Ap- 
 plause.] 
 
 Let us now for a moment turn to the 
 record of the Union party — a party com- 
 posed of men from all the old parties — 
 men who loved their country better thaa 
 their party. They denied that the govern- 
 ment had no power to coerce a State. 
 They denied that the further prosecution 
 of the war tended only to anarchy and mis- 
 rule and the subversion of the goverment. 
 They denied that the experiment of war to 
 restore the Union was a failure. They de- 
 clared there should be no cessation of hos- 
 tilities, no armistice with rebellion, and 
 no "convention of all the States" until the 
 rebels had laid down their arms. And to 
 maintain these issues on their part, they 
 firmly supported the war measures of the 
 administration and pressed forward in the 
 face of the most malignant and unscrupu- 
 lous political opposition ever encountered 
 in any government. 
 
 The year 1862, a year made memorable 
 hy our many reverses in the field, waa a 
 year of uncommon prosperity to the Demo- 
 cratic party. Their political victories were 
 in the ratio of our military defeats. In 
 that year they thought us defeated because 
 we were prostrated ; but liSe Atreus, the 
 fabled son of the Earth, we were renewing 
 our strength. [Applause.] We suffered 
 reverses, but were not discouraged. 
 Gairing energy anS deterra'nation from 
 
8 
 
 adversity, and feeling: that cooscionsness of 
 power which springs from battling for the 
 right — inspired by the justness and grandeur 
 of our cause, we pressed onward until we 
 have established the sublime truth, declared 
 by our great manyr, "that government of 
 the people, by the people, and for the 
 people, shall not perish from the earth." 
 [Applause.] 
 
 This is one of the mnjeslic results of the 
 war. 'J'o even refer to the thousard deeds 
 of onr Union partv is impcssiblehere. You 
 are familiar with its history and its record. 
 You know with wiiat an energy of devotion 
 it has maintained every thing that is good, 
 and condemnei and opposed everything 
 that is wrong. It is and has been the party 
 of progress. It has and will devote itself 
 to the elevation atid amelioratio'i ol 
 mankind. And while our brs,y(; soldiers 
 have been fighting and dying for tbe 
 mKintena.nce of the princples of our 
 t'srfy, you have sustained and de 
 feoded them, and rendered them every aid 
 in your power. You have been their real 
 friends. 
 
 The democratic party hypocriti- 
 cally pretend that thpy can see no 
 good results cf tbe war. Let us see. The 
 war has given liberty — thst inherent biith- 
 right of every man, without distinction ot 
 color or race — to four millions of people, 
 who had been held in a bondage only 
 equaled in its relpntless cruelty by the sav 
 age ferocity of its mastejs. It has forever 
 destroyed the occupation of the aucii 'caer 
 in human flesh and blood. It has rendered 
 profitless the breeding of bloodhoutids. It 
 has secured to the negro the endearments 
 and enjoyments of the family altar. It has 
 guaranteed corapen.sation to labor. It has 
 destroyed an arrogant arristocrflcy. It has 
 touched the poor white maa rf- 'he South 
 wiih that magic wand — liberty. I' has spo- 
 ken in his ear that magic word — education. 
 It has dissipated tl^e clouds of Eupersiition 
 and . broken the chains of the ty- 
 ranny that oppressed them, and it 
 has vindicated the sublime truth "that al 
 men are created equal. ' It has demonstra' 
 ted the power of republican government 
 [Applause.] It has forever idiluted that 
 monarchcial lie* that a republic does not 
 possess the inherent power of maintaining 
 its own existence. [Applause.] It Las 
 
 elevated us in our own, and in the estima" 
 tion of all foreign powers. It has rendered 
 our flng holier and more august. It has 
 raised us to the po.'^itioaof the fir.-tpoweron 
 the face of the earth. [Applause.] It has ani- 
 hiJated forever that, heretical dogma of 
 state "sovereignty," and it has established 
 the- fact that in the air of the western 
 hemisphere there shall float but one flag. 
 [Applnu.se.] 
 
 It is for you, the people, to ssy whether 
 these majestic results of ihe war shall be 
 maintaiopd. To accomplish these results, 
 the patriotic Democrat and Republican 
 shotildered their muskets, and marched to 
 tbe fifld of carnage, and toueht with sub- 
 ime heroism side fey side. God and mans 
 kind will bless them forever. And to 
 maintain these results, the patriotic Demo> 
 crat snd R-publican should mvrch every- 
 where to the po Is, and together deposit that 
 potent insirument 
 
 "_Which falls 
 As soft as snow-flikes on the sod, 
 
 And executes a freein.iii's w II 
 /,s ligh'nings do the will of Grod." 
 Oar goveruii'wat being fi'ffily established 
 upon tbese great principles, we will have 
 seen but chc iiawn of its gr-atness, its glo- 
 ry and its grandeur. The dny is not far 
 distaut when a hundred miilioDS of -eople 
 will erjoy the 1 Tessicgs of peace, prosperi~ 
 ty ana liberty, under the ample folds of 
 our flig Liberty, latelligenea and Frater- 
 nity — divine trinity — will then bind the 
 people together in eternal binds of ami*y; 
 atad with one voice, like a mighty diapa- 
 son, they will thank the heroic army of 
 freedom th-vt trampled beneath theirindi;^- 
 nant feet slavery and its legions. Then, 
 the 0|ipres3ed of the earth, gathering 
 streniith, corfidence and inspiration trora 
 us, will crush despotism and tyranny into 
 dust, and unturi the emblem of liberty over 
 a redeemed arid regenfnted world. 
 " Hiisten the day, just heaven ! 
 
 Accomplish thy design ; 
 And let the bless-ngs f'ou hast freely given. 
 
 Freely on all lae^. shine; 
 'Till equal rights be equally ergov'd, 
 And human puwerfor human good employ'*! ; 
 'Till law, and not the suvcre ^n, rule sustain, 
 Atid peace and virtu-j t;ndisputed reign." 
 [ fLankiDg the audience tor their atten- 
 tion, the speaker retired amid long con- 
 tinued applause.] 
 
Boston, March 30, 1865. 
 
 Dear Sir, — I send with this a pamphlet containing the speeches of Hon. William 
 D. Kelley, Wendell Phillips, and Frederick Douglass, also articles from the pens 
 of Elizur Wright and William Heighton, on the necessity of making all men equal 
 before the law ; and ask your careful perusal of it 
 
 Mr. Kelley shows us, that, in the early years of our Government, the free negro vrtts 
 allowed a vote in nearly all the States, including most of the Slave States. Mr. Phillips and 
 Mr. Douglass call attention to the necessity and justice of this measure ; and Mr. Wright and 
 Mr. Heighton, to the political and economical considerations that should induce us to "■rant it. 
 
 I am distributing 10,000 copies to antislavery men in all the Free States ; but, desiring 
 to increase the number to 100,000 or more, invite you to aid its circulation, on the follow- 
 ing plan : — 
 
 If you will send me what money you can spare for this object, I will forward you, free 
 of postage, such number as you may send for at the rate of twenty copies for every dollar, 
 or one hundred copies for every four dollars, sent me ; which is less than the cost of publi- 
 cation. Or if you will send me names, with post-office address, I will send them direct 
 in your name. If you send me money without specific directions, I will distribute them 
 according to my best ability, and advise you of the distribution when made. 
 
 Truly your friend, 
 
 GEO. L. STEARNS. 
 
"I"'" 
 
 w< 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 013 744 484 7