this rebellion by liberal propositions of peace, and there is an end of free government on this continent, and of free government throughout the world. Let rebellion once succeed in dividing us North and South, and it will continue to succeed, and we shall go on from one step to another, till this mighty fabric of wisdom shall crumble-State against State, section against section, neighborhood against neighborhood, man against man. Robbery, murder, arson, treason, and every crime known in the catalogue of depravity will be as common as household words, and your most wealthy individual will hold his property by a tenure more feeble than the robber holds his prey. Every one who desires his money will take it if he is the strongest. Robbery and crime in all its phases will override the land. All your institutions will be broken down and scattered to the four winds of heaven; foxes will look out of your windows, and rapine and riot will run up and down unrestrained.

I have seen this thing from the beginning; I have seen this accursed serpent from the time it was first hatched; I have seen it a lisping infant in its cradle; and I hope to live to see it crushed back into the earth again. And you who aid it on in any form or in any manner, direct or indirect, remote or immediate, are as guilty as he who is in arms against the Government. You are a peace man in a loyal State, and are encouraging one of the most wicked, one of the most causeless, one of the most damnable rebellions that ever existed among men. Apologizing for it when you see your soldiers marching forward to the defence of the national capital; you have seen them buried in their bloody graves; you have seen them murdered and stricken down, and still you apologize for those by whom they have been stricken down, and are opposed to war! Yes, I am opposed to war, so much so that I would, if possible, bring out the red artillery of Heaven to crush this rebellion. Yonder is the mother whose son went a few days since and was slain in the battle-field. Peace man, look at her, while the blood of her son is dripping from your fingers' ends! Why was her son slain? Because you was encouraging rebellion and treason. But yesterday a young bride was called upon to weave a garland of widowhood with her bridal wreath. And you were the cause. Why? Because

you were holding out aid and encouragement to this accursed rebellion. Your hands are stained with the blood of her husband. Look at that little group of children there, surrounding a widowed mother; at these she looks, and for these she trembles; and the little children fall back lest the murderer of the father shall be the murderer of the children also. Raise your hands to IIeaven and aid on this rebellion further if you can. I care not for a political organization; I care not who acts in this matter, or who refuses to act; that man who goes with the stoutest heart and strongest arm, whatever may be his political designation, is my brother to-day. Whether he acted with me before or ever will again, I care not, if he acts promptly and rightly in this great emergency. When the ship of the Constitution is assailed; when the red lightnings are streaming down her masts; when she creaks and groans in every joint; when she is threatened on one hand by a foreign enemy who annoys, and on the other by mutineers, pirates and traitors on board; then let all her true men unite together for her safety; take a strong hand-hold of the helm, and, though the sails are parting and the masts shivered, let every man do his duty to bring her to port in safety. The bow of promise arches itself in the distance, telling of hope, to speed us on our errand of mercy. God speed her on her course. Go on! Go on! She is safe! The conflict is ended! And he, of whatever party, who has fought with me and has kept the faith in the cause of his country, has done better duty than all the miserable party organizations in existence. It were better that they should all be swept off, as were the locusts of Egypt into the Red Sea, than that one hair of this government should be injured. Let all honest man band themselves together to hunt out and destroy this monster rebellion. Let them come with the true generosity of true American hearts, giving their all of influence, of example, of effort to the great cause; for if this country is destroyed; if it goes down in blood and tears under the blows of the rebellion, the star of freedom will go down with it, to rise not again upon this generation and age.

There is a hostile foreign influence that, in justice, while speaking of the rebellion, we should not omit to notice. Great Britain, the most limited and constitutional of monarchies, and

professing friendship for our Government, has acted anything but a friendly part. Although her Government has not had the manliness to face us openly in opposition; by its indirect action and its want of action; by the expression of many of her leading public men; by facilities furnished to rebel renegades to prey upon our commerce, and by attacks and misrepresentations through her press, she has pursued a course to annoy and embarrass us in this great struggle. But she will find, when the spirit of the American people is aroused, if that shall come to be the question, they will cut the fast-anchored isle from her moorings. I trust, however, that a better spirit and a more becoming policy will prevail in her future course towards us. Whenever it does; whenever she shows a manly recognition of our rights and of her obligations, as existing between two independent and friendly powers, I shall be prepared to acknowledge it in a proper spirit. But when I see her giving every back-door aid and comfort in her power to this rebellion, I shall arraign her for judgment before the civilized world.

This effort of the government and the loyal people of America, is marking a great crisis in human affairs. Old political books are closed; regencies, parties, organizations are swept as it were from existence. The time of emancipation has come; the great act of emancipation has passed; not for the emancipation of the black man merely, but of the white man from the trammels and chains of party. The great masses of the people are brought together and are preparing to act together for the salvation of the country. Our institutions of government are in the crucible seven times heated. But truth is mighty and will prevail. It will ultimately triumph, and this rebellion will not only be put down, but the idea in which it originated will be hunted from the abodes of civilization. Look at what this great free country has done, amid all the embarrassments we have There has been no power since the days of imperial Rome; nor even Rome, in her palmiest days, that in the face of such embarrassments, could throw forward such a mighty volunteer force to defend its government. And it will go on increasing in energy, in stamina, and in power, until foreign enemies as well as traitors in arms and traitors

seen.

in heart shall be subdued and receive their legitimate and appropriate rewards. I look forward to the moment when the good old stars and stripes shall wave again from every State capital; upon every fortress; upon every American vessel; and every American citizen shall acknowledge with pride the great name of this free, populous and enlightened country. But to secure this end, rebellion must not be nursed; rebellion must not be appeased; rebellion must not be purchased. The prerogative of Government must be asserted and maintained; rebellion must have hemp instead of cotton, or "liberal propositions of peace." It is more my fear lest traitors should not be suspended than that the habeas corpus should be. There is but just one way to treat rebellion and insurrection; but one way known among men or nations by which they can be disposed of; and that is to meet force by force, power by power, rebellion with authority of law armed to crush it down. Our constitution must yield to the rebellion, or that to the constitution. There is no equality between them; there can be no comparison instituted, nor compromise admitted. One is government, and the other rebellion, and the struggle must continue until the mastery is determined. He who attempts to appease rebellion, either misunderstands himself, or the functions and power and dignity of government.

Set the battle in array; let the lines be ranged; and he who is not for the government, let him take his place against it; whether by whispering treason, or proclaiming it on the house-tops; whether by giving secret aid to the enemy, or bearing arms against the government. I ask you in this great free State, you in this great commercial emporium of the New World, I ask you in the name of freedom, of government and of law, to look this issue squarely in the face; and to bring before the judgment seat of an indignant people, whoever dares to apologize for this base and wicked rebellion. I ask you to arraign him as a traitor. I care not whether he act as a politician, or a spy; whether by ranging himself in arms against the government, or by attempting to array a party to annoy and embarrass the administration of the government. The question of the election that is pending, will take care of itself. It only comes in aid of this mighty VOL. II-10

movement that so greatly agitates the fountains of popular sentiment.

I feel deeply on this subject of the Constitution and the Union, because I feel and know that we owe all that we are to this great and good government. I see and know, and you know with me, that if this government is destroyed, free government, free institutions will be destroyed with it. It were better that this whole generation should be swept from the face of the earth, for in a few years we shall all be laid in the dust, if our free institutions be preserved. To you, patriotic old men, I say, give the wisdom of your counsel; to women, lend your kind and gentle influence and your prayers, and gird your fathers, husbands and brothers for the campaign and the conflict; to you, young men, the strength and hope of the country, I say, in something like the words of Hamlet, "'list! 'list! O 'list! if ever thou didst thy dear country love." Come forward, join the ranks, swell the numbers of this great army of freemen, march forward to the rescue; until the constitution triumphs; until the stars and stripes are firmly planted, waving over every State and acre of our territory; and then let one great hurrah go up that shall cause monarchy and oppression every where to tremble, and gladden and assure the heart of humanity throughout the world.