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nntarily, there, because intelligent, ingenious traitor leaders
have misled them, with gilded falsehoods. I hope and pray that
the clay of their deliverance will soon come. These, thus con¬
strained, and thus misled, ought to have peace. Sir, the horri¬
ble prospects of the beautiful South, as well as the memory of
its past prosperity, and wealth, and influence,—and the death¬
like desolation that overshadows it now,—the seas of blood
spilled there,—the ocean of tears wept there, by widowed
women and orphaned children, — all these demand peace.
But how are you to have peace 1 That is the great question.
There are but two methods of obtaining peace that I can think
of. One is, to concede all the rebel leaders demand,—that is,
the recognition of the Southern Confederacy, as an independent
Government,—consequently the disintegration and dismember¬
ment of the United States,—and, of course, the remanding of
the Border States, with their loyal inhabitants,—together with
the bones of your heroes, that fell in battle, to their lawful %>os-
session forever. This is one of the ways by which we can get
peace. Are you ready to accept, will you adopt it ? (Cries of
" No.") Will you permit it ? (Cries of " Never, never.") Must
we, then, war on forever 1 (Voices, " Yes.") No, my friends,
I will tell you a better plan. Let us bring this dreadful war to
a close the other way,—the only other way, by fighting it out
with overwhelming and irresistible numbers. (Applause.)
Fight it out on its merits and demerit?, and let every other
question, even the " Negro," alone. Inevitable destiny governs
that question, and God is destiny,—let us leave that question to
His wisdom, and rest assured, He will settle it all right. God
rules, and He has brought the counsels of the wise, of all par¬
ties, to naught, on this question. For forty years, some of your
greatest men, in the pulpit,—at the press, and in the political
world, have been trying to tear down slavery. What had they
all accomplished before this war ? Had they even abraded the
surface of the " Institution." Believe me, in 140 years, their
labors would have borne the same result,—leaving the Con¬
stitution untouched.
Well, there was another party, down South, that was for
preserving it, because they held it to be a right, under the Con¬
stitution,—because it represented a large portion of the capital,
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