Let us all then, adopt the language employed by Stephen A. Douglas at Chicago in June, 1861, in one of the last speeches he made just before his death, while narrating what had been done for the South, he said: “The return we receive is war, armies marched upon our capital, obstructions and danger to our navigation, letters of marque to invite pirates to prey upon our commerce, a concerted movement to blot out the United States of America from the map of the globe. The question is are we to maintain the country of our fathers, or allow it to be stricken down by those who, when they no longer govern, threaten to destroy ? The slavery question is a mere excise. The election of Lincoln is a mere pretext. The present secession movement is the result of an enormous conspiracy formed more than a year since; formed by leaders in the Southern Confederacy more than twelve months ago. But this is no time for detail of causes. The conspiracy is now known. Armies have been raised, war is levied to accomplish it. There are only two sides to the question. Every man must be for the United States, or against it. There can be no neutrals in this war; only patriots or traitors.” Sir, this is not the language of a “copperhead,” but of a true man, speaking for his country, who rising above all party considerations, sought only the good of his countrymen. Sir, let all honest men emulate his example, and rally around ths President, and give to his Administration a vigorous support. This, in my judgment, will shorten the war, put down the rebellion, and save the nation. Sir, after the authority of the Constitution is established in every State of the Union, after the old flag of our country shall float in triumph on every brefeze over the whole country; after the rebellion shall be suppressed and the Union maintained, then, and not until then, will I consider any question of a party character. The man who will stand by the constituted authorities in their efforts to put down this rebellion, whether he is found in the North or the South, a Democrat or a Republican, that man is my brother, and I will stand by him—and the man that will not do this, I shall regard as a traitor to his country, to God, and humanity. Sir, our cause is noble. It is the cause of mankind. There is no danger to be apprehended, but from our own divisions- and dissentions ; and the miscreants who are attempting to promote these by •attacks on the Administration, and opposing every effort for the suppression' of the rebellion, will yet receive their p-^p^1 put ishment from the people. Sir, there is no. occasion for despair; the destiny of the nation is in our hands; and if we perform our whole duty to the country, the Government is safe. The errors of the past which we have experienced, will enable us to act better in the future. A dark cloud may yet pass over our country; distress and calamity may afflict our people; but I am certain that this rebellion will be crushed out by the force of pur arms; and the Constitution will be vindicated, and the laws enforced.
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