“FOR THE GREAT EMPIRE OF LIBERTY, FORWARD!”
SPEECH
OF
MAJ.-GEN. CARL SCHURZ,
OF WISCONSIN
DELIVERED AT CONCERT HALL, PHILADELPHIA
ON
FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 16, 1864.
Fellow-Citizens: In times like these, when the passing events of every day cast ever-varying lights and shadows upon our situation, when our minds are tossed from fear to hope, from despondency to exultation, and back again to doubt, it is necessary that we should now and then fix our eyes firmly upon those things and ideas which, through all the vicissitudes of the hour, must serve as immovable and permanent points of direction.
The affairs of this country have evidently arrived at a crisis. We are engaged in a war for the restoration of the Union. The Union is not yet restored, but we hear the cry of Peace. The desire of peace is not peculiar to any social division or political party—it is cherished by all. But the question, What is peace, and how is it to be restored? this is the question to be solved by a vote of the people in November. Upon this question the mind of every conscientious citizen ought to be made up, whatever events to-day or to-morrow may bring. This question once irrevocably answered by the voice of the people, the future of the country is decided for ever.
The advocates of peace we can divide into four great classes:
First. The rebels themselves; they desire peace on the basis of separation and a final dissolution of the Union.
Second. A large number of influential men in foreign countries, especially in England and France, who affect to believe that the war is hopeless on our part, and urge us to consent to peace on the basis of separation; and who also urge foreign governments to intercede for that purpose.
Third. A numerous political party in the loyal States, who advocate, partly, peace at any price; partly, the offering of concessions and compromise to the rebels; but who all express the desire that the war shall cease.
Fourth. The great Union party, who advocate peace on the basis of the restoration of the Union, and a full and complete vindication of the authority of the Government, and the employment of all the means which the object may demand.
It seems, then, that “peace” is a word of wide meaning, and before using it as a political rallying-cry, we ought to be careful to ascertain and define its true significance.
The conditions upon which the rebels offer peace we all know. It is the recognition of their independence; it is the cession of all the States originally belonging to their Confederacy, with the addition of Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri and the District of Columbia; the cession of all the Territories west of the Confederate States to the Pacific, and probably some division of the public property in the hands of the Government at the commencement of the war. It may be doubted whether modesty is one of their virtues. They may indeed be expected to yield a point or two. (Applause.) Although our people seem to have made up their minds about those propositions, there are many persons abroad, and a few among us, who believe in the possibility of peace on the basis of disunion. In England there are men who seem quite amazed and indignant that we should refuse to treat upon such reasonable conditions.
Permit me a rapid glance at the two decisive questions—first, Whether a settlement can be
Printed by the Union Congressional Committee.
