Italian patriots, struggling for liberty. I never heard that Old England
sent deputations to King Bomba, and yet his troops resisted bravely
there. [Laugh-ter and interruption.] To-day the majority of the people
of Rome is with Italy. Nothing but French bayonets keeps her from going
back to the kingdom of Italy, to which she belongs. Do you sympathize
with the minority in Rome or the majority in Italy? [A voice: "With
Italy."] To-day the South is the minority in America, and they are
fighting for independence! For what? [Uproar. A voice: "Three cheers
for independence!" and hisses.] I could wish so much bravery had a better
cause, and that so much self-denial had been less deluded; that the
poisonous and venomous doctrine of State rights might have been kept
aloof; that so many gallant spirits, such as Jackson, might still have
lived. [Great applause and loud cheers, again and again renewed.] The
force of these facts, historical and incontrovertible, cannot be broken,
except by diverting attention by an attack upon the North. It is said
that the North is fighting for Union, and not for emancipation. The
North is fighting for Union, for that ensures emancipation. [Loud
cheers, "Oh, oh!" "No, no!" and cheers.] A great many men say to
ministers of the Gospel: "You pretend to be preaching and working for
the love of the people. Why, you are all the time preaching for the
sake of the Church." What does the minister say? "It is by means of the
Church that we help the people," and when men say that we are fighting
for the Union, I too say we are fighting for the Union. [Hear, hear! and
a voice: "That 's right."] But the motive determines the value; and
why are we fighting for the Union? Because we never shall forget the
testimony of our enemies. They have gone off declaring that the Union in
the hands of the North was fatal to slavery. [Loud applause.] There is
testimony in court for you. [A voice: "See that," and laughter.] * * *

In the first place I am ashamed to confess that such was the