the mere _name_ of Union. I
never believed we had a Union. A true Union is based upon
principles of mutual interest, of mutual respect and reciprocity,
none of which ever existed between the North and South. They
based their institutions on slavery; the North on freedom.

I care not by what measure you end the war, if you allow one
single germ, one single seed of slavery to remain in the soil of
America, whatever may be your object, depend upon it, as true as
effect follows cause, that germ will spring up, that noxious weed
will thrive, and again stifle the growth, wither the leaves,
blast the flowers, and poison the fair fruits of freedom. Slavery
and freedom can not exist together. Seward proclaimed a truism,
but he did not appreciate its import. There is an irrepressible
conflict between freedom and slavery. You might as well say that
light and darkness can exist together as freedom and slavery. We,
therefore, must urge the Government to do something, and that
speedily, to secure the boon of freedom, while they yet can, not
only in the rebel States, but in our own States too, and in the
Border States. It is just as wrong for us to keep slaves in the
Union States as it ever was in the South. Slavery is as great a
curse to the slaveholder as it is a wrong to the slaves; and yet
while we free the rebel slaveholder from the curse, we allow it
to continue with our Union-loving men in the Border States. Free
the slaves in the Border States, in Western Virginia, in
Maryland, and wherever the Union flag floats, and then there will
be a consistency in our actions that will enable us to go to work
earnestly with heart and hand united, as we move forward to free
all others and crush the rebellion. We have had no energy yet in
the war, for we have fought only for the purpose of reuniting,
what has never been united, restoring the old Union--or rather
the shadow as it was. A small republic, a small nation, based
upon the eternal principle of freedom, is great and powerful. A
large empire based upon slavery, is weak and without foundation.
The moment the light of freedom shines upon it, it discloses its
defects, and unmasks its hideous deformities. As I said before, I
would rather have a small republic without the taint and without
the stain of slavery i