upon the conscience and integrity of this Cabinet. I am only endeavoring to convince them that the one which they are aLoul to discount is unworthy of acceptance, because it wants the endorse- ment of reason. Without a full reliance upon their high integrity, I should not thus address myself lo their understanding. It is because I know them from personal acquaintance to he alive to all the virtuous feelings and enobling sentiments of the heart, that I now appeal to them so earnestly to discard those antiquated and exploded notions which have so long given immunity to guilt and thrown unmerited protection around the gigantic villains of the world. In Lhe name of that freedom which despotism has so often crushed, and in behalf of that humanity which hath been so ruthlessly violated, I call upon my associate adjuclicalors of a tyrant's fate, to shut our ears to his seductive overtures; to turn from his proffered blessings and to banish from our minds every consideration except the simple ends of justice. Scorning the suggestions of selfishness, or fear, let us look alone at the crimes, and not at the criminal; at the wrongs received, and not at the favors tendered; and gazing with a steady eye upon thal high and exalted morality that knows nor high nor low, nor rich nor poor in the administration of law, let us march boldly onward in the simple line of right, and teach al leasl one salutary lesson lo the demons of mankind, that in this Government, young and feeble as she is, there is no security for crime; and that the sword of justice entrusted in our hands, lo defend her rights and avenge her wrongs, can pierce the purple rohes of Royalty as easily as the plain raiments of the humble man. Let us do this and receive the approbation of all posterity. Do you hesitate? 1 entreat you to consider the character of those whose death we are called upon to avenge. They were no mercenary soldiery - no hired menials. They were ornaments lo the land they left - the flowers of honor and the pride of chivalry. The history of war cannot furnish a nobler band of patriotic heroes than those who rallied around the standard of Fannin. I knew many, very many of them personally, and can testify to their generous spirit. A braver people never hung the sabre on the thigh. In that dark and portentous period of our affairs, when the tempest of desolation was thickening over the land, they nobly threw themselves between the oppressor and the oppressed, and made their bosoms the shilccls of our liberty, our homes, and our firesides. At the very first signal of alarm, their banners were thrown to the breeze, and their bayonets hrighlcned in the sunbeam. Those banners are torn and the bayonets are broken, and
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