Great Massmeeting at the German House
Illinois Staats-Zeitung, Jan. 9, 1861
The following men were appointed members of a committee to formulate resolutions expressing the decisions of the German Republicans of Chicago: Hermann Butz, Jacob Lauer, Joseph Pollock, and Albert Dietsch.
While the Committee was in conference, Mr. H. C. Schlaeger made a long address, pointing out that loyal and steadfast adherence to Republican principles is the prune requisite for the preservation of the Union during these critical times. With his closing words he called attention to the fact that state bonds had risen in value, as an indication that the fear of dismemberment of the Union had not adversely affected the securities market in New York, but that, on the contrary, there is ever-increasing confidence in the survival of order and the Union.
2Thereupon the Committee submitted the following resolutions:
"Resolutions of the German Republicans of Chicago
"Since it is the duty of every citizen to take a stand on the important issues before the nation in these critical times, we American citizens of German descent and members of the Republican Party, assembled in orderly public meeting, do solemnly declare:
"That when we were naturalized we forever renounced allegiance to every foreign state and potentate, and obligated ourselves to uphold the Constitution of the United States;
"That, in our opinion, the people merely exercised their constitutional right in the recent presidential election, and that the act of the people in electing the chief executive of the Republic, if the election is carried out as prescribed in the Constitution, is a constitutional decision from which there is no 3appeal, neither by any constituted authority, nor by treachery, nor rebellion;
"That, to quote the words of Daniel Webster, "the Constitution of the United States is not a union, nor a confederation, nor a treaty of the people of the United States in their sovereign character, but a government as such, based on its acceptance by the people, and establishing immediate relations between itself and the individual";
"That no authority in the state has the power to disrupt this relation; that only revolution can disrupt it, and that therefore no secession is possible without revolution, and, hence, that it is the duty of the National Government to enforce all constitutional laws in every part of the country, under all conditions, and at any price, and that we obligate ourselves to assist the Government in executing these laws;
"That we fully recognize the home-rule rights of the citizens of the South with reference to slavery wherever slavery is protected by local laws, and 4that no federal authorities have a right to interfere;
"That the principles of the Republican party, as they are presented in the Chicago platform, are in agreement with the Constitution of the United States, that we steadfastly adhere to this platform which conceded to the Southern States all the rights which the Constitution guarantees, and that we need make no further concessions;
"That Major Anderson of Fort Sumpter deserves commendation for abiding by his constitutional oath and doing his duty as a soldier and patriot;
"That we will never believe that the first great attempt of a free people to exercise self-government on a wide scale has failed, and that we fervently hope and trust that the blessings of the American Union will be preserved for our children and children's children."
These resolutions were translated into and read in the English language at 5the request of some of the Republicans who were present, and then they were unanimously adopted.
A standing committee was appointed by the chairman to arrange further meetings, if necessary. The members of this committee are: C. Butz, C. Schlaeger, and C. Pruessing.
