The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-09-12
From the Cleveland Plain DealA
NCOLN,S CONGRESSIONAL
RECORD.

l. N O . l. MS CONGRESSIONAL
RECORD.
| The admirers of Honest Abe so per-
emptorily deny his opposition to the Mex
lean wal, it is well to review it, giving
dates. he took his seat in Congress on
the 9Th of December, 1S47. and on the
22d of the same month he offered a reso.
luton under eight heads. in each of which
he used the word ''spot': so oddly that the
whole was dubbed the "spotted resolu>
tion,'' the object being to show if possible
that the beginning of the war now ended
was not exactly as stated by the Presi-
dercy and therefore unholy, and all vol
unteers as matter of course scoundrels.
This resolution was offered just after the
last of series of victories, which found
our troops in the city of the Montezu-
mas.
In the midst of the general rejoicing,
one Illinoisan alone was sad and solemn.
That one was Abraham Lincoln. His
mind was haunted with the idea that there
was somewhere certain bloody "spot"
not exactly in the right place. This idea,
this spot, occupies his mind, his thoughts,
his being. To his disordered vision it
becomes .''the brightest Of military glory,
an attractive rainbow rising in showers of
blood-a serpent's eye charming but to
destroy" He can hold himself no longer.
He rushes to the capitol, and with startling
eyes and bristling hair, he points to the
objects of his hullucination, aud franti.
cally yels:
"Mr. Speaker Spot! Spot! Spot!
Mr.. Speaker! Where's the Spot!
| Is it in Spain, or is it not?
Mr.. Speaker! Spot! Spot! Spot!"
On the Sd of January following reso-
luton was offered. thanking Gen. Taylor
for his heroism, &C., to which an ameud
ment was offered by Ashman, Of Mass,
late President of the Chicago Convention,
declaring the war unnecessarily and un-
constitutionally begun by the President,
on which amendment Mr.. Lincoln voted
| 'yea." "Mustang," writing to the New
Orleans Delta from Mexico, says of those
voting as Lincoln did, condeming our
country and justifying Mexico: - -.a. p
elf they had Mexican Muskets on their
shoulders. they could not assist the Mexi.
cans as much, or do as much harm, as
they have done by their speeches. In the
name of God, will the politicians of our
country never cease gambling for the
Presidency upon the blood of our coun-
trymen? Our army breads no danger,
nor do they fear to die in defence of their
country, but they do dislike to be sacri-
i feed to the unholy ambition of aspiring
| politicians and political ikEaves. sgH so
Lincoln franked his speech on the oc.
casion to many of his constituents who
Indignantly sent it bank. One from Wis
consin was returned with the following
written on the back of it.: as- az SO.
II dare rot let my children read it, les'
it should corrupt them; / dare not show
it to my neighbors, lest they should sus
pect me of TREASON. If I expected
to live twenty years, would preserve i
to SHOW POSTERITY what TRAI
f TORS WE HAD IN 1s4s, but as an
an old and indrm man, cannot survive
, so long, and therefore send it back t.
him who gave it BIRTH aej -
On the 18th of January aresolutioI
t against ordering the retreat of our troop
) from the places taken, Lincoln opposed
: with voice aud vote. a5a5I lts s7z8H7
i On the l4th Of February an effort wa
E made by resolution to counteract the bat
effect of the Ashman amendment. Mr
9 Lincoln again voted on the Mexican side
/, . On the 2lst of February q motion wa
5 made to suspend the rules to allowia res
j olution rendering the thanks of Congress
t to our Generals by name including Gen
: Shields and the gallant soldiers unde
= them, and Mr. Lincoln voted .sNo." FL
h would not allow vote of thanks to Ger
f Shields for his heroism, and at the sam
8 moment Gen. Shields lay, shot athroug
. the lungs, in Mexico. shields lived, re
f turned, run against Lincoln Tor Unite
g States Senator and was elected. ae
H On the 9th of March an effort wa
. made to raise the 10th regiment and los
" in the House by a'tie vote, Lincoln ve
!; ting NO. 2. ~ .fii5in9 ri's3aie 90 s9l Laa
5 On the 29th of January, ls4s,a mas
: meeting was held in Marshall, CLARK Cour
: ty, Illinois, and with only one no, the 70
- lowing resolution was adopted: = u
: .Resolved, That Abe Lincoln, the autho
e Of the ''spotty" resolutions in Congre'
9 against his o,0m country, should be Ion
!. remembered By his constituents, but INA
). they cease to remember him sccept to ri
= batke Asna; they haze done much for hin
, but he has done nothing for them, SAVE TIL
- STAIN HE HAS INFLICTED ON THEIR pRoU
= NAME. aiiH f-li -7~lAi 9ioo" 57"3 s7i
70 Soldiers of Mexico how do you lil
the record. 70 "s.e 2 at@a Eai
e EPIGRAMMATIc. =. The Boston Po
j. "does" the recent marriage of Mrs. Cul
"a ningham Burdell to q Universalist clerg,