Arkansas true Democrat., 1861-08-08


 national banks, bankrupt laws, vast anu permanent public debt, high tariffs heavy direct taxation, enormous expenditure Sr gsntic and stupendous speculation, anarchy first and a strong government afterwafd, no moro stateliness. no more State govern ,ncnts and consolidated monarchy or vast centralized military despotism, must al follow in the history of the future, as Ill the history of the past they nave centu- ries ago, been written. Sir, 1 have sad nothing and have time to say nothing now of the sum of indebtedness and the vast eX- penditures which have already accured, nor of the folly and miSmanagement ot the war so far. nor of the atrocious and shameless neculations and frauds which have dIsgra- cod if in the State governments and the federal government from the beginning The averaging hour for all these will come hereafter, and pass them by now.
 I have finished now, Mir. Chairman, what I proposed to say at this time upon tbe message of the President. As to my own position in regard to this most unhap-- py civil war, have only to say that stand to day just where l stood on the fourth of March last; where the whole Democratic party, and the whole constitu- tional union party, and a vast majority, as bel deve, of the people of the United States stood, too. l am for peace, speedy, i'm media ate, honorable peace, with all its bless ings. Others may have changed: have not. question not their motives nor quarrel with their course. It is vain and flu ie for them to question or quarrel with mine. My duty shall be discharged, calm ly, firmly, quietly, and regardless of con sequences. The approving voice of a con science void of offense, and the approving judgment which shall follow "after some- time be past" these, God help me, are my trust and my support.
 Sir, I have spoken freely and fearlessly to-day, as became an American representa- tive and American citizen; one firmly re- solved, come what may, not to lose his own constitutional rights in the vain effort to impose these rights and liberties upon ten millions of unwilling people. l have spoken earnestly, too, but yet not as one unmindful of the solemnity of the scenes which surround us upon every side to-day. Sir when the Congress of the United States assembled here on the Sd of Decem- Der, 1860, just seven months ago, the Senate was composed of sixty-slx Senators, representing the thirty three States of the Union and this house of two hundred and thrty-seven members-every State being present It was grand and solemn spec tacle-the ambassadors of three and thirty sovereignties, and of thirtyone million people, the mightiest republic on earth, Tn general Congress assembled. In the Senate, too, and this house, were some ofthe ablest and most distinguished statesmen Of the country; men whose names were familiar to the whole country-some of them destined to pass into history. The new wings of the capitol had but just recently been fin ished, in all their gorgeous magniicence, and. except hundred marines at the navy yard. not a soldier was within forty miles of Wa. hington.
 Sir, the Congress of the United States meets here again; but how changed the scene. Instead of thirty four States, ,twen- ty-three only, one less than the number forty years ago, are here or in the other wing of the capitol. Forty-six Senators and one hundred and seventy-three repre- sentative constitute the Congress of the now United States And of these, eight Senators and twentyfour epresentatives, from four States only, finger here yet as deputies from that South which, from the beginning of the government, contributed so much to mould it's policy, to build up .A +o oanfrol IoctIpas All the other States of that South are gone Twentytwo Senators and sixty five representatives no longer answer to their names. The vacant seats are, indeed, still here and the escutcheons of their respec tive States look down now solemnly and sadly from these vaulted ceilings. But the Virginia of Washington and Henry and Madison, of Marshall and Jefferson, Ran dolph and Monroe, the birthplace of Clay, the mother of States and ofPresidents; the Carolinas of Pinckney and Sumter, and Marion, of Calhoun and Macon; and Ten nesee, the home and buiral place of Jack son; and other States, too, once most loyal and true, are no longer hero. The voices and the footsteps of the great dead of the past two ages of the republic, finger still, it may be in echo, along the stately corri- dors of this Capitol; but their descendants from nearly one-half of the States of the republic will meet with us no more within these marble halls. But in the parks and lawns, and upon the broad avenues of this spacious city, seventy thousands soldiers have supplied their places; and the morn ing drumbeat from a score of encampments within sight of the beleagured capital, give melancholy warning to the representatives of the States and of the people, that AMID ARMS LAWS ARE SILENT.
 Sir, some years hence, would fain hope some months hence, if I dare, the present generation will demand to know the cause of all this; and some ages hereafter the grand and impartial tribunal of historG will make solemn and diligent inquest of the authors of this terrible revolution.
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