Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-01-05
Old Ben wade,s speech.


missed by any ono:
Mr.. WADE (Rep., Ohio) said: AT 4
time like this, when there seems to be unu-
sual excitement, l have very little faith in
the efficacy Of any argument. But must
say, when, in this very chamber, where We
have all raised our hands to Heaven and
took an oath that we would sustain The
]! Constitution Of the United States, we hear
i it said by many Senators that we are upon
the eve of dissolution of this Union, and
that your Constitution is to be trampled
under foot, silence under such circumstances
seems to be akin to treason itself We
have listened To complaints on the other
side of this chamber patiently, and with an
ardent desire to ascertain what they We're,
But | confess | am unable to understand
what it is ofwhich they complain. The
party which has latel, elected the Presi-
dent, AID is prospeetiveIy coming into
power, have never held office under this
Government, nor any individual Of them
I Therefore, it is manifest that that party
have as yet committed no act Of which any
body can complain. IF any one has fears
as to what may hereafter ensue, they are
mere apprehensions nothing else. A bare
suspicion-a fear-rising out ofunWarrant-
able preludces. | wish to ascertain in the
outset whether we are right, for tell gen
tlemen here if they can convince me that |
am holding any political principle that is
not warranted by the Constitution under
which we live, or trenches on their rights,
they need not ask me to compromise, fol
I will redress their rights myself wbeI |
am wrong. No man need approach me
with threat that the Government is to be
destroyed, because | hope that have now,
and ever shall have, that sense Of justice
that when any man shows me I am wrong,
4 | shall be ready to right it without threat
or compromise. Now, what is it OF which
gentlemen complain? When / left my
home in the West to come to this place all
was calm, cheerful, and contented Iheard
Of no discomfort, and apprehended there
was no cause to interrupt the harmonious
course of legislation. did not learn that
there had been, since we adjourned, any
new fact intervening that could at all dis
turb the public mind. | did not know
that there had been any eneroachment up
on the rights of any section orany individ
ual. Therefore, l came here expecting We
!. should have a harmonious session. 1t j.
very true that the great Republican party
which has been organized ever since you
repealed the Missouri Compromise, which
gave YOU four years ago full warning thai
4 its strength would result as it has resulted
and / suppose any man might have sup
posed things would have resulted in the
same way-it is true, this party has carried
the election; but do not suppose anything
growing out of the election is the cause o.
the present excitement in the country
Now, who is it that is complaining Is i
the minority that they have subjected te
an oppressive and aggressive Government
No such thing as that, Sir. We migld
suppose that 81 years ago, when the lead
ers Of that glorious Revolution met in Phil
adelphia, there to draw up 5Jl Of indiet
ment against weak king and his minis
tiers, they had been at loss what they
: would set forth as the cause of their com
! plants. But they hid no difficulty i'll set
ting them forth, and SO that great article
Of Impeachment viii 90 down to posterity
to Justify them for all they did. Let US
then, suppose the old patriots had been tht
Ministers Of the Grown, OF members Of The
British Parliament Of the dominant party
7 that had ruled Great Britain for 80 years
previous. Instead Of Identifying what they
aid as revolutionary, who would not have
hanoed every man of them as traitors p
They would ask what right have you, who
have had the Government in your own
hands. who have been Ministers doing ey-
erything that has been DONE to set up here
that YOU have been oppressed and aggriey-
ed by the action Of that very Government
It would have been an act Of treason, and
nothing less. Now, they who sit here tbs
leaders of this modern revolution, are they
| in . position to complain Of the action q
| this Government for years past! Why
thew have had more than two-thirds OF this
4 Senate for many years. You that com
plain, represent bnt little more than one
quarter Of the free people OF the United
States; yet, you have prevailed for ten
wears past III the CslbiHet 81 VIC ies4ufi4l'
and ia the Supreme Court Of the United
States. and nearly every department Of the
Government. Those who voted with you
have dictated the pcicy Of The Govern
nlent. Is it not strange that those VINO oc
cupv this position come here complaining
| that their rights have been stricken down
: But what is tie cause Of this great excite
nent which undoubtedly prevails I'M por
ion Of our country for, if the newspapers
are to he credited, there is 4 reign Of terrel
IN the cities and large towns Of the Soutl
that looks very much ike the reign Of Ter
ror ii Paris during the French Revolution
We hear Of Northern men being sent bach
o. scourced and tarred and feathelel, anc
no inquiry made IN regard to the ca,ise.-
. | do not suppose the regular Government
in times Of excitement like this, Is leaily re
sponsible for these outbreaks Of pfssion.-
| II The States where these outrages preyaI
were a foreign government, and # they
were really authorized by the CONSTITUTED
4l,a~;t;se .avaFybaav knows If ii were