Daily national Democrat., 1861-08-15
Senator Latham on the objects of the War

In his speech in the United States Senate,
July goth, Senator Latham said:
Sir. saw the other day resolution which,
according to my idea comes up to the whole
spirit of this contest, adopted by the State of
New Hampshire by an almost unanimous
vote:
"ReSolued, That the contest now existing
between the Government and the disloyal
States that have commenced an unjustifable
and reasonable war upon its constitutional
authority, should be regarded 10y all loyal
men, not as a sectional war, not an anti
slavery war; nor a war of conquest ana sub
jugation, but simply war for the mainte-
nance of the Government, the suppression of
rebellion, and the preservation of the Magma
Charta of our liberty and national unity"
The Convention of the so-styled Breckin-
ridge Democrats of my own State, held in
June last, had also a resolution offered in a
minority report which reads as follows:
"Rcaoircd, That it is the duty of every
Administration to uphold the Federal Con-
stitution, maintain the integrity of the Union,
and at all hazards, enforce the laws in every
section thereof; and that it is the duty of
every citizen in these times of impending
danger to popular Government to stand
Loyalty and firmly by the Constitution and
la VS. OF his country"
This resolution was Of course dcfeated.-
Ed. Dem
These resolutions announce the doctrine to
which | give my support Whenever it is
discovered that t1e purpose of this war is
not to assert the principles laid down in the
resolutions have just read, but that, under
the hue and cry Of loyalty to the United
States, warfare is wa9ed against the institu-
tion ofslavery, to deprive the people of the
Southern States Of the exercise of their pro-
perty rights / shall raise my voice, and by
my vote put the seal of condemnation on any
such purpose. This | am confident is the
wish of my constituency and am proud of
it. They want no such purpose They are
unwilling, as every man who respects hu-
manity and country should be- to see 81 ,6O3,-
1886 of property lost to Southern citizens,
and four millions slaves turned loose upon
the land, hopeless, houseless, wandering men
dicants. say still more emphatically, that
whenever it appears that it is the settled poll
icy of the constituted authorities of the land,
not to take possession of the public proper
ty," not to "enforce the laws" not to "collect
your revenues" not 70 give protection to the
people Of the Senator from Virginia, (Mr.
N"iilINJ uHu an eN!itl ClhlCSi III VIC GACICltc
of their inestimable privileges under the Con-
stitution but is to destroy their property
and liberate their slaves, this Government,
belonging essentially to the Sovereign peo-
pie" who have taken this matter in their
own hands and under their own control, will
be just as ready, and as willing to lay down
their lives against such outrageous infrac-
tion and violation of that sacred instrument,
as they are now to support the Government
in exercising every function within its con-
stitutional sphere
Mr. President, have said that in common
with several gentlemen upon this floor whe
have always been ardent advocates of the
principles Of the Democratic party, and who
have not changed their views, we do con-
denim every single act of these Southern
States, in arrsyjns themselves in hostility to
your Government. | assert further, that
when the truthful pen of history comes to
record all of the events so rapidly occurring
in our midst, it will inscrbe that no revolu-
tioh, no act Of rebellion, was ever 40 unjust
Fable, SO inoVepsnhle 50 unwarrantable