Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1861-01-25


Sermons, so cents each. noyli-59
REMARKS OF 49,
THE HON. SHERRARD CLEMENS
IN CONGRESS-, ON TUESDAY LAST.
He Believes "SlRvery will he Cruel.
ned" II the Union is DissOIvd--He
Exposes the Free Trade Schemes of
the IrattOrs~-SecesSiOn Is Death TO
the BORDER Slave states.
MR. CLEMENS. of Va, next addressed the
House. He thanked God that lie was per-
mitted, after long sickness, to take his
stand upon that floor in renovated health
at n time when his services might prove
most valuable to his constituents. He
would not now speak in passion. Itwould
not bent the solemn and pOrtentous issues
of the hour. They were in the midst of
great events it might be that they were
in the dying days of the Republic; and he
would not, therefore, utter, even in n
whisper, one word which might tend to
bring down the impending avalanche up.
on the quiet homes of the people, He
would at the sRme time speak as II South
ern man, identified with all the interests
OF the South. He would speak rs West
ern Yirginian, and as the custodian Of
1
perils to which they were exposed by
those who were now riding on the very
crest of the popular wave, but who were,
nevertheless destined to sink into the
very trough of the sea-to depth so un-
tathemabIe that not n bubble would ever
rise TO mark the spot where they went so
| Ignonliniously down. Well might those
who had inRugurated the revolution which
was now stalking over the land cry ont,
with uplifted hands, for peace, and depre-.
cate the etnsioU of blood. it was the in
ventor of the guillotiue who was its first
victim, and the day was not far OFF when
they would fnd among their own people
those who would have to rely upon ili6s
maghauimity Of { That population Wh6ini
"a ey 9al lppFt tftsl lt5 S8t rad deeoi5
/ BE bad not tlie 3 ed To ente L MO q de-
tnll OF the arRuusents6or 10 express the in
dlgnant enlntipuS WHICH fUso to his Ii6s
Tor uttorance. But, before God and in his
inmost conscience, hetbelieyed that slave
ry would be crucifed should this unhappy
controversy end in a dismembcrmout Of
tue Union. Ii not crucified it would car.
~ the death-rattle in its throat. 1t re-
manned to be seen whether treason could
be carried out with the same fncility with
which 1t hnd been plotted. There was
holy courage among the minority Of every
Slave State that might be for the time
overwhelmed. Lazarus was not dead but
slept, and ere long the stone would be
rolled away from the mouth of the tomb
and they would witness all the glorics Of
q resurrection. Itwonld not be forgotten
that among the clans of Scotland beacon
fires used to be lit by concerted signals
from craG to crag in living volumes of
flames, yet expiring even in its own fierce
eiNl-fr1.. iV,Nr 1-I,a Al.
Which had fed them were consumed. To
such picture as that might be likenel n
rebellion such as political leaders some
times excite for brief hour, but the fires
Of rebellion burnt out with the faggots.
ana all was cold and dark again. There
WAS striking contrast between such
movement, between such rebellion as he
alluded to, and the uprising of the masses
OF the people in vindication of violated
rIghts-as great difference as there wns
between "Sug," tie Joiner, who could
roar you as fierce ns a lion, or coo you as
gently as sucking dove. One was the
Stage trick of a political harlequin, the
other was living reality. The. one vns
a lurid and fitful flame, the other was a
prairie on fire, providing in every step of
1ts progress food for its all-ravening NAV.
"a "a the present emergency, before this no.
litlcai conspiracy, 1t might be that he
would stand ialOnL with his colleague, iSIr.
Alillson.) Let it be'so. He sought no Of
nee. His political race was very pearlv
Voluntarily run. H., ~,
history would record the proceedings of
TINS turbulent period, and time, the gentle
ont lntaihole arbiter of allithings earthly,
would decide the truth. Upon that he
would take his stand. They lived In nm
age OF political paradoxes. Broad, ex-
Pansiye love of country had become a tt- |
seased sentimentality. Patriotism had
become starving birding, clinging with
uphedged wings around the nest of tyrics |
where it was born. A statesman Inust
now not only marrow his mind and rive |
pp to party what was meant for mankind. -
out he must become US submissive as n !
blind horse in bark mill to every peryert- |
cd opinion which sits whip in hand ON the /
revolving shaft Mt the end Of which he is |
harnas:ed- 10 be diamond of the first |
wPter he must stand in the Senate Huuze |
of his country, and in the face of n for. |!
bearing people glory in being a traitor and
rebel. He must solemnly proclaim ,the |
death OF tue nation to which he had sworn I
allegiance, and With the grave stoliditv /
nj an undeftaker invite its citizens "a |
their own funeral. He must dwarf and |
provincialize his patriotism 10 the STATE
oa whose local passions he thrives to the I
county where he practices conrt, or to the I!
city where be fiaunts in all the meretri. I
cious dignity of Doge of Veniee. He can
take an oath to support the Constellation
Of the United States, but he can enter with 1
honor into conspiracy to overthrow il
lie San, under tie sanctity of the same /
onth, advise the seizure of the forts ara
afsenHls, dock-yaris and ships, aud mo-.
ney belonging 10 the Union, whose officer
he is and tinds q most loyal and convent /
ent retreat in State authority aud State /
allegiance. He was ready to laugh 10