The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-02-08
The 9ailv 9nnrnal.
Speech of Hon. john Sherman of
Ohio, ON the State of the Union,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
January IS, 1861.
CONTINUED. I


that do not know what might be, in these
stirring and startling times, regarded by an
Administration as constitutional measures
The gentleman from Ohio thinks, for ex-
ample that the Constitution authorizes the
1 military power of this Government to be
exercised against ten sovereign States, with
the avowed purpose of coercing them back
into this Confederacy. I do not believe it
and therefore cannot commit myself blind
/ ly to doctrine | solemnly believe to be
subEersiYe of the very foundation stones on
which this Government rests.
/ Again, sir, the gentleman has applauded
| Major Anderson. Major Anderson saw that
| flag so eloquently eulogized by the gentle
man and SO dear to US all, struck down.
| He saw the Star of the West, with that en-
| sign unfurled, fred upon. Why did he not
return the FIRE? 1t was not that he loved
the flag less, but his country more. His
patriotic heart was big enough to brook the
assumed indignity rather than involve his
country in civil war By such a course he
differed wholly with the gentleman from
Ohio. | honor the gallant soldier for it.
His native Commonwealth honors him and
good and patriotic men must always honor
him for a prudence excelled only by his val
or, which saved his whole country from
civil war. No man will go further than
will to preserve this Union. 1t must be a
Union of equals. 1 will join hands with any
man, of any party and from any section, in
efforts to preserve such Union. And | be-
lieve Major Anderson would do his part in
so holy a work. He knows, as we all
know, it can only be preserved by compro-
mise and concession and this can only be
achieved by full and clear recognition of
the rights and equality of the States. There
are no disunionists in Kentucky. Her gal
liant and distinguished Senator tenders, in
her name, the olive branch OF peace in the
propositions he has presented. Why will
not the gentleman and his friends accept
them, and restore peace to distr ted coun-
try2 Let them rot be deceived. Much as
Kentucky is devoted to the Coufederacy,
great as are the sacrifices she is prepared to
make and has made for it, she will cling to
no Union upheld by force, and IN which she
is not recognized equal. [Applause from
the galleries. mingled with misses.
The Chairman.--The galleries will pre-
serve order. The Chairman of the Com
miItee is invested by the rules with author
ity to order the galleries to be cleared, and
if this disturbance be. repeated the Chair
will exercise its authority.
Mr.. Sherman.-I am happy to say that |
approve the last phrase in the remarks of
the gentleman from Kentucky. | believe
in the equality of the States | believe in
the equality of the citizens of the several
States. | would not deprive any State of
its equality in the Union. This is one of
those expressions that are commonly used
on the stump, and often without meaning.
There is not man within the sound of my
voice who does not believe that one State is
equal to another that one citizen is equal
to another that Southern citizen has the
same right everywhere, wherever our flag
floats, that Northern citizen has. No man
denies that. Indeed, | might say that, in
practice, Southern men have had great
many more rights than Northern men have
had.
am glad to know that the gentleman
from Kentucky does not disagree with me
so much as to the views declared in the
resolution, as he does in regard to some in
ferences which he feared somebody else
might, in these constitutional times, draw
from the resolution. The resolution simply
expresses desire to enforce the laws and
to preserve the Union-no more. | am
willing to stand on this platform. | can
join heartily with all those who made that
pledge, whatever else they may think or be-
lieve about the questions that divide our
people. If we can stand by each other if
our constituents will stand by us in that
emphatic declaration, do believe the good
ship that has borne US thus far on prosper
ols voyage will outlive the storm, But
sir, if we yield too far to the fury of the
waves if we now surrender without resist
aRce, the forts arsenals, dock-yards, and
other property of the Government, we only
demonstrate that we are not fit for the
duties assigned us ; and, if our names sur
vive our times, they will be only recorded
as those of q degenerate race, who had not
the manhood to preserve what their fathers
won. Gentlemen cannot come here and
say, awe demand this; or we demand
that stand and deliver" This is the
language of the highwayman. This is a
great tribunal, where men reason and Judge
and weigh and doubt and hesitate and
falkland we have a good deal of that No
section and no State can, because the presi-
dental election has gone against it, say,
q We will have this change in the Constitu-
ton, or we will fire upon your flag we
will have that change in the Constitution,
or we will seize upon your forts.p This is
not the principle upon which this Govern
ment was founded. Mr. jefferson, when
elected President in 1901, declared the
true principle He said it was the duty of
all good citizens to obey the Constitution ;
to submit to a constitutional election and
he congratulated the country that the Fed
eralists were willing to give the Democrats
a fair trial.
Mr.. Leake.-Will the gentleman permit
! me to ask him a question ?
| Mr.. Sherman.-I trust the gentleman will
not ask me. have been already led from
the course OF my remarks through inter
ruptions. do not mean any discourtesy
to the gentleman.
Mr.. Leake.-Then the gentleman from
Ohio denies me the courtesy which | ask,
and denies such courtesy to nobody else
Mr.. Sherman.-I repeat that | do not
want to be discourteous to the gentlemen,
and l will allow him to proceed.
Mr.. Leake.-The gentleman from Ohio
quotes not the language exactly, but sub
stantially the language of man who
lived in the county in which | was born,
who died there, and is buried there Thorn
as jefferson. His language was, that it
was the duty of all parties TO the compact
to obey the Constitution and the laws of the
land. And now | demand to know of the