Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-07-21

history Of the future as in the history Of the past
they have centuries ago, been written. Sir, IhaYe
SAID nothing and have time 70 gay nothing now, Of
the immense indebtedness and The expenditures
which have already accrued, ner of the folly and
msmanagement Of the war 50 far. nor Of the afro
cious and shameless speGulauons and frauds whi1 h
have disgraeed It in the State governments and the
Federal governmentfrom the beginning. The aveng
ing hour for all these will come hereafter, and I
pass them by now.
have finished now Mr. Chairman what / pro-
posed to say at this time upon the message Of the
President As to my own position in regard to this
most unhappy civil war, ] have Crly to say that
stand today Just where stood on the fourth Of
March last; where the whole Democratic party
and the whole Constitutional Union Earty and \ at
majority. believe, of the people of the United
States stood, too am for psGcs speedy Immediate
honorable PEACE, with all iss blessings Others may
have changed; have not. i question not their mo
tiyes nor quarrel with Intercourse. 1t is vain and
futile for them to question or to quarrel with mine.
Ny duty shall be discharged, calmly firmly, quiet
~, and regardless Of consequences The approving
void Of conscience, void Of offence, and the
approving judgment which shall follow after some
time be past these, God helpms, are my trust and
my support.
Sir have spoken freely and feaFIessly to-day, as
became an American Representative and American
citizen; one firmly resolved. come what may, not to
lose his constitutional liberties, nor to surren-
der his own constitutional rights in the vain effort
lions of unwilling people Ihave 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 December, 1850, just
seven months ago, the Senate was composed Of
sixty-six Senators, representing the thlrty-three
States of the Union, and this House of two hundred
and thrty-seven members-every State being pres
ent 1t was grand and solemn spectacle: the ems
bassad0rs of three and thirty sovereignties and Of
thirty millions people, the mghiest republic on
earth, in general Congress assembled. In the Sen
ate too, and this House, were some of the ablest
and most distinguished statesmen of the country;
men whose names were familiar TO the whole ccun-
try-sOme of them destined TO pass into history
The new wings of the Capitol had but just recently
been finished, in all their gorgeous magnifcence,
and, except hundred marines at the navy yard,
not a soldier was within forty miles Of Wash
ington.
Sir, the Congress of the United States meets here
again to-day but how changed the scene. Instead
of thirty>fOur States, twenty>hree only, one less
than the number forty years ago here or in the
other wing of the Capitol. Forty-six Senator's and
hundred and seyenty-three Representatives COR
stitute the Congress Of the now United States And
of these, eight Senator's and twenty -four Represen
tatives, from four States only, linger here yet
deputies from that great South which, from the be-
ginning Of the Government, contributed so much to
mould its policy, TO build up its greatness and TO
control its destinies. All the other States OF that
South are gone. twenty-five senators and sixty
five Representatives no longer answer to their
names. The vacant seats still here; and the
escutcheons of their respective States look down
now sOemnly and sadly from these vaulted ceilings
But the Virginia Of Washington, and Henry, and
Madison of Ma shall and Jefferson, Of Randolph and
Monroe, the birthplace Of Clay, the mother Of
States and Of Presidents; the CaTOlinas Of PIncney
and Sumter, and Marion, of Calhoun and Ma
con and Tennessee, the hOmei ard burial
place of Jackson; and other States, too, once most
loyal and true, no longer here. The voices and
the footsteps Of the great dead of the past two ages
of the Republic nger STILL it may be- in echO along
the stately corridors of this Capitol, but their de-
scendants from nearly one half Of the States Of the
Republic win meet with US no more within these
marbehslls. But in the parks andawns and upon the
broad avenues Of this spacious city, seventy thOus>
and Eolders have supplied their places; and the
morning drum-beat from score of encampments
within sight of this beeaguered capital, give mean-
chOly warning to the Representatives Of the States
and Of the people, that AMID ARMS laws ARE SILENT
Sir, some years hence, l would fain hope some
months hence, if dare the present generation will
demand 10 know the cause of all this; and some
ages hereafter the grand and impartial tribunal Of
history will make solemn and dihgent inguests Of
the authors Of this terrible revolution.