The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-24
THE SLAVERY QUksTION m THE FED
ERAL CONQR E8S.
SPEECHES FROM jim LANE AND JoHr 8
CARLYLE.
Abolition Of slavery I'll. ohj.c. Of the War.


ference was m ade to a debate on the negro
question between Jim Lane, of Kansas noto-
riety, and John 8. Uarlile, the Virginia trail
tor. The New York Herald, of the 18th, has
full report Of the speeches, the main points
of which we subjoin
Mr.. Lane, (Rsp.,) Of Kansas, called up the
resolution hat the Secretary Of War be re-
quest ted to furnish to the Senate copies of the
orders for the erection Of barracks for Kansas
troops. Mr. Lane said MIR. President, do
not desire to conceal nay motive in INTRODUCE
ing this resolution. as a citizen and a Sena-
tor have the right of criticiziEg the acts Of
the Government. and l mean to exercise it
with the full hush of a truthful patriotism
kindly but fearNssly, cordially but search
ingiy. will " aste4o words. I do not wish
uselessly to consume your time. Bat the
hour is when truth should be spoken in these
halls, and that plainly. Ideclare, then, as a
fact which all iinancIers will admit and no
statesman dispute, that evory days delay In
the vigorous prosecute Of this war Is preg-
nant with peril to the Republic. Sir, this
Is war OF the people. When sumter fell
they became unit. Party pref
were scattered, personal hates forgotten.
Reused by their wrong, they proffered their
strength and pledged all their resources to
ayenge an in justice which threatened TO de-
stroy the freest Government of earth. Ma
nasSas followed - a fearful reverse, and
seemingly fatal defeat. But even that did
not dash the spirit nor shake the purpose OF
blood and treasure lost, only deepened their
determination to crugh out the conspiracy.
Such unity, such ardor, such sacrifices, the
world has rarely or never witnessed. Sir,
let me not he mis- un derstood in this matter of
delay. My confidence in the Administration
will not permit me for a moment seriously
to entertain the injurious suspicion that this
army we have created-so admirable in spirit
and discipline, so complete i'll all its appoint
ments-thIs magnificent organization, 10
which the country has contributed its
choicest spirits. and on which 1t has lavished
untold millions of treasure - is destined,
without one decisive blow struck, to a living
burial In the inglOriOuS obSGurity of winter
quar- ters But should this confidence prove
10 be mlsplaced-shouid this fatal policy OF
inacuon seiZ3 upon the energies OF our. rulers.
I feel, know, that the public an 10 uncement
of the tact will be as the fire bell 1T midnight.
Dismay and confusion Will follow, and the
evils of anarchy may interpose new and fear
ful obstacles to the restoration of that Gov
eminent whose chief peril must always re-
suit from the loss of confidence on the part
of the people. Fortunately, the people are
as In Intelligent as they are patriotic. They do
not require Representatives,, nor insist upon
premature action. And thus we are brought
TO the consideration of the questions Of
strength and preparation. Why is our army
inactive Will 1t be ans wered tn it is still
deficient in dscipiiue2 That reply would be
unjust As 1t is Illogical. Ours Is an army
of volun teerS, who must not be judged by The
rules applied TO regulars. You cannot drill
consider the perfection of efficiency. The
citizen soldier is an individual; no amount of
discipline can destroy his individuality.
Four months of industrious drill is ample
time TO prepare such troops for effective SER
vice. Pro longed inactivity will finally dis
courage his zeal. The prospect of action
must Toe ever present rs an incentive. lnac-
tion is the bane OF the volunteer.
These opinions I express with confidence
for L have had large personal experience in
the management OF volunteer soldiers. The
training OF two distinct regiments during the
Mexican war, with subsequent Ia bors in Kan
sas, and the campaigns OF the last spring and
suramer in Missouri, have given me practl-
cal ledge this subject entitled to
consideration. The regiments that fought
and won the battle of Buena Vista were not
as well provided as the Army OF the Potomac,
and not better drilled. Sir, have witnessed
the drill of that Army, and / am satisfied
that it has reached the ma ximum of disci-
pline attainable by volunteers, and that
every day OF IN action now tends 10 its demon
allZ uion. While, also, rs regards disc, pline,
we are as fully prepared for action We
ever shall be. We have the advantage of
superiority in that respect to the enemy.
Every unprecedented observer during the
Mexican war Will testify that the regiments
from the North, in the excellence of their
drill, far exceeded those from The States now
in rebellion. Our opponents are formidable
only when their individuality can be shown
while fighting under cover--as at Manassas,
Spril giteld, and Balls Bluff. Operating in
mass, on the open field, we car always con-
qqer-as at Dry Wood, where four hundred
Kansas troops checked and drove back ten
thousand rebels and of these facts the Con
federates themselves are fully aware. Re-
Gently, st Spring river, eight hundred Kansas
troops encoun tered six thousand rebels, CO.
yered by that stream and six miles Of tim Der.
This handful Of heroic men offered 3 fight on
the open prairie, which was declined bv the
enemy-either because they expected US to
repeat the folly OF attacking them III their
ftYt0l. str navhn nr sAar .. t.s h
out its protection. 1t will require on our
part rapidity OF movement and boldness of
strategy TO force them in TO battle on the open
field. So much for ineficiency. That heroic
veteran, the late Lieutenant General of the
army, now forced by age and infrmity III - a
retirement made glorious by the memories OF
long life of patriotism and triumph, an
nOunced the fact that the iues OF Oct ODER
would see his column prepared to move.
Hence, it is impossible not 10 believe that
they are by this time complete in arms, equip
ment, means of transportation, and every
other physical appliance OF service. Why,
then, do they tarry Ii Napoleon, with sixty
thousand undiscipliped recruits, scaling the
frozen businesses of the Alps, and avoiding
their hostile Qualifications, could, i'll tive
weeks, reach the plains of Lombardy, pierce
the Austrian lines. and anniEilate the army
of Melas, hundred and twenty thousand
strong, on the field of Marengo, thereby
emancipatng the whole of Italy, shall it be
saidtthat we cannot surmount the hills of
Virginia and Kentucky, in spite of their de-
fences, and, penetrating to the heart Of the
rebellion, strike i'll detail their aTmies-infe-
rior to our own in mum bers arms, equi pment,
discipline an q all that constitutes the true
soldier, and stretched along line Of over
two thousand miles in extent--dsstroyi the |
heterogeneous hosts as we go, or scattering |
them i'll CONSERVATION, and restore 10 the |
rule Of the repu bic those fair regions now
cursed by usurpation more intolerabl |
than that of the Austrian, and which |
holds in bonds of terror even those wretch
cd ,afty M ,1rly rad tfS
MIR. President, to doubt our ability is dis
graceful. Let IL not be said that the SHOWS
of winter are upon US. Ii Washington could
march his barefooted soldiers over the frozen |
roads OF New Jersey, their footsteps marked
with blood, aud in the middle of winter cross
the Delaware, filled with floating ice, can we
not, at the same season, move our well clad
legions towards the mild valleys of the |
South, to re- establish that freedom which !
their sufferings secQredY VIII yOu wait till
spring, when the Ioads, ii ever, will become |
i'm passable or all our troops shall have been |
deciInated by the diseases of summer? No.
Clear this war OF the doubts that surround |
it's purpose; give to the volunteer Il battle |
cry /; cherish that enthusiasm which is indis-
pensable 10 success. and which nerved the
consGripts OF Napoleon TO the achievement of |
without reference to disparity of
numbers, See that your volunteers are not |
thrown upon artillery without preparation
they IL ust see the guns, count them, hear the
whistle Of their balls, and thus prepared no
strength OF Notifications can resist them
they are the most effective troops on
cart tn.
The occupation of the rebel States by our
army Is a military necessity. I laugh 10
scorn the policy of wooing back the traitors
10 their allegiance by seizing and hold ding un-
i'm portant points In those States. Every in
vitation extended to them In Kindness Is an
en- cou ragemelt to stronger resistance The
exhausring policy Is failure so long as they
have four million slaves 70 feed them so long
will this rebellion be sustained. My word for
1t, sir long before they reach the point of ex-
haustion the people OF this country will lose
confidence In their rulers. And II is unreason-