New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-11-14
SPEECH
THE STATE OF THE UNION,

@"2@ THE STATE OF THE UNION, no
1870 @@aH af&83t,x tai; % 'ag ''b'f'
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,, NAY 18th, 1861
sTyggl IHR ,G@&- zatE @G8 # ast
6'Mr, WOOD. Mr.. Chairman, have hith-
esto avoided troubling this House. Contcnt
tohe listener, without any other participa.
tion in it, proceedings thaa TO oppose nv SOL
emn individual negative against measures
which my conscience and my principles
would not approve, have said nothing In
deed sir, hare not had the heart to rise
here and speak. A glance at this Hall, Of
ITSELF has been enough 10 prevent. When I
look around and see one-third Of the Union
unrepresented here. and find myselfin body,
purpsrting to be one branch Of the Congress
Of the United States, really in fact but frag.
msntary part of it, my heart sinks within mo-
1t appears to he sectional body-a gathe,-
ing Of the representatives Of sectional par.
ty. With these feelings, and with this spir-
Il, l have until now avoided participating in
debate. ~ -. % 7's s
Besides, sir, during the earlier period of
thi, session, disaster had accompanied the et-
forts Of the Federal arms. felt that the hour
Of defeat was not fit one in which to strive
to awaken the great soul Of the North to
thoughts of peace / felt that something was
due to the sense of modification, something
TO- the natural desire to retrieve tho shame Of
discontinue. hoped. too, that when victo-
ry should perch upon cur banners, others
than myself would ecize the occasion to urge
plec in behalf Of peaceable measures and
that this Government itself, feeling secure
and strong enough to be magnanimous,
would take the lead and be the pioneer in
opening path for the settlem ent Of our diff
cuties without further recourse to hloodshed.
| even hoped that the leaders Of the now dom.
'nant party moved by the sore distres. which
has visited our country, would relcnt from
tho stern rigor of their doctrine Of subjpga-
ton, ard, in the flush of triumph, would
lean little tow ards gentler policy than
that which they have heretofore championed
with 60 much zeal and with 80 little forbear-
anco. ssF 80
hoped in vain. The triumph came
long train of successes has relieved tho North
from its humiliation. The Government claims
now to stand as rock against which the
tempest of opposition must waste itself in fu'
tile efforts. The partisans Of the ultra war
party laugh to scorn the idea that any effect
ual resistance can be offered to tho onward
march of our triumphant armies, md yet no
single effort has been made in these con-
gressional Halls to stay the efusiou of blood.
It has been left for me, pswerless Is am, to
speak tho 6rst conciliatory word in behalf Of
my countrymen. And l do it, sir, in the
hope that Others more capable, will not be
too much engrossed with the lust of conquest
and the pride of victory, to follow my cx-
ample.
Sir it is an ineaaceable rerroach to those
either deluded or wicked mon who, in the
North, by their unwearied agitation Of abo-
lition schemes, have stirred the embers Of
this strife; it is an eternal reproach to them
that, through defeat and victory, through
out every phase Of thi. unhappy struggle. with
the groans Of their distressed and tortured
country imitins upon their cars they have
clung, and still cling, with Implying pertin.
acity, and even with ferocitv, to the doctrine
which has been the germ Of all the mischief
With the 6rst exulting shouts of Federal VIC
tories they set up the echoing cry OF emsnci-
patton. With all the energy Of fana'icism,
with all the subtle arts aud intrieues of
scheming demagoguea with all the spplian.
ces Of cunning, intellect, and patronage 1t
their command, oven at this eventful crisis,
when eve-y American brain should be at
work to bring about fair and honorable
peace, they have no thought, no hope, no du- !
y but to propagate their creed, extending |
It's influence into every nook aud corner Of
he land, and poisoning the atmosphere Of
;hese sacred Halls with its iuterminable dis
,ussion. Openly and in secret, by tue agen-
y If tho press, tho pulpit, ana the political
'ostrum in the camp, in the city, and in the
'pen 6eld, they ore spreading the contag;on
hey are innoculating the country with this
moral pestilencs which has already brought
Is where we are, to the very brink Of the
,rave Of our nationality. s~st5 s@As