The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-01-23
Address Of HON. e. w. Esali !:
on TAXING THE CHAIR AS SPEAKER OF THE
SENATE.

SENATORS Il thank you for the kind
partiality which has raised me to the dig
nitv OF your presiding officer. l accept
the honor with difidence in my ability to
fulfil your expectations, but with the de-
termination so far as in me lies, TO give
to the duties of the position my industri-
Gus and impartial efforts, and | claim, as
[ have no doubt | shall receive, at your
hands, indulgence towards myself, whilst
YOU exercise forbearance and courtesy
towards each other. | cannot but be I'M
pressed with the liveliest emotions Of
pleasure at this generous confidence Ga
YOUR part, 'animatine me anew in the dis
charge of public duty yet feel how
idly [ would employ your time in felicita-
ting myself upon the attainment OF civic
honors. in this lawful and rugged crisis,
when above all personal considerations,
the salvation of the Republic should en-
gage all our thoughts.
We meet in stirring times An epoch
in our National life is upon US. Events
of vast Importance in quick succession
cluster fast, decisive, pelhaps, of our des-
tiny, perhaps Of the destiny OF mankind,
For let this government be overthrown
from within itself, and who can say, but
that its great underlying principle, the
CAPACITY Of man for f-yoyernment, shall
be thrown aside for the future, by the
People of the world, as a failure.
Our State is inseparably linked with
all the others. We share common fate,
either of disgrace or ruin, or permanent
power and glory. All other questions Of
political economy, or governmental poiIcy,
are merged in the one great issue OF Ma
tional life or death. For what are ali
other interests worth, without govern
ment that can maintain itself! What
other public calamity can be compared to
the National overthrow Wars have
visited oul country in times past, waged
by the sayages of the forest, and the self
STYLED "mistress of the Seas" i'estilence
has. at various times, wasted us public
credit has gone down, while succeeding
waves of financial revulsion swept the So
cial state. Yet, blessed by a benign gov
ernment, our country has outlivcd them
all. But where is the hope Of resurrec-
ton from the grave Of National disinte-
grafton? We cannot be too deeply, anx-
iously impressed with the conviction that
unless we conquer in this struggle, all Is
lost. There can be no peace unless we
conquer peace. If we should even tender
the olive branch, a thought which cannot
be entertained for a single moment, the
rebellious States would disdainlully re-
iect it. All the sacrifice that may be
made in this war, all the treasure that
may be expended, all the evils that are
inseparable from it, and which the hu-
name croakers for peace are constantly
agsravating, are light, in comparison with
the untold evils which follow trium-
phant rebellion. But if we could even
agree upon peaceable separation. at how
long would peace continue? The disloy-
al Southern States intoxicated with sue
cess, would be more aggressive, domineer-
ing and unscrupulous than ever before
An eternal conflict of jarrinS interests
would entail interminable internal wars