Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-07-02
The stapoaso.
SPEECH OF BENJAMIN WOOD,
OF NEW YORK,
an THE STATE OF THR COUNTRY,

=
Notwithstanding its length, we give IT, sur readers
the following speech delivered BY B'an Ben. Wood,
q; New York, in the Hotse Of the Lincoln Congress
recently. He was formerly pr ,prietor of the New
York Nsp& which was SUPPRESSED by Lincoln be-
cause it stood boldly for the rights of the South un
der the Constitution, and opposed the war upon the
Southern States. His spirit is still unoroken'-
Soon after he delivered the speech charges were pre-
ferred agains! him of disloyalty, and We expect
TO hear of his being in Fort Lafayette:
Mr. Chairman, l have hitherto avoided troubling
this House. Content to be listener, without any
eher participation in its proceedings than to oppose
nv solemn individual negative against measures
which my conscience and my principles would not
approve, I have said nothing. Indeed, sir, l have
not had the heart to rise here and speak. glance
at this Hall, Of itself has been enough to prevent
When look around and see one third of the Union
unrepresented here, and find myself in body,
though purporting be one branch of the Congress
of the United States really in fact but ragmentary
mart of it, my heart sinks within me. 1t appears to
be sectional body-a gathering of the representa-
tves of sectional party. With these feelings, and
with this spirit have until now avoided participa-
ting in debate.
Besides, sir during the earlier period OF ths srS-
sion, disaster had accompanied the efor's Vi III.
Federal arms felt that the hour Oh ue'ea' was Nv,
At ono in which to strive to awaken the great soul
of the North to thoughts OF peace; tee that some
thing was due to the sense of modification, some.
thing to the natural desire to retrieve the shame OF
discontinue | hoped too, that when victory should
perch upon our banners others than myself woui"
seize the occasion to urge plea in behalf Of peacea
BILE measures; and that this government ITSELF feel
ing secure and strong enough to be magnanlmons'
would take the lead and be the pioneer IN opening
path for the settlement of our difficulties without
further recourse to bloodshed. | even hoped that
the leaders of the now dominant party, moved by
the sore distress which has visited our country,
would relent from the stern rgor of their doctrine
of subugation, and, in the flush of triumph would
lean little towards gentler policy than that witch
they have hitherto championed with so much zeal
and with so little forbearance.
hoped in vain. The triumph came; along train
of success has relieved the North from its humia'
ton. The government claims now to Stanu as
rock against which the tempest of opposition must
itself in futile efforts. The partiSans OF the
ultra war party laugh to scorn the idea that any CT:
fectual resistance can be offered to the onward
march of our triumphant armies, and yet no single
effort has been made in these Congressional Halls
to stay the efusion of blood. 1t has been left for
me, poweress as am, to speak the first concllato-
~ word in behalf of my suffering conntry'nen.-
And do it. sir, in the hope that others, more capa-
be will not be too much engrosSed with the lust OF
conquest and the pride of victory to follow my OK
ample
Sir it is an noticeable reproach to those either
deluded or wicked men who, in the North, by their
unwearied agitation of abolition schemes, have stir
rec the embers of this strife; it is an eternal re-
proach 10 them that through defeat and victory,
throughout every phase of this unhappy struggle,
with the groans Of their distressed and tortured
country shifting upon their ears, they have chung,
and still cling, with Implying pertlnaclty, and even
with terocity, to the doctrine which has been the
germ of all the mischief With the first exulting
shouts of Federal victories they set up the echong
cry of emancipation With all the energy OF fanati
csm with all the subtle arts and intrigIeS of schen
ing de'nagogues, with all the appliances Of cunning,
intellect, and patronage at their command, at
this eventful crisis, when every American brain
should be at work to bring about fair and honora
bic peace, they have no thought, no hope no duty
but 20 propagate their creed, extending its intu
ence into every nook and Granny of tue land. and
poisoning the atmosphere of these sacred halls with
its intermnable discussion. Openly and in secret,
by the agency of the press, the pulpit, AID the po
litca 'ostum, il the camp, in the city, and in the
open field they are spreading the contagion; they
are innoculatng the country with this moral pesli-
lence which has already brought US where we are,
at the very brink Of the grave of our nationality.
Sir, to these apostles of abotionsn will be traced
hereafter whatever of evil has befaen or may bciail
our country. They are building its sepulchre with
the bones of their slaughtered countrvmen. | do
believe there are gentlemen within my vision now
whose sworn purpose whose first desire, paramount
even to the preservation of RepublicaniSm is enan-
cipation. They and their disciples first threw the
apple OF d'scord They first applied the torch, and
are now more busy than ever with throwing fresh
fuel to the fame Should history ever trace, which
God forbid, the recordof this coun.rys rum, that
page VIII seem the StrangeSt to those that re (which
shall tell OF the madness and wickcdness of the arch
fanatics of abolitionsm In the dark receSses of the
temple OF infamy, the goonest inches will bear the
inscription of their names.
Sir, counsel none but moral interference with
the work Of these Observation-Disclosures. | would not
nave even fanat'cism deprived CT the right Of free
speech, nor would |, in any emergency, advocate
the slightest infringement by the government upon
tpe liberty Of the press. Let them SOW the seed, of
their Infamous doctrine broadcast over the land
Whatever may be the danger, | will not counte
nance the greater danger of establishing dictator
snip over the thoughts of my countrymen.
But 1t the abominable theme must be brought in
to the council chambers of the nation, for the sake
Of dccency, if not of JUSTICE let it be at more SEN
slole time. Ii there remains one Union man at the
ooutE, let US remember that he is unrepresented
here; that the subject Of slavery particularly con-
Germs him. and that it is ungenerous and unjust if
n'' co"ardy, to take advantage of his absence of
representation to push forward measures in regard
70 !he local institutions of his section-measnres
against which, were he present, he would give his
earnest opposition. 1t will quench whatever re-
mains of Union feeling in the South if it has mt
already done So 1t will destroy the last hone Of a
reconstruction of the Union on friendly basis II
Wi, VIII prove what has already been so often ntimated
hat the first idea of the dominant party in the North
Is active and unwavering antagonism to slavery and
mSea purpose to egisate it out of the land at all
lazarus Is 1t with that theory advanced that VIC
ste 70 conquer peace? Sir, we are fingng awav
.e last chances of reconciliation as recklessy as
niaulen cast their treasures into the sea, The a.
aelon OF the subject has been the countrys bane at
every pelioa Of its history; its discussion at this
crisis is desperate selfdestruction. ' 'A''
Is 1t whlle the magazine is beneath us and about
choose to sport with the flaming torch ot NV we nus'
day Sir until beloved COUNTRY "" u 's sba aTcs
saved, the word "emancipation' sbond s h I've oe
consent be banrshed from the Sn mould by com
bate in this assemblage. 1t is sne,f u.Ss o "e
wrought enough already of desoIat;op Hnicn mas