Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-07-03
SPEECH OF HON. II. II. NUGEN,


Nhl. ~ " oLAN SulN
Mr.. SPEAKER: | am reluctant to claim
he attention Of the House when matters
Of more importance than my remarks
should receive its consideration but in
view of the discussion which has already
been had in this House during the present
session, | desire, in an informal and brief
manner to present my views upon some
of the measures which now engage the
attention of Congress and the country.
Sir, we are in the midst Of civil war
Of formidable proportions and appalling
magnitude. When and with what result
that war will end no one can with certain
ty predict. and perhaps it is neither pru
dent or profitable at this time to attempt
to speculate upon that subject. 1t is GER
tainly, however, the desire Of every pat
riot that it shall terminate in the most
speedy manner possible.
BY return of the people of tho rebel
lious States to their allegiance to the Fed
eial Government, and by willing submis-
sion on their part to the constituted au-
thoity, when that period shall arrive the
people Of the country will demand that
the army which has been 50 suddenly call
ed into the military service OF the country
shall be disbanded, and its gallant soldiers
be permitted to return to their peaceful
avocations and cndcarments of home, that
the country may be as speedily as posi-.
bic relieved from the financial embarrass.
ments in which it is now involved, and
which must continue to increase SO long
as hostilities continue to exist between the
Government and the rcbcllious States.
believe the loyal people of the country
will be willing to make every sacrifice
that patriotism can demand to restore tho
Government to its original unity and
strength that for this purpose, and this
alone, they will willingly sacrifice THEN
property and their lives. But when the
object Of this war is diverted from that
for which it was inaugurated, and tho
great struggle now going on becomes one
for the existence of a party or theory, in
stead Of one for the existence of the Gov
ernmcnt as our fathers gavo it to us, they
will not render the cordial support which
is necessary TO insure the complete tri-
umph Of our arms.
| concur most heartily with my collie
que, MIR. HARRISON, who, in the course
Of his able speech, submitted to the com
mittee some weeks ago, declared that in
his judgment the prominent sentiment Of
the people of all the loyal States is, that
the war must be efficiently prosecuted in
conformity to the Constitution, and for
its maintenance and preservation, aad for
no other purpose.
Sir, have no doubt Of that sentiment
among at least nine tcnths of the people
Of the loyal States. They were inaugu.
rated to vindicate the Constitution ant
the laws, and not for the purpose of VIC
lating them; and neither the plea Of q
military necessity, or any other that can
be framed by the ingenuity of man, will
be sufficient to justify any Of the depart,
mcnts of Government in violating the
Constitution and laws which it is soughr
to make the people of the rcbelliou'
States obey.
Sir, there can be no dispute as to tn
original objects of this war. They ar
Iplainly stated in the proclamation of tn
|
last, as well as in his subsequent proel'
nations on the same subject. | will read
portion of his first proclamation, whic
! is as follows
"Whcrcns the laws Of the United States ha,
been for some time past, and now are, o. pose
and the execution thereof ob-tIuctcd in the stat,
, of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Flord
Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, by combin'
tions too powerful to be suppressed by the ordiI
ary course of judicial proceedings, or by the pow,
vested in the murtials by law:
"Now, therefore, |, Abraham Lincoln, Pres
dent of the United States, 10y virtue Of the pow
in me vested by the Constitution and the law
have thought fit to call forth, aud hereby do ca
: FORTH the militia of the several States of Il
Union, to the aggregate number of seventy h'
! thousand, in order to suppress such combination
) and to cause the laws to be executed"
t. Under this proclamation thousands
our brave countrymcn rallied to the re
cue of our country. No other nppc
was made to them than that which W
suggested by this manifesto. No 9th
appeal thau that would have produce
: such an outbmst Of popular feeling Al
patriotism.
The appeal was made to the people
:. vindicate aud aid in enforcing the la,
Of the land against those who were
arms against the Government, tramplii
the Constitution and laws under foot. a,
was not an appeal to the loyal people
violate them because the people of t
disloyal States were doing SO. I'll
proclamation of the President was und
u the authority and in the precise words
the act Of Congress passed in the yc
1893, but a few years after the Constit
%. ton was adopted, and which was pass
for the purpose of carrying into effect tn
clause in the eight section of the first q
- ticlo of the Constitution which authoriZ
Congress to provide for calling forth
militia to execute the laws of the Unio
suppress Instructions, and rcpel inv
sions. The proclamation of the Pre-
ldent subsequently issued, calling for a
:, dilional volunteers, was based upon t
same clause, and was for the same pit
pose. namely. to suppress unlawful col
brnatlons against the laws. This resi-
\, ance to the laws was treated by the Go
ernment at the beginning, and ever i
been treated, as a rebellion-not as Il pu
lie war; no war has ever been declar
either by Congress or the President, Il
- the rules which govern two sovereignt
or nations at war with each other, do l
apply, except 80 far as it may beco
necessary tn send UaUs of truce IN