Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-06-06
The Position of Iudgs THOMAS.

On the 24th ult., Judge Thomas delivered
in the house of representatives another speech
against the confscation bill. His speeches
and action on this bill are not in accordance
with public sentiment in this state. They
would probably have encountered less crit
clsm II his question in regard to the constitu-
tlonality of the bill had been accompanied by
more earnest and unmistakeable expression
of sympathy with its purpose. We make the
following extract from the speech to which
we have referred, in order that our readers
may see his own statement of his position =
''That the bills before the house are in yio-
lation Of the law of nations and of the consti-
tuition cannot say it with all Difference to
OtherS-I cannot entertain doubt Nv path
OF duty is plain. The duty of obedience to
that constitution was never more imperative
than now. am not disposed to deny that
have for it a superstitious reverence. | have
worshipped it from my forefathers.' In the
school OF rigid discipline by which we were
prepared for 1t, in the struggles out of which
II was born, the seven darker years in which
that conflict seemed SO fruitless of good. in the
wisdom with which it was constructed and
first administered and set in motion, in the be-
neticent government it has secured for more
than two generations, in the blessed influences
it has exerted upon the cause of freedom and
humanity the world over, | cannot fail to re-
cognize the hand of a guiding and loving prov
idcnce. But not for the blessed memories of
the past only do | cling to it. He must
be blinded with excess of light, or
with the want of it, who does not
see that to this nation, trembling on
the verge of dissolution, it is the only DOS
sible bond of unity. With this conviction
wrought into the very texture Of my being
believe | can appreciate this conflict, can I'M
derstand the necessity of using all the powers
given by the constitution for the suppression
of this rebellion. They are, as believe, and
us the progress of our arms attests, ample for
the purpose. do not, therefore, see the wis
dom Of violating or impairing the constitution
in the effort to save it, or of passing from the
pestilent heresy Of state secession to the equal
ly fatal one OF state suicide. The fruits of
the first are anarchy and perpetual border
| war; Of the second the growth of military
| power, the loss of the centrifugal force of the
states, the merging of the states in the central
| government; republic in name and form, in
substance and effect a despotism.
"Mr. Speaker, at time like this the indi-
vidual is nothing, the country everything.
ne cannot Truly serve or love his country who
is anxious about himself He cannot have n
single eye to the welfare of the republic. il
both eyes are turned homeward. He cannot
keep step to the music of the Union who is
grinding fantasies for the village of Buncombe
One may desire, however, not to be wholly
misunderstood. 1t has been said that | an
opposed to any emancipation of the slaves O
rebels. Nothing can be further from the truth
The first provision for emancipation, that il
the statute of August &, 1861, liberating al
slaves employed in the rebellion, drew witt
my own hand, believing now, as then, that i
is valid and just. For the abolition of SLAYER,
in this district, for the Introduction o
slavery in the territories, for the new arti
Gle of war forbidding the officers of the arm,
to surrender fugitives from service, my vote
are on record l voted for the resolution
recommended by the president for aid Il
the states in the work Of gradual emancipa
ton, though | could not fail TO see that it wa
on the verge Of authority, and must perhaps
hnally rest, like the purchase of Louisiana
upon general consent. My views of the powel
Oh the commander in chief on the subject o.
emancipation are fully stated in remarks sub
nnvted 10 the house on the 10th of April.
VIM not repeat them. They are ample fol
wy emergency. In the bill / introduced 'fol
t ~ n iS enectual suppression of the rebel.
hOu, ou' Wmch, IN the present temper of tho
nouse, l thought it useless to press I how
lnulca'e1 practical method by which tho
saves OF rebels may be emancinated as the
Pehaity Tor crime, upon conviction mr. dae,,,I,
! vi 'ne onehuer. But, Mr.. Speaker. | hav,