Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-03

Of coercion he voted fort VIII he do thats
Mr. President, was present few DAYS ago
when the resolution offered in this body
pledging it 70 raise Sl50, 000, 900 BY taxation.
The gentleman was in his seat few minutes
before that vote was taken; but when that vote
was taken, if l recollect Alright, he was out of
his seat.
The gentleman bad bis senatorial duties here
TO perform; and when the Government was as
sailed by hostile armies, and the Constitution
was about to be put down by a great rebellion,
my understanding of bis duty upon which in
tend TO give my vote) was that il was his duty TO
vote men and money to repel that assault upon
the Constitution and Government in some form
or other.
Mr. President, | have no enmity against the
gentleman from Indiana. | would have been re-
jOiced if he could have shown a vote in favor of
every necessary measure to raise men and money
to enable this Government TO defend itself /; and
now, it he will tell me specifically what bill TO
raise armies, what bill to levy taxes what bin to
borrow money, what bill to issue Treasury notes
he voted for-he knows; do not; and have
not had the opportunity to examine. and was not
disposed to do so-if he will tell me which and
| every one of these measures he voted for, at
least will give him full credit.
Mr.. Fessenden-Will my friend allow me to
make one suggestion to him2 have been ex-
&mning the record, not fully, but as well as
as have examined, that the yeas and nays were
not taken upon any of those bills; they
passed sub sitenti0, by general consent.
Mr.. Bright-lf the honorable Senator will al
low me, while our Chairman of Finance is upon
the floor, desire to put question TO him which
| regard as very appropriate. / know it may be
considered, by some, in bad taste for me to inter-
fere IN this debate but as the Senator from Maine
has risen, and he is of opposite politics with nv
self, and have no personal claims on him, /
will put question to him. 1t is accidental that
i am thrown on the Committee on Finance, that
has charge of the money operations of the Gov
eminent SO far as this Chamber is concerned
have met with him, | be ieve as often Is with
any other member of the committee. and | will
ask him what has been my course in reference to
| the business of the body at the last session and
the present in regard to the money measures of
the Government. 81 $500
Mr.. Fessenden-I will saw, with the permission
of the Senator from Kentucky that, according to
my recollection, in the Committee on Finance,
whenever the Senator from Indiana was there
and believe he was pretty constant i'm his at
tendanee-all those necessary measures not only
receiv ed no opposition from him. but had his full
| lest concurrence.
Mr. Bright have asked that question, if the
Senator from Kentucky will allow me TO say so,
not that | acknowledge his right to catechise me
as to what my votes, either in committee or in
! this body, are-they are with me and my constit-
uents-but to relieve him from Il great deal of
| trouble that Think he is borrowing in reference
to my course.
Mr. Dtvis--I did not claim the right to cate
chise the gentleman, and put him upon an exami-
nation of his record. | told him that he knew
| his record better than did, and left him to re-
| fer to his record not When the gentleman
was availing himself of an opp rtunity which |
| gave to him to make personal explanation, he
commenced an attack upon me. and told him
that if it was his purpose TO carry the war into
Africa, he would fnd me ready to defend myself.
/ | meant that, as he mad chosen TO make the war
| in that form, would defend myself in that form.
! ! did not make any threat or menace against the
| gentleman at all. / intended it in the sense in
which the gentleman himself stated it-in which
he commenced the upon If the gentle
man needs any further explanation, he can get it.
/ | made no menace.
Mr.. Bright have no explanation to make. /
am not man of war, sir; am man CT peace,
and desire peace
Mr.. Davis-So am l. Well Mr. President, l
will proceed now with this explanation. Here is
the language of the gentleman in his letter of the
18th of September:
Il have opposed, and so long as my present con-
victions last shall continue to oppose, the entire
coercve policy of the Government"
/
man at least in his vote, or in his refusal to vote,
the other day. act up to that position? Has he
not here declared himself in the most distinct
terms against coercion? The gentleman says, as
many gentlemen say to US that against coer-
eion, al am against SECESSION" but how is seces
sion to be put down except by coercion? When
/ there hostile Government and hostile
mics trying to disrupt the Union aud TO revolu-
/ tionize the Government at the point of the sword.
hon Artx ffat ao
Government and the Constitution of the United
States except by voting men and means to sup,
port the Constitution and that Government
The gentleman, in his first remarks to this bo-
| DIV, read from speech that he made at the last
session of Congress. and if recollect passage in
that speech, he distinctly reasserted then his Oppo
sition t. the principle of coercion. But here is
his letter addressed to Mr.. Fitch on the 9Th of
September last, after the coercve policy of the
Government had been fully inaugurated, and af-
ter the legislative power of the United States had
passed its measures TO subdue the rebellion.
| These measures were known as the system of CO.
ercion adopted by the Government TO put down
the rebellion; and after these measures bad been
fully voted by the Congress of the United States,
and were in course of execution by the President,
/ the gentleman writes this letter to Mr.. Fitch,
in which he avows his utter opposition to cOer-
cion:
81 have opposed, and so long as my present con
victions last shall continue to oppose the entire
coercive policy of the Government. / hope this
may be satisfactory to my friends. For my enc
mics | care not"
The gentleman in his speech the other day
stated distinctly that he had formed his opinions
after mature reflection, that he had formed them
many wears ago, that he still adhered to them
and that il Just possible for the Ethiopian
to change his skin as it was for him to change his
opinions.
| Now what is the position that have attempt
ed TO assume all the time? have conceded, and
| | now concede, that a gentleman may maintain
such abstract opinions as he pleases; he may as
sert those opinions in every place and in every
form that does not interfere with his official du-
"; but whenever he asserts those opinions fails
in particular line of official duty in consequence
of his opinions. so as to prevent him from doing
his duty to the Government and in support of the
| Constitution, the gentleman then becomes amena-
BILE to be proceeded against upon resolution for
expulsion.
At the close of his remarks the gentleman re-
ferred to me very significantly, saying: 81 know
YOU" ! ask the gentleman what he meant by
that. Did the gentleman mean a menace against
me in that exclamation? Did the gentleman mean
a threat against me in that exciamationl pause
/ for reply.
Mr. Brigbt-Mr President. | am not con-
scious OF having menaced the Senator from Ken
lucky.
Mr. Davis-Very good. That is sufficient.
! Mr.. Bright do not wish to be understood
as threatening him. There is no reason why L
should . t.r-
Mr.. Davis-The gentleman has answered my
question
Mr.. Bright have no idea, from what know
ofhm. that he would be deferred from doing his
duty by threat. If he thinks can be, he may
make the experiment.
| Mr.. Davis-I am here on peaceful relations
with the gentleman, and every member of the
| Senate. ts $500 .s rsfaa
| Mr.. Bright-So am I, sir.