Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-05-08

Insthheu. lnelr OD1CCl Is lnc pIcSoINd-
tion of our country, its union, and its
salvation.
Here the hammar fell.
Mr.. BlNGuAM obtained the floor.
Mr.. GRlpER. If it ill not inconveni-
ence the gentleman from Ohio, will he al
low me to ask for my coleago few mo-
mont longer to finish his remarks
NJ. B1SGHAM. Personally, have no
objection to it.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN. Is there any objection
to the gentleman from Kentucky contin
uing his remarks few moments longer !?
There was no objection.
Mr.. CRlrrENDnN. Mr.. Chairman, am
Obliged to the committee for their cour
tesy. In what have said have spoken
in all sincerity and frankncss. | feel for
my associates in this body all the respect
that | ought to fell but | look upon
this as common council, notwithstand-
ing our diversitics of opinion, and each
one should speak his sentiments respect
fully towards his associates, but should
speak his Judgment and opinions upon
public measures. | have done it. | APP
peal to all men now to assist in renewing
the Union This war will leave behind
it, like stormy sea, much of disorder
and much Of convulsion. We shall have
to temper all that. We live in an age
when we must temper things. We must
temper our Justice. Justice demands that
those in rebellion should be made to pay
the cost Of the war Why, sir, this ques-
ton arose in every war that ever existed
between foreign nations. lie who is in
the wrong in a war-and somebody al
ways is-ought to pay the costs and re-
pair the damages which the war has done
1t would be no more than strict justice,
and yet the peace of nations demands the
abandonment of that policy. Such terms
coull never be extorted without continu-
Gus war. You could not gain as much
by exactng payment of the expenses of
the war as you would lose by the con
tinucd prosecution of it.
The idea Of paying the expense Of this
war by the contiscation of the property Of
the rebels might seem to be just enough,
in itself yet it would be attended with
consequences which make it absolutely
necessary for us to abandon any such
purpose If we get the integrity Of our
Union restored, if we got its peace restor-
ed, If we get back our people, and the
love of all our people North AMI South
we shall have got great consideration fo
any money we may cxpead. Let it so
Give us peace, give us fraternity, give u,
back our whole country, give us back ou
erring and wicked fellow w-citizons, tha
they may repair hereafter, by their peni
fpncn 10 . h., a,
have been guilty of towards us. To cx.
act payment Of them is to exact what
they cannot pay, and you then change
the character of the war from one prose.
cuted for the Union to one prosecuted for
debt. You may say, "Oh, we will for
give you, but you must pay this debt'"-
They say, eve cannot pay it." We then
continue the war. What will be the
cause of the war then? Because they can
not pay the debt. We shall be fighting
an insolvent debtor and carrying on a
destructive war against him because he
cannot pay. Will the war make him
more able to pay it A.? Will further dcs
truction of his property and harassment
to himself make him more solvent p
The idea, gentlemen, when it is analysed
and looked into, must be abandoned
Now, il seems TO mo that the midest
measures we can adopt are the best You
have fought great battle and are vicio-
rious. The moment of victory is the
moment for generosity, and that is your
true policy, do not let vengeance for what
has been done govern your conduct. Let
mercy and mild and moderate counscls
prevail hereafter. That is the course OF
wisdom that is tho course we should
pursue. And let us keep within the Con
stltution. Let us never bring ourselves
into opposition to tho Constitution. Let
us not say that the Constitution which
is our guide in tmo of peace, is n
nGllity in time of war that the Consti-
tuition will do to rule in time of peace,
but that we, the members Of Congress,
must rule in time Of war. 1t will not do
The able and eloquent gentleman from
Ohio, (Mr. BIEGuAM,) who sits now be-
fore me, says that tho powor to provide
for tho common defence and general wei
fare contains the power to iberato slaves,
that it ustiles these measures Of conlis-
cation and emancipation, and that the
power is unlimited.
Mr.. Chairman, l had always believed
that in the clause of the Constitution
which says that Congress shall have
power TO lay taxes. &c, and to provide
for the common defence and general wei
fare, those latter words conveyed no
power whatever that the powers are con
veyed i'll the other clauses, and that this
is the object for which they arc given.--
Congress may "lay and collect taxes. -
For what ? For tho purpose of provid- !
ing for the common defence and general
welfare. To suppose that any power
could be derived of general and unlim-
itcd character from the words "to provide
for the common doIeuco aud gcnaral wei
ware. - is to subyert the whole Constitu.
tion, The Constitution is said to DO a
Constitution Of specific and enumerated
powers. What would become Of all tho !
specifications and cnumoratons of power
If there is general provision in tho Con
stitution which gives an unlimited pow
er? What becomes Of all the specified
powers if these terms give you an unlm-
ited power? Where tho necessity of
enumeration ? But this language was
only intended to show the object for
which tha puumprata1 nnmnrs orn ,,ivnn