The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-06-21
&irt1utu1in Bispatrt.
SPEECH Of DEN. Wooo. or NEW YORK,
on THE
STATE or THE COUNTRY.

| ~ Ie0u VI Ueu. WOOUs VI UeW tVHk, ],
on THE
STATE or THE COUNTRY.
We have Obtained copy Of a speeeh Of the Hon.
Ben. Wood. former proprietor Of the New York
Nsrs. e paper which was suspended on account oi
ifs bold stand In favor Of the south In the Federal
HoHsc Of Representatives, on the state of the
coantry. Relieving ,has majority Of our readers
would be- gratiAed 70 understand the position now
occupied By Mr. Wood towards the Abolition party
Of the North, we publish It entire Mr. Y. ood OBJ
tanned the unanimous consent of the House 10 have
! printed the following remarks:
| MIR. Woop.-Mr. Chairman. l have bithsr,..
avoided troubling this Ifouse Content To be n lis
tener, without auy other participation in Its pro
eeedinss inah 70 oppose my solemn individual mega.
tive against measures which my conscience end ny
principles would not approve, have sad NOT h;nt.
Indeed sir, have not had the heart 10 rise here
and speak. glance at this Hail. of itself, has been
enough TO prYeent When l ieok around and see
one-tbird Of the Union nnrepre,eptetl her. ,nl AMI
myseh in body, though purportiny 10 he one
branch Of the Congress Of the United States really
IN laet oaf ragmentary part Of it, my heart sinks
gathering OF the representatives of a sectional
party. With these feelings and with this spirit I
have until now avoided participating in debate.
besaes s.f, during the carrier period Of this ses
"
Federal arms l fell that the hour OF defeat was
not hi one in which to strive to awaken the sysat
soul of the North to thoughts OF peae. felt tha,
something was due 10 the sense OF mort; fcs.ion
something to the natural desire to retrieve The
shame OF discontinue. l hoped, too that when
victory should perch upon our banners others than
myself would seize rhe occasion 10 urge u Flea in
behalf OF peaccable measures and that this Gov.
ernment ITSELF feeling secure md strong enough To
be magnanimous wuuld take the lead and be the
pioneer In opening path for the settlement of our
difficulties without further recourse to bloetlshed l
even hoped that the leaders Of the now dominant
party. moved by the sore distress which has visited
our country, would reient from the stern ripor of
their doctrine OF snhjuga,ion ,nd, in the flush OF
triumph, would lean little towards eeutler polcy
than that which they have hitherto chamuioned
with 20 much zeal and with little iorbear.,ilcc.
hoped in vain. The triumph came a long train
OF successes has relieved the North from its hniia
ton. The Government claims now to stand "a a
rock against which The tempest of opposition mus.
waste Itself in futile efforts The partissns O, the
ultra war party laugh to the idea that any ef
fectual resistance can be offered to the onward
march OF orr triumphant sTlnss and vet no single
effort has been made in these Congressional Halls
TO stay the effusol Of blood 1t has been left for
me- peweriess As am to speak the first concilia-
tory wori in behalf of my suffering conntrymen-
And do IL, sir in the hope that Others more care.
Bile, will not be ioo much engrossrd with the lust az
conquest and the prise OF victory 10 follow my ex
ample.
Sir. IL is IN eif.ceable ieproach to those s;tba,
aelnded or wicked men who, in the North, by their
nnwearied agitation of abolition schemes have stir
s .su rue embers OF this strife; it is an eternal
fepfoach 10 them that, through defeat and
Sic1ofy' throughout every phase OF this unhappy
s'rnEgis' WIN the grosns OF their distressed ana
tortured country sinting upon their ears they have
eiung aud still cling, with unpt wing i,ertinac;,y
and even with terocity TO the doctrine wbici, hss
been the germ OF all the mischief With the fr.t
ektng shouts OF Federal victories they set up the
eehcing cry OF emancipation. With all the energy
oi fanac,sm, with all the subtle arts and intrigrs
OF scheming de4nagogUes, with all he appliances OF
cunning. intellect. and patronage 81 their command
even as this evenfful crisis. when every American
brain should be st work to bring about fair and
honorable peace, they have no thought no hope no
duty but To propagate their creed extending its in
nne!iee into every nook and Granny OF the land and
poisoning the atnlogphere of these sacred halls with
iss intsrminah[e discussion Openly and in secye.
by the agency Of the press the pulpit, and the DO
tleai rostruln, in the c.p in the city end in the
open i'eid they are spreading the GOA ,gion; they
are innocillatinS The country wh THE moral p-sti
leaee which has already hSoaSht us where We sr~
at the very brink' OF the grave of nationality
Sir, 70 these nlsostles ot abGlitionisn will be traced
aageafter whatever OF evil has befa!en, may be-
Iail our country They building lis sepuichre
with the bones OF their slaughtered country men, l
do beievr thrre are gentlemen within my vision
now whose sworn purpose, whose first desire. para
IHount even to the preservation Of Repuklicansm
il emancipation. They and the;T disciples iirs,
threw The apple OF discord. They frat applied the
torch. and are ROW mvre bHsy than ever with
throwing fresh tWel to the flame. Should history
country ruin that page viii the st4angost
TO those that read which shall tell Of the madness
and wiekedness of the archfanatics Of aao|itiorim
In tine dark sses Of the teIsae Of inf:,ny the
Sioomiest inches will bear the Inscription of their
names.
Sir. counsel acne but n.oral interference with
the work OF these mischief makers. | would no,
have even fanaticism deprived Of the right Of free
speech, nor would !, in any emergency, advocate
the slightest infringement by the Government upon
the liberty OF the press 1es them SOW the seeds OF
their Infamous doctrine broadcast over the land
w hateVer may Ee the danger, l will not counte
nance the greater danger of establishing dictate
ship over The thoughts of my fellow countrymen
But ii the aboplinable theme must be brought
into the council chambers Of the natioa for The
sake OF decency, if not OF justice. let il be at a
more sessonable time. Ii there remains one Union
ar the Soubs le. remember that he is un.
represented here that the subject OF slavery par
ticu1arly concerns him, and that it is ungenerous
and unjust, il not cowardly 10 take advantage Of
his absence Of represen ntaon 10 push forward meas
ures in regard TO The local institutions Of his sec
ton-measures against which, were he present, be
would give his earnest opposition. II viii puench
whatever remains of Union feeling in the South if
IT has not already done co. Ii viii destroy the last !
nope OK reconstruction OF the Union friendly
basis. 1t will prove what has been so OF, en- init.
mated. thatthe first idea Of the dominant party in
the North IL active and unwavering antagonism to
slavery, and fixed purpose to legislate it ont of
tue lanu AZ All hazards Is it with that theory ad
fanced that we ere to conquer a peaceY Sir wo
are dingng away the last chances OF reconciliation
a. reckiessly as madmen cast their treasures into
the sea The agitation of the subject has been tho
countrys oane at every period of It's history: its
discussion al this crisis is desperate seifestm:tiof
Is it while the magazine is beneath us ana shout
us, bursting with fhe agencies Of ruin, that wa
must choose to sport with the flaming torch Of the
incendiarys Sir, until our beloved country shall,
be saved, the word emancipation should hy con,
mon consent be banished from the language If 5e
bate In this assemblaee. 1t ia & spen which has
wrought enough already of desolation. II il a hell
al q hoso
the hends Of diacord aud civil war; and II never
was potent in its evil tendencies as now when Il
Is being passed like the breath Of the plague, from
mouth to mouth, in the council chambers of The
country 1t has ruined Il should be spoken in a
whisper and with q prayer linked to it, as a thing
that brings curse and spreads a pestileaca, ]
despair OF ,ny country l despair Q! ever living
once more ip q tlessed Onion Of fraternal States,
when nesr al around me the utterance Of that
ruin breeding word :emanc ipation' mingng with
the shouts OF battle, the fierce hurrahs OF triumph
over fallen brothers, and the groans Of our dying
coUntrymen
Cir, II in place OF making the negro question q
subject matter Of debate. this Congress would take
INTO earnest, solemn consideration some expedient
ior securing peace do believe that success would
crown our efforts. Ii they would enter upon that
sasA, not With hearts embittered and intellects
swnyea ny sectional antlpathies and untnely mock
p1.sun.op'ss, n. but with all their souls devoted
The Union and our redemption from civil war. n
they would do this In the spirit Of conciatian Of
iorsivsnss. Of aossanss fbrotherhood and kind
~ teellng, II my cOns icton that before the ciose
Of this eventfn session the preminsriss ~ ao.
would be arranged. But while with the nhs,is"
Of blind fanatic, and the instinct Of hrnta assJ
iator the drst object is to promulsase q part go
and the second To- crush 81 opponent and sar th
badge OF victory, see fairer prospect thar ~
some distant period, reached through seas of blood
and heaps of carnage The forced submission Of q
crushed ind devastated section, and the equally I'M
happy spectacle ola Government triumphant, but
exhausted by ;ts triumph detested by q moiety Of