Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-02-06


communication with the rebellious government,
touching the purchase OF an improved fre-arm
II cannot be possible. No loyal citizen would
have done it, much less loyal Senator. For
getful of bis duties, unfaithful to bis senatoFi-
al trust, he is no longer worthy of seat in
this Senate
With all respect for my colleague, and for
the honorable Senator from New York, l
must say that in my Judgment they have TAX
en- narrow and technical view of this case.
They deal with the Senator from Indiana as
one on his trial for treason, and themselves as
judges or jurors sworn to try him under all the
technical rules of presumptionS and reasonable
doubts, applicable in such cases. Herein they
greatly err, We sit here in trial upon the
Senator from Indiana, not to pronounce judg-
ment against him for the crime of treason, but
to say by our votes, under the facts before US,
if he be loyal and safe man to sit in this
high council of State.
Mr.. COWAN. l desire to ask my honor
Gble colleague, if Mr.. Bright is not guilty of
treason, what is he guilty of
Mr.. WILMOT | will answer my colleague
by saying that if were called upon to day to
give any definition of his Offense should pro-
nounce it treason but | am frank to admit
that if we're sitting as juror, there are those
doubts hanging about the case that would
make me hesitate to pronounce a verGlct OF
guilty but as q Senator, | will not hesitate
as to the vote | shall give here. The conduct
of the Senator from Indiana, judged by the
facts and circumstances surrounding the case,
looks like treason still l might not be pre-.
pared so to pronounce, sitting as q juror on his
trial. | know not under what circumstances
Of haste, or thoughtlesSness, the letter was
written. These, if they existed, were for the
Senator from Indiana 10 show. There may not
have existed, at the time the letter was writ
ten, that deliberate and wicked purpose essen
tial to the technical crime of treason. We
know not. We have the letter before u.s. II
aoas aorstten TO a traitor, and for traitor, and
to further a trcaSonaJLe end What more does
my colleague want The Senator on trial has
given Us no facts or mitigating circumstances
whatever. AS Juror, might even refuse on
the case, as it stands, to pronounce the YER
dict of guilty Of high treason. But when the
case is presented to me as Senator's the
Senator from Indiana a safe man to sit here
Is his loyalty and fidelity to the Government
justly obnoxious to strong and wellgrounded
impeachment? Can he be trusted to advise
the President, and to share in our delibera
tions, 10 this crisis OF public affairs To these
inquiries can have no doubt whatever. |
shall vote to expel the Senator from Indiana
from bis seat in the Senate.
What it is right to do in this case, the Sen
ate should do promptly and T eIrlesSly A tim
idity, bordering on cowardice, paralyzes the
arm of the Government. Treason stalks
l. " ,,,t 81, h,
character of the Senate, and our own self
respect we must give to the people an assur
ance that here at least, infdelity and disloyalty
meet with a speedy and condign punishment
Now, sir, it seems to me that | have stated
the whole case. | put the case upon the re-
cord and upon nothing else. place it upon
the Senator's letter of the lst of March.
take that letter and the circumstances of the
country at the time, the position of the Sena.
tor the position of the man to whom the let
ter was written, the position Of the man for
whom it was written, and the errand upon
which he went, and | say the facts are con
elusive and overwhelming against the Senator
from Indiana. There is no possible escape from
the conclusion. 1t is a legal maxim that a
man is responsible for the natural and neces-
sary consequences of his act. What did the
Senator do He commended cne traitor to
another, and the errand upon which he com
mended him was by the admission of all a
reasonable errand it was to give to him an
improved fire-arm. Can it be possible. as
asked before, that loyal Senator would do
this Sir, suppose your Commanding Gener-
al had written such letter, would there have
been any doubt as to his completely with the
traitors? The Senator from Indiena occu-
pies position in this Government as high and
responsible in many respects as the Command
ing General of your Army. Nay, sir, in dig
nifty of character he occupied position second
only to the President of the nation Suppose
be had written such letter, would you have
had any doubt as to his completely with the
traitors? Would you have had any doubt
that he had at least forgotten his duty to this
Government? Sir, an impeachment could have
rested on the letter and to day have serious
doubts as to what would be the result of the
trial of the Senator from Indiana before an
impartial jury.