St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-07-10

!: |:,ll \. q qHURSDA' I. ry]F' IS
and beefore the Constitution Of 1889 had
been mdtilated BY the servile Democracy
fof a latet geheratioh. >'''''" <!'''''1 .'''
Mr. Speaker, this olamor for the Unien
as it. was comes; from men who believe in
the divinity Of slavery. 1T comes from
those who would restore slavery in this
District # they dared who would put
back the chains upon every slave made
free by our Army; who would completely
re-establieh the slave power over the ma
tional Government as, in the evil days of
the past, which have eliminated at last
in the present bloody strife, and who are
now exhortings us to "leave off agitating
the negro question, and attend to the work
Of putting down the rebellion" Sir, the
people Of the loyal States understand this
question. They know that slavery lies at
the bottom Of all our troubles. They know
that but for this curse this horrid, revolt
against liberty and law would not have oc-
CURED. They know that all tho unutter-
able agonies of our many battle-felds, all
the terrible sorrows which rend so many
thousands Of loving hearts; all the ravagcs
and desolation Of this stupendous conflict
are to be, charged to slavery. They know
that its barbarism has moulded the leaders
Of this rebellion into the most atrocious
scoundrels Of the nineteenth century, or
Of any other century or age Of the world.
They know that it gives arsenic to our SOL
diers, mocks at the, agonies of wounded
enemies. fires on defenceless women and
children, plants torpedoes and Internal ma
chimes in-its path, boils the dead bodies Of
our soldiers in cauldrons, So that it may
make drinking cups of their skulls, spurs
Of their jaw bones, and finger joints as
holiday presents for "tbe first families of
Virginia. and the descendants Of The
daug ghter of Pocahontas." They know
that it; has originated whole broods.: of
crimes meyer enacted in all the ages of the
past, and that were it possible, Satan him
! self wotld now be ashamed Of his achieve
ments, and seek change of occupation.
They ksdw that it hatches into lite, under
its Internal incubation, the very scum of
all the villainies and denominations that
ever defled God or cursed his footstool.-
| And they know that it is just as impossi-
BILE for them to pass throng gh the fiery tri-
ais Of this war without feeling that slavery
is their grand antagonist, as it is for a man
to hold his breath and live. ~,
Sir, the loyal people Of these States will
not only think about slavery, and talk
about 1t, during the progress of this war,
but they will seek earnestly. to use the
present opportunity to get rid of it forev-
er. Nothing can possibly sanctify the
trials and sutferings through which We
are called to pass but the permanent es-
tablishment Of liberty and peace. Ifthis
is not wal if ideas, it is not a war to be
defended. AS mere struggle of politi.
cal power between opposing States, or a
mere question of physical strens tn or cour-
age, it becomes inpious in the light OF its
horrid baptism of fire and blood It would
rank with the senseless and purposeless
wars between the despotism of the Old
World, bringing with it nothing of good
for freedom or the race. What I said on
this floor in January last, I repeat here
now, that the mere suppression of this
rebellion will be an empty mockery of our
suferings and sacrifices, ifslavery shall be
spared to canker the heart of the natiou
anew, and reseat its diabolical deeds. SIR
the people of tile United States, and the
armies Of the United States, are not the
unreasoning machines of abitrary power
but the intelligent champions of free insti.
tutions, voluntarily espousing the side OF
the Union upon principle. They know,
as does the civilized world, that the rebels
are fig hting to diffuse and cternizc slavery
and that that purpose must be met by man.
ly and conscientious resistance. They feel
''Thriceis be armed who hath his quarrel just >
and that nothing can 'Fennoble fight" but
"noble cause" Mr.. Speaker, I cal. con.
ceive of nothing more monstrously absurd
or more Aagrantly recreant that the idea
Of conducting this war against slavehol.
der's rebellion as if slavery had not exis.
,tence. The madness of such a policy
strikes me as next to infinite. Here are
more than Of million of men called into
deadly strife by the struggle Of this black
power to diffuse itself over the continent
and strike down the cause of free govern.
ment everywhere, deluging these other.
wise happy States with suffering and death
without parallel in the history of the
world; and yet so far has this power per.
verted the judgment and debauched the
conscience of the country, that we are
seriously. exhorted to make still greater
sacrifices, in order to placate its spirit aud
spareits life. thank God that such q