Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-01-28
speech OF Tbad. stevens, of Pennsyi-
vania--An Appeal for the liberation
of the SInvcs--A Dictator Rccom-
tnenAeA.


mcnded.
AZ the close of the debate on the financial
bill before the House of Congress last Wcdnes.
day. Than. SrivENs. of Pennsylvania, made
a speech, from which We make the following
extract:
How. then, and when. will this war endl In
other words. how can the South ho wholly ex-
haustedt IL will not cnd until the Government
shall more fully comprehend the magnitude Of
the crisis. IN which one party the other must be
reduced to hopeless icehleness, and the power of
future efforts shall be utterly annhated. This
il a SAD but true alternative. The South can
never be reduced 90 that condition so long rs this
war is prosecuted on it, present prineiples--so
long rs they are left the means OF eutivating
their fields through forced labor You may ex.
pend the blood OF tens of thousands of free men
aud billions of money year after year without be
ing any nearer the end, unless YOU reach IL by
your own submission Their domestic nstitu-
tions give them great advantages in war. They
know that. and no not withdraw single hand
from the cultivation of their soil. Their white
men can be spared for the army, old and infrm
can oversee the slaves and all their industrial
pursuits can go ON uninterrupted. Although the
black man never lit weapon, he Is really the
mainstay of the war
To end the war successfully and promptly
Universal emancipation must be proclaimed.
Then would this war cease in six months. IL
could not I've maintained. even ii the liberated
slaves should not lit their hand agalnat their
masters. Their fields would no longer produce
the means by which they sustain the war. and
unconditional submission would be the iinmedi-
ate and necessary result. Which is most 10 he
ahhorred, rebellion of slaves fighting for their
liberty, or a rebellion of freemen fighting to muir
a . 10 - hot III
stitution does not authorize Congress to interfere
with slavery in the States. That is true, so long
as the Constitution and the laws are supreme, rs
in times of peace. But when the Constitution Is
repudiated and set at defiance by rebels too pow
eriu TO be put down by peaceful means. the Con
stitutiOn grants supplementary power which il
was impossible 10 define. The Constitution saws
that "the President shall take care that the laws
shall be faithfully executed and that creates
him for the time of emergency as much a dicta-
tor rs a decree of the Roman Senate. whose die
tatOrs exercised all proper power necessary for
the public safety, whether the means were in
scribed on their tables or not This power of
course, ought to be limited. and ought to exist
only until Congress could be convened.
This power I would willingly confer rather
than the nation should perish Rather than see
the nation dishonored 10y compromise, concession
or su5mssion--rather than the nation dis
honored, or see one star stricken from its banner
| would confer that power now. Oh for six
months resurrection i'm the flesh of stern Old
jackson. He, in this crisis would abolish slavery
the tower and support of this insurrection He
would arm the free people Of color. as he did NJ
! New Orleans He would march into the heart
of slavedom not to pick cotton and open the
ports for trade, but to put weapons in every free
mans hands. He would end the war by whole
/ some hanging of the leaders. In three months
/ with 100, 600 soldiers he would put down the re
/ bellion. The necessity of dictatorship Is evi
dent 10 snatch the nation from the Jaws of death
May this necessity never again arise, for IL IS as
+ fearful as the instruction OF JEFF. Davis and
Beauregard. The one is the greatest for good,
+ the other for mischief The power is given 10
suppress the rebellion hence also the power of
/ emancipation, even If the Constitution were
silent on THIS power and IL became necessary for
the safety OF the people. The first law of nature
would give il. IL would be asked, why liberate
the slaves of all instead OF combining il TO
those of rebels onyg There would tie great
difficulty IN executing such law. Perjury,
fraud and falsehoOd would screen half the
guilty. Our object should be no; only TO
end this terrible war, but to prevent it, re-
currence Slavery is the cause of it. Hatch up
compromise now, and leave this germ of evil
behind and il will soon again Overfun the Ell
tire South. Even if YOU freed three fourths of
the slaves YOU would have expended countless
treasures and untold lives in vain. | would do no
Injustice To loyal men. and though not recoSui-
zns the right of one man TO hold another a
mere property would treat loyal shareholders
fairly 10y pedgisg the faith of the nation for their
compensation The war is now costing at the
rate of FIVE hundred millions year. Deduct the
price of the price of the slaves in the border
States from one years expense of the war, and
il would show a balance in favor of emancipation
OF four hundred and forty millions. Manumit
the slaves and the war would end in six months.
Leave them TO the rebels. and doubt If six wears
viii end IL. Six wears with slavery, and debt of
two billions All nations have used emancipa-
tion a legitimate of warfare. Hanni-
bal liberated the slaves of Rome, and used them
against their masters When Virginia rebelled
against England, Lord Dunmore issued a procla-
nation offering freedom 10 those slaves belong
ing To rebel masters who should join the troops at
Yorktown. MANY hundred Joined him and tey
fought brayely ManumiSSiou would he mercitul,
while at the same time admit IL 10 be the most
terrible weapon in armory.'