The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-04-30

We have just risen from the perusal of the
speech Of Hon. Jacob n. Howard, delivered in
the Senate Of the United States, OF the 18th
day Of April instant, upon the bill of Judge
Trumbull, to con6acate the property, and frse
the slaves of rebels. It il truly the produetion
of master mind. In this speech, Mr.. Howard,
to our mind, sxhausts the subject, and leaves
nothing more 70 be said, for or against, either
the power, or the propriety, Of con6scasing the
property, real and personal, Of rebels. He con.
sidsrs the subject in al it, besriDgs-
He 6rst takes up the practice of the nations
of the earth, and shows that they have from the
earliest period, down TO modern times, exercised
the power ~ . war measure. He next examiner
the constitutional question, and proves, that a.
though it il not among the express provisions Of
the Constitution, it is - decided BY the courts,
necessary TO carry out the powers therein ex.
pressed, and lastly, he considers the sxpedisncy
of the measure in putting down the rebellion,
and here Nr. Howard is unapproachable, hil
logic Is overwhelming. This speech added to
bis growing popularity as q statesman aud an
orator. and will place Jacob NJ. Howard in the
very front rank Of the great men Of the nation.
A ito great length forbids its publication en-
tire, in our columns this week, We content our
selves for the present with the publication Of
the following closing paragraph Of this speech.
Next week We will sndeavor to give our readers
the speech entire:
"NO, sir, the friends Of this measure do not
disguise the fact that one Of its objects 10 pun.
ishmept punishment of the most wonton crime
over committed since be who took the thirty
pieces Of silver betrayed his Lord and Maste.
Sir, We all love our country and revere the mem.
DRY Of our ancestors But by that love, by tina,
memory, by the hitherto well grounded hope
that this unsceptered empire" shall be the
praise and glory Of the nations, by my love Of
justice and my hatred of crime, shudder At the
thought of letting this great ofense pass with
out punishment. Throughout the world the
friends of liberty and beni6cent laws will not
thank rs for it. Our own countrynen will loud.
y accuse ~ of an omission which in itself, il
not criminal, is unnatural and dangerous to their
future peace. Sir, pass this con6scation, with
proper determinations. Let its blghting breath
fall upon the ringleaders who have betrayed the
weak and the unwary, whose poisoned words
have frenzied their neighbors, and whose cruel
arms have spread desolation where peace and
friendship once reigned under the old flag. Car
ry it into the border States, into Missouri, Ken.
lucky, Tennessee and Virginia; carry it to the
half burnt cabin where the Union father, the
Union mother, and the Union daughters, strug.
Cling amidst the ruins Of a once happy home are
weeping over the fate of sons and brothers who
have fallen in dreadful combat with marauding
traitors; read it to them while in their anguish,
and you will change their tears Of mourning into
tears Of joy. You will bring them An assurance
that their Government 10 still mindful of them,
ID still their protector and avenger; that it is
mighty in it, power and its justice, and that
while it ever prefers to be beni6cent rather than
severe, it does not forget the necessity of q
righteous retribution, or that its eagles bear the
arrows Of punishment as we'll As the shield Of
protection"
The Washington correspondent of the Boston
Journal says of this speech:
"Every one excepting few who sympathize
with secessionists, is complimenting the speech
made in the Senate on Friday afternoon, by
Mr.. Howard of Michigan. 1t was sound,
clear, logical argument in favor Of ajudicious
and judicial system of con6scation, with proper
Determinations. He asked that its blighting
breath might fall upon the ringleaders who
have betrayed the weak and the unwary, whose
poisoned words have frenzied their neighbors,
and whose cruel arms have spread desolation
where peace and friendship once reigned under
the old flag"