The Richmond palladium., 1862-02-08

votaries in this high Senate Chamber on tn
4lh OF March? 1t not. suppose they die
not oppose that As one OF the coerci se meas
ures ot the Government
After the inauguration OF the rebel gov
ernment; after the appointment of lis cabi
net officers: alter they bleaguered the CITY
OF Charleston. and seized and plunderet
your public property all over the Southern
States, the President issued his proclama
ton calling forth seventy five thousand o
the volunteer militia of the United States
That was another measure Of ..coercfvt
policy" Do gentlemen oppose that Have
they opposed il? If so, follow out that OPP
position to its legitimate conclusions. and
what does it result in? That you would
have ben driven long ere this time from
the seats you now ocrupy here.
The increase of the Army was another
measure of .'coercive policy" the procla
nation for two hundred thousand volun-
teers was another measure of ..coercive
pohcy; the in arceraiion of rebels and
traitors in the public prisons was another
measure Of ike character; the Suspension
OF the writ of h0beas corpus was another
measure Of "coercive policy" to all of
which measures my distinguished colleague
interposes his opposition unfsltering,
persistent. and determined opposition
But, Mr.. President. these coerciye meas.
ures OF the Administration have still wider
scope. Every single dollar voted by way
OF taxes Is a coercive mca sure of the Ai-
mlnistration for without taxes YOU cannot
maintain your armies. and feed and clothe
and march them. Then every act of taxa
ton is one of the coercive measures OF this
Administration: and surely in state Of war
I fba nf
only measure Of coercive policy, but is
indispensable to the pros &c ltion of this war.
L know that gentlemen seek to create
preindce against this war by crying out
"hard times and high taxes" seek 10 in
ausurate counter revolution by appeal
ing to the most ignoble and detestable mo-
uves that can ever control human action
Your fathers had hard times and high taxes
for seven years during the Revolution, aud
to that cause you owe your right ID sit here
now In high council and deberation. |
know not how it NAV be with other Sens-
tors. but for myself am in favor of every
single measure OF cparcion lopted by the
Administration. | will vote the last dollar
In tax 8, the last l,er that nav b. rah.d
for; nay. more. | will prosecute this war AZ
any and all hszz,rds. ever thou h 1t shonH
resnl, in the bankruptcy nf every inlivii-
usl aad corporation IN N, Union. [ would
give the very garments OF my shoulders to
prosecute the war; nav. M pre- | woulI die
pauper, and be buried By public charity,
rather than sutf-r the war to fail for want
OF taxes Applause in the galleries
The 'ICE PRESIDENT. The Ser
geast alarms will clear ,hr-r.riIerv- TO The
right OF the Chair. and debate will be sus-
pc ded until that order is carried into exc
cutiou.
The Sergeat- at Arms cleared the western
and North western galleries
Mr. LANE, of In LANA. Mr. President.
no one regrets more than | do the Interrupt
ton that has just taken place in violation
OF the decorum Of III. Senate | may nar-
haps have been BETRAYED into a warmth un.
becoming the occa>ion but l hope it will
be attributed only to my desire to advance
the great interests of our common ceuut-v,
and not to a desire to appeal t. Outsiders
who have no right to decide the grave ques-
ton upon which We are now debera ing
was cndeavorlny to show that every
tax bill of the last session and the present
session OF Congress was directly in its in
tent meaning, and spirit, part aud parcel
OF tn c 'ercive measures of the present all
mnistration. | suppose the assembling of
y'ur ropps to defend the capital is another
at OF coercion upon the part of the Gen
ersl Government What would gentlemen
have? Would tkey oppose that ACT of CO.
ercion? II is surely embraced in the scope (
of the second letter of my dislin ushed |
colleague. We are told thai We may not |
invade State, a sovereign State In order |
to defend the capital at Washington it is
necessary to take possession of Arlington
Heights and Alexandra. TO march yonr
armies into Virginia TO defend the capital
That, according to the logic Of gentlemen.
is an act of coercion; but could it have been
Could the President have re
fused, in the exercise of his high power. TO
defend the capital where the Government
was administered? If be could not, then
surely there is one act of coercion which
my colleague would not oppose. and which i
be has not opposed suppose the sailing
of your coast fleet to Hstteras Inlet was An
act of coercion. l suppose that the expe-
dition to Besuf5rt, under Dupont and Sher-
man. was another of the coercive measures
Of the presen, Administration. /, has be.
come SO fashionable to oppose the doctrine
Of coercion, that it seems a, times there is
danger of this fatal heresy seizins upon of.
6cers high in command in your Army, and
P paral zng the upraised arm Of this great
uoAsou ACoAy w SiiiAS IcOcfilbI.
The expedition to South Carolina was
one OF the coercIve measures of the Ad
and it was a measure called
Ior by the exigencies of the times and by
the situation of the country. and l only re-
gret that it has no; done more to punish
traitors aud crush rebellion. l only regret
that that expedition has not long ere this i
left Charleston heap Of sfnoudering ru-
n--the only ht mon ument for her trsas
cen lent folly aud enormous crime That ,
would have been an act Of coercion that
would have met my hearty cooperation and |
support.
81 Of the other coastwise expeditions: ,
hey are ae,s OF coercion. The staGioniny .
IF your troops upon the Potomac river is an /
,et Of coercion tba, gentlemen oppose
W bile they are opp sing these ac.s of coer- !
,ion. why Go they Mt tell Us about coer-
ion upon the other sidee Why do they :
81 tat,zluf The twf, buu tbo..u.xa :