The New York herald., 1862-11-04
speech o. Benja min Wood. or New York.
~a the state Of she Union, I'm the House
- Renrea nth taYea, Ma l6, le0Y.

0Df&Gh
~n the state OF the Union, i'm the House
- Represcmtasives, May Ie, 1863.
M us CaAwSas-I have hitherto avoided troubling this
pcass Content be listener, without any other par
tcra.sn in its proceedings than to oppose my solemn
Individual negative against measures which my con
science my principles would sprrcve, have said
nolhing Indeed Il have not had Tic heart 20 rise
here speak glance at this hall e Itself has been
enough TO prevent When look around and Sc oneihrd
on he Unon unrerresened here, AID hnd myself i'll
body pm porting branch Of the Congress The
United states really fact but fIsgmsntaIy part OF
A. my hearl sinks within II appears be
al body gathering Of the representatives OF sectional
party with ;hese feelings and with this spirit have
until now avoided participating In debate Besides sir,
during earlier period Of this had
compsnied the Efforts Of the federal felt that the
hour Of defeat rot fit which TO strive to
great soul OF the North thoughts OF peace
felt that something due the Of mortiaca-
ton, something TO the natural desire TO retrieve the
shame et discontinue hoped, toe, that when victory
should perch ulon banners others an myself would
seize tue occasion 20 urge plea III behs pesccaoie
measures government tsc feeling secure
and strong enough be magnanimoIs would rake the
lead and De the pioneer in opening path Tor The Settle
nent az cur difficulties without further recourse 10 blood
shed. hoped that the leaders oi tho now dominant
party by the distress which has visited
country would recnt from the stern rigor OF their doc
triue OF subugaison, and IN the hrsh Of triumph,
would ean little towards gentler policy than that
which they have heretofore chainponed with much
zai and With little forbearancc hoped ia vain. The
triunrh came 4 long OF has relieved the
Nor from !ls Humiliation. Tie government claims
TO stand a rock against which the tempest OF oppos-
lion musl waste itself In futile efforts The partisns Of
the ultra PARTY laugh 10 the idea that any
eectua resistance be offered the march
our triumphant armies and yet single effort has been
made 10 these Congressional halls stay the csion of
blood II has been left for powcriess ss am, to
sneak the r, concaiory word in behalf Of ny country
men. And do It, sir in the hore that others.
capable, VIII not be too much engrossed with the Inst OF
conquest aud the pride of victory TO fellow my example
nnn4 thaV.f al
wicked who, in the North, by their unweaIied
agitation Of abolition schemes, have stirred the embes of
this stri;c j IS an eternal reToach % them that through
defeat aad victory throughout every phase OF this
happy struggle with the groans of ,heir distressed and
tortured country smtug upon their ears, they have
chung, aud still cling with Implying pertinacity and
fer,oity, to the doctrine which has been the
germ Of al The mischief. With the first sxutiug
shouts Of federal victories they set up the
cchoing cry Of emancipation With all the
energy ot lanaticim, with all the subtle arts and in
trgus Of schcmng denlaggues wlih an tho appliances
of cunning, intellect and patronage at their command,
al hs evenful crisis. when every American brain
should be At work TO bring about fair ard honorable
psace they hgve 10 housnt no hope no duty but pro
papafc their creed, extending its influence into every
nook and o. the and and poisoning the atmosphere
these sacred halls with It's ntermnabe discussion
Openly in secret by the agency OF the press, the
pulpit and tie .ltica Iostrlm, the camp, the city
and in the open neld they spreading the conagon
they are inoculatns the country with this moral pes
hence which has already brought where are to the
very brink o. Tie OF nationality. Sir, to these
apostles Of atoionism viii be traced hereafter whatever
OF evil has beialen may befa our country They
building ssulchre with the bones OF their slaughtered
coun.rymcn. do believe there gen emen within my
visien now whose sworn purpose whose first desire,
paramount even to the preservation OF republican
ism, emancipation. They and their disciples
threw the apple Of dscord They first applied the
torch, and more busy than with throwing
fresh fuel the flame. Should history
which Cod iorbdthc record Of this country's ruin that
page will seem the s,rangest those read which
shall tel of The madness aud wckedness Of the arch ana
tics Of atoonsm. in the dark temple Of
isfamy the gloomest hes will bear inscription of
thor sir, counsel none bat moral interference
with The work OF these mischief makcrs / would not
have even
speech tor would |. IN any emergency, advocate the
" Of the press. let them seeds OF their nis
doctrine broadcast over the land Whatever may
be the dagger w III not snance the great danger o.
establishing dictator ship the thoughts of my le
low csunrynen. But il the abom'r able theme must be
brought the council chambers of the nation. for the
sake OF decency il OF justice let il be ut
ble time. II there remain one Union at the South
remember that he is here that the
subject slavery particularly him, ard that II
suugeperous and unjust, not cswardiy to take advan
tage OF his absence 70 push forward measures i'll
measures against which, he present, he
would give his earnest opposition. 1t viii
il il have not already done II will destroy the
hope of q reconstruction Of the Union friendly basis
Iill prove that the first idea Of the dominant party
the North is active and unwavering gonism slave
ry aud fixed purpose 70 egisae out Of the land at
sir we nngng away the last chances Of reconciliation
asreckessy madmen cast their treasures into the
The agitation OF the subject has been the country bane
at every period OF history It's discussion at this crisis
Is desperaeiei obstruction Is IL while the magazine is
beteath a2d about bursting with the
ruin that choose to sport with the flaming torch
oil the ncendiaryf Sir, until our beloved country shall
be savei, the word emancipation' shoald by ccminon
consent banished IRON the language Of debate
assembage IL Is spell which has wrought enough al
ready II dcsolat.on. is hcish formula OF incarnation
which has conured the Geni Of dscord and civil
and it never was so potent In is eyn tendency
now. when It is being passed, like the breath
of the plagre, from mouth mouth ia the council
chambers OF the country which il ruined II should
be spoken whisper and with prayer linked AZ
thing that brings a aud spreads pestience. l
vi
blessed Union OF fraterns States, when hear all
around me the utterance Of that rur-brecdipg word
emancipation, mingirg with the shouts OF battle, the
fierce hUzzas G triumph over fallen brothers, ard the
grcans Of our dying coun.rymeu Sir If in place OF
making the negro question n subject matter OF debate
this Congress would into solemn consiera.
ton souc eapeient for securing peace do believe that
success would crown efforts Ii they would enter
that task not with hearts embered and nteects
svayed Ly sectional antlpathes and mock phanhrophy
but with all their SOILS devoted that sacred pur
poscthe instruction Of the Union and redemption
from civil war IL they would DO this in the spirit Of
and kindly ieeng, Il is my conviction that before the
close Of th even session, the prelimnares Of
would bc arranged But while with the obsinacy Of blind
fanatic and hc Instinct OF brutal gladiator the rst OBJ
ject T. proaasae party crcei and csecond TO crush
prospect than at some distant period reached through
OF pood aud heaps OF carnage the forced submission
crushed anu devastated section and The equally
happy spectacle of government Triumphant, but ex
hsrsied by ITS triumph, detested by ncfy of those
soyeregues that gave IL birth, and gazing h horror
and upon the dcsolon it has wrought Sir, 1t
not my intention 10 vent reprcacis whore be-
them bcSt deserved have risen 10 enter
against the discussion in this chamber II ANY anti.
slavery scheme whatever at this crisis and TO offer an
earnest appea 70 this Congress that legislation shall EN-
brace every means o; securing immediate peace IT,
ategv r1nert clans, the Conlc crate cause Il hone
Is abe leaders of the secession np,vecu. csnnot be
ignorant the fact and, kn m IT, they III te nstu
rally inclined 10 lend willing ear 10 whatever proper
osertares this soyernmcnt may present At period
OF this struggle here must be negotiations; must be re-
s,rted TO- later why not oowS Is it bccasss
pride fotbs that sboad be the s to stretch the
sand conciliatioEg Heaven f9recnd that thousands
ot human lives and countryis welfare should depend
upon fase princpl Is because the South has no,
cen sufficiently puisshed, BUNDLED AM subded? Then
let confess that chastisement and vengeance the
objects this Is II because the snti-slavery
ncnt has not yet received sufficient impeusf n 60
tell u - the armies that have your victories. Make
abolition the cry Place a banner with that device