The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1862-06-25
SPEECH or THE
HON. JOHN Law. or INDIANA,

~&S~s' SVAA<S 4R w. ~ AMMAN ~
n THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, MA,
23d. 1862.
Nh. SPfAxER:I l intended 70 have remain.
ed q silent spectator Of The contest which
hsA been going on in the House, for nearly
a week, between the supporters and op.
ponen,s Of the bills No. All and 472, pre-.
scented BY the Chairman from The Select
Committee on Con6scstion. The first: "A
bill TO conhscste the property Of rebels fo'
the payment Of the expenses Of the present
rebellion, and for other purposes" The
second: ITO free from servitude the slaves
Of rebels engaged in. or sbei,ing rebellion
against the Government OF the United
States" But the consequences OF these
appear 10 me so momenlous. the result oI
them Of such importance 10 the future In.
terests OF the county that could not well
ave id taking a part in the debate. knowing
as 1 do, that large msjoriiy Of my tonstii-
uents, when acquainted with the scope and
extent OF these proceedings. will seree with
me, both as TO ,:.eir unconstitutionaiity and
their policy. shall. however, in discussing
them, conhne myself strictly 10 the Sub.
liect mattersi in debate, avoiding other sub.
ec,s upon witch | may hereafter address
fbe House.
L The difference between q civil war and .
soreign one 10, that in The former you are Al
war only with those in rebellion. In the
latter oil people OF one nation are a. ~sl
with those Of the other. There is no dis
elimination as in war between ourselves
One-haif Of the people 10 the seeded States
for aught We know. are loyal, even those
forced in.o the field against their own wishes
and who must either fgh: or be Imprisoned
ought not 10 suffer the penalties Of those
who voluntarily enlist. Reason and human
|iy teaches this. and the proposition was
sustained by Justice Nelson in our Supreme
Court, in the clause quoted BY the gentle
nan from Massachusetts in his admirable
and logca. speech on the question Of "ihs
relation OF the seeded States TO the Union. 7
You may fail to protect your loyal subjects
but you cannot condemn them You can
no. confscate their property. Iiyou can. the
gov ernment Of Nero and Caligula was not
worse then your own. The plea which
ssys .military necessity" authorizes the
Icon6scaiion Of all property found within
the borders Of those States, whether Of loya
or rebel men, even though the former may
have been forced into the rebellion by So
perior iorce, il tyran's act. and will re-
lceive. as il will merit, the concentration o.
every Just and honorable man. Yet, the
bin before the House makes no distinction
IN the matter. That one instrument which
10 ". 10 .guide by day and and pillar Of
tire by night" must be preserved 20 al ~
par,s: a violation Of one leads TO . violation
cf ali. We mus. construe il as our fathers
construed II, as The highest tribunal Of The
country has construed il. 1t 10 plain and
simple. the "wsy-iaring man" can under
stand il as well as the greatest jurist. u he
has q know ledge OF its terms. For upwards
of seventy yesrs il has been tried 10 The
crucible OF statesmen and jurists. and. "like
refined gold, Il has come out purer and
brighter, as every experiment has been
made in explaining its terms and language
Like the works Of all finite beings, i ma,
be defective, but every year OF our progress
proves that the more difficult Our relations
The more CON nplica,ed Or affairs as . nation
the only sure test OF our action. and ss wis
dom is best manifested BY our adherence e
those rules which our fathers laid down 70
our government ia the richest legacy the!
ever bestowed on their children.
What is the end which we seek 10 accom-
plish when this unhappy contest is brough
10 close! There are but two answers
this question. The first 10 division, 40 Abra
ham said to Lot, "let there be no strife,
pray thee, between thee and me. and m.
herdsmsn and thy herdsman, for We be breth
ren.
.Is not the whole land before thee; sep
erste thyself, I pray thee. from me. Il tho
will take the left hand. then will 60 % III
right, OF II thou depart 10 the right hand,
will 20 70 the left" and judging from th