, 1862-01-17
Tbt Ttihttte.
STARTLING TRUTHS
WAR ON PEACE PRINCIPLES,

STARTLING TRUTHS
WAR ON PEACE PRINCIPLES.
NATIONAL BANKRUPTCY At HAND.
4 Speech By the Hon. ". D. Kelley Of
.ht1adeiphtas nP In me United States
1S62.
Mn. CHAIRMAN: The gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. Vallandigham) seems to be eager for
war with England. Sir, var is IS dire
calamity as can befall q people. 1t is the most
expensive game at which kings can play, the
most destructive pursuit in which a people
both cnds affords but an imperfect Illustration
Of the wastefulness. Of war. What is it's
object9 The exhibition and skillful exercise
Of overwhelming power. What its means?
The ultimate use Of the latest and highest in
rentions Of man for the destruction Of prop
crtF and life. It takes from the belligerent
community its productive power, Its energy,
its enterprise. It appeals to the men of the
country from l8. to II to quit their peace
full pursuits, to abandon the hopes Of life
Of destruction Having withdrawn. the vital
power from the community, it taxes its accu-
mulatcd wealth to feed, clothe, arm, and trans
port those who in peace were the source Of its
increasing wealth and prosperity. We have
war on hand. We have, says ono gentleman,
We begin to know something Of what war
mcan6-not much near our distant homes-
here and there neW-made grave in the church
yard, here and there vacant seat at the
hcartbsidc and anxious hearts in every home;
but as yet few Of the dircst evidences Of
the existence Of a state Of war. We see
it in the deserted mansions Of the great
city. We note it in the silence prevailing
where re were wont to hear the ring Of
the anvil and the hum Of the spindle.
We find j. in our commercial, our mAnllfac-
| turing, our business relations. But as ret we
have felt it in its last terrible results but slight
u. War, Sir, terrible as it is, has its laws. It
is also said to have its amenities; and believe
it has, though the foe with which we arc now
engaged has found no opportunity to illustrate
them. It is said on this floor by the gentle
nun from Ohio (1fr. Vallandigham,) that the
settlement Of the Trent case will invite war or
| insult from England l think that England
| would, for reasons Of State policy, like very
| time-not the English people, but the govern
ing classes Of England. And, Sir, I think our
own course Of action-or, to speak more pre-
| cisely, Of 1naction- Invites them to declare
to-day invites war from any Power that
feels disposed to make its own terms with
| armed impotence. Look at it, Sir. The city
| is surrounded with newly-made eaTthworks,
scientifically planned and well constructed
well manned and supplied with approved
I would hold this capital against any force that
can be brought against it. It is environcd
within a narrow circuit by 200, 900 men in arms.
! And yet, sir, the short river which leads to
this capital Of great and proud country, thus
defended and encireled by patriot troops, is
so thoroughly blockaded by rebels that the
Government, though its army has not an ad-
eQpltc supply Of forage, cannot bring upon
it peck OF oats to feed a hungry horse. Is
not this sight which jealous nations mag
may deducc i want Of spirit, courage, military
capacity-al1 it what you please: It is 4
| sight at which men may well wonder, and
| which The gods must pity! We have COZ, ,00G
men in the field. We have spent, I know moi
how many hundred millions Of dollars; and
determined war or military skill havc we ex
hibited to foreign nations or our OWL people
Why, sir, We are carrying on war on peace
| principles. We have been engaged in it fol
nine months; and if the Government Of Eng
land will infer from the conduct OF this Wal
what our treatment Of her would be in tht
event OF war, she will conclude that il sht
were to pull her troops into Canada the Amer
lean Government would plant an army Of :
quarter Of a million Of men on the American
be to prevent Canadians from dcserting ths
, | English standard, and periling their lives il
| the cause Of constitutional republlcanism
| Our army docs not seem to be engaged in war
Our mcl, it is true, are liable to be murdered
when serving as plckets, They are liable to b.
, slaughtered, as my townsmen were at Bali
| Bluff. They are liable to encounter masket
| batteries, served by concealed foes. But the
are 7sot led 10 aaAs4e they might hurt anybody
Their tuSiaess Sums to be to 91zgent dcsertio;
in the eneny's lines from quitting their worl
at digging the enemy's trenches, or bearin!
the enemy arms, or serving tlie enemy in an
other manner prejudicial to our cause. Sir
this is q I'ejudicial truth. Bat more tha
! this, when it is necessary to invade Il small
from the dread necessity, and apologize s
= uhjcctly for coming, that VIC fail to rc5ar
the truth in expressing the pain w
feel. When it was necessary to plant Il sma]
. force On the soil Of South Carolina, the cor
nander to whom the expedition was confdc
hpmbly apologized for having Invaded the So
= Of q sovereign Statc-thc ready answer to Iii
proclamation being, Well, if it be i SOW
reign State, what the deuce has brought 70
lcTcs" Logic could furnish no more respo1
sivc or conclusive answer. Our generals lnut
" learn that these arc not the piping times {
| peace, and throw something Of the yigor
u war into their doings. England may not r,
spect international law, but she docs respet
power. Let her hear by the next west wind Il
r booming Of cannon and the rattle Of muskctr.
Let her hear the shouts Of 4 victorious arm
Nay, sir, if need be, let the groans
z the dying, and the walling and 1amentatio1
Il Of the bercayed 60 mingling with the shou
of the yietoTs, and England and the Powers
the Continent will pause with bated breatl
: Let the power Of our army be put forth in Il
o contest in which NC arc now engaged, and y
shall have no trouble with foreign nation
s. But SO long as our army is used, as it now
as a mere baud Of armed police to prevent Il
laborers Of the rebels and the disatfected me
| of their nnnnfrr fr0Yn tEn4Hfnr and aprv,iy
IL US, to secure the enemy plenty Of men to d
~ their trenches and perform their 1abol
so long, I say, as VIC employ COCO
armed men to secure to the rebels the labo
z next year, nations will insult and deride u
il. and We will be in danger Of foreign war 81
De 1t was said yesterday that the last day b:
q e come. 1t vas not on this subject: But Il
heart has been sad for days past, for ha'
Thought that the last day Of our dear count
was rapidly approaching. Before we ha
- achieved Victory We hare reached bankruI
CT. We are to-day flooding the country wi
an irredecn,nblc currency. In ninety da,
with the patriotism Of tho people paralyz
tractisg channels Of circulation will be gorg
with tliis medium, and tile funded debt Of t
country Will depreciate with rapid
that will startle Us. In ninety days nc
Of this mailed, armed, encamped, a
| 'eA'o HttI3 w A~NA3 W sASoAAAN+ AA4 essJ
to us, "You have no more right to shut
the cotton fields Of the world by d vain q
fruitlcss endeavor to rcconquer the terTito
now in rebellion, than China and Japan Ii
to wall themselves in.'' And in the eyes
international law, and in the eyes Of the wor
and fear in the eyes ofimpartial history, t.
they will stand justified in breaking our blot
ade, in giving to the rebels means and 1nu
=. tions Of var, and accomplishing what Et
5! land desired when, with boastful hypocri
she added go 0,o00, 600 sterling to her
national debt In order to lodge +
bl0ck communities near to us, and to exc
~ agitation in our midst In 30 days-for, sir,
me say here that already complaints come,
. from the men, for they seem willing to T
ne form any duty for their country, but from Q
Of 81; Gers, in the ncighborhood Of the Charlest
e4a e9a and Savannah railroad that their men arc
sed, gagged in digging trenches and performing
- drudgery uf unskilled laborers, willie OF
i4 ~ men Of darker complexion are roaming
. lcss1y about unemployed, though anxious
- give such proof Of their devotion to our cat
We must Iearn that one of the first law
war REQUIRES = beIligervnt to cut of I'LL the