Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-09-13
Speech of Senator Browning, of
Illinois.

Illinois.
Senator Browning, of Illinois, is one of
the few Republicans in the present Con-
gress, who have been guided by the Con-
sttutiou. He and Mr.. Cowan, Of this
State. occupy similar positions. Mr..
Browning recently addressed large num-
Der of hi fellow citizens, in Quincy, Hi.
nois. the city u which he resides. The
HcraM furnishes the substance of his re
marks as follows:
"Mr. Browning explained his position
upon the coni-caton question, aud did it
to the satisfaction and approval of vast
majority Of those who heard him. 'He
said that Congress had no power to confs.
cate property, and that con6scation was a
humbug,' If the power Of con6scaton ex
listed anywhere, it existed in the President
by virtue Of his Office as Commander-in.
chief of our armies.
"The Constitution conferred no such
power upon Congress, and he had sworn
to support the Constitution. He coud d not
support the confscation bill and the Con.
s;tution, too; SO he supported the Consti
tuition, and opposed confscation. Upon
/ this question he stood with the President.
! he same was true upon the question Of
armiug the negroes. He was opposed to
arming them, and so was the President
'IIe was for the Union as it was, and the
Constitution as it is." In the utterance
of these truly patriotic sentiments, Mr.
Browning was loudly and enthusiastically
applauded.l
Mr, Browning denounced the Abolition
lists in unmcasured terms. He denounced
the Abolition leaders in the United States
Senate-named Sumner, Wilson, Wilmot,
and others "as-disloyal traitors to the
couytry-wild, deluded, crazy fanatics,
"who were bent upon the destruction Of the
Government lie had no sympathy with
them and had refused to cooperate with
them and should continue TO do so. He
had marked out his course, and shou d
pursue it 1t mattercd not that some oil
his old personal and political friends had
turned against hin--hc was for the Union
as it was and the Constitution as il is, and
upon that platform he intended to stand,
though every dollars worth Of property
that he owned in the world should be sac
rfced or destroyed.
He was interrupted by an Abolitionist
present, who charged him with having
gone over to the Democrats, Mr., Brown
ing responded that "he was ready to 20
lover to the Democrats" or to any other
party, or to act with patriotic men, tc
, whatever party they might belong. who
were for the Union and the Constitution
MIR. b then asked the brazen faced Abo-
liijonist if he would be willing to receive
the South back into the Union with al
their Constitutional rights, if the reben
would lay down their arms tomorrow
As might be expected, the crazy fanatic
replied "no-he would not H'-he woulC
not be willing to receive the South bacl
unless they would first abolish slavery
0 Mr.. Browning said, that was just as b
: supposed these Ahoitionsts were no
, in favor of the Union and the Constitution
but would sacrifice both, and bury the lib
critics OF the people beyond the hopes o
t resurrection. if they could not acco
f plish their wicked aud traiorou> designs.
= Another Aho,i ion fanatic wanted t.
know If Mr. B. whether he would vote il
favor of emancipgtiug the slaves if he be
lieved such emancipation Wou d put an en-
t t. the war, mo, Sir said Mr.. B,, :"
1 would not give such ;ote, because | hav
] sworn to support the Constitution unde
, that Constitution we have no power t
:, omancipate slaves At this point, tn
Rev. Mr.. King, who was in the audience
= was heard TO say, Mr.. Browning is
C traitor to bis country" Mr. b did nc
@ probably hear the rem ark, as he did nc
condcscend to notice it.
Mr.. b. commented at considerable lengt
) upon the course of certain Abolition jour
c nails, that have devoted much OF their tin
and space to dcnunciations of our Gener
# ais in the field and so little Of their spaC
to denuuciations of the rebel commander
He did not believe them to be loyal, an
: if they take an oath to support the Gov
IS ernment he would not believe their oath.
C In regard to the war, he was for its VII
IS orous, energetic and successful prosecution
He told his Republican friends that "thC
could not hope to bring the war to a sue
u cessful issue if they made it war for IL
: negro" The Democrats, he said, won
rs not cooperate in a war Of that sort b
d confnc it to its legitimate, rightful objec
:, ''let il continue to be, as it has been fro
u the beginning, a war for the Constitute
1t and the Union, and the democrats wou
e work and fight shoulder to shoulder wit
n; the Republicans indeed, all the patriot
l. of whatever party, would work together