The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-30
speech of Mr.. valland,sham Of ohio.

Mr.. VALLANDIGHAMS speech on Ma
tional Affairs in the House of Represent
tatives on the 14th, has attracted much at
tention, and those who do not agree with
him, give him credit for one of the most
able speeches of the session. The follow
ing is synopsis of the speech as tele-
graphed to the New York papers: as.-
Mr.. Vallandigham briefly reviewed the
effort at compromise during the session of
1860 and 1861, the beginning of the war.
the scenes which followed, his own posi-
ton, and the failure of the war. He then
maintained that reunion was not only pos
sible, but inevitable, unless defeated by the
deliberate folly and wickedness of the
public men and the people. Arguing the
question at length from history, and cit
ing many examples, he insisted that phys
ical causes all tended to that event; that
there was no radical difference in the white
race to prevent it, that all the original
causes which led to Union, common de-
scent, consanguinity, language, measure
and laws of defence, interests and domes-
tic tranquility-all still existed in full
force; and some of them were much
stronger than at first; and, further, that
artificial causes had sprung up since !:
works of improvement multiplying travel,
trade, migration, and intercourse; also,
certain less material, but equally strong
ties; common history, national reputa-
ton, songs, common battle-felds. He also
maintained that the causes which led to
disuniOn were not external and ine-
radicable, and were weaker than those
which tended to reunion; that Slavery
was not the cause, but only the develop
ment of the cause of sectiOnalism; that
there is no irrepressible conflict between
slave labor and free labor, the slaye-hold-
ing and non-slave7holding States; that the
fundamental idea of the Constitution was
the perfect and eternal compatibility of
union OF States, part slave and part free,
and that such q union was, in fact, the
strongest OF all popular governments. He
commended that nothing kept us apart now
excepting hate, antagonisln, and revenge;
that the war heated these passions some
times hotter, and while it lasted reunion
could not commence. lie insisted that
the prejudices could be overcome, and ex-
planned the origin Of the jealousies be-
tween New England and the South, at
tributing them to difference of manners
and habits of social life. and their different
ideas Of religion, morals, and politics. He
rejected the idea of excluding New Eng
land, and insisted that there was 2 large
nOn-Puritan and conservative clement in
that section, which would Of itself over
come the narrow, extreme, and ianatical
Puritan element, the supremacy Of which
he declared to be incompatible with the
peace Of society and of the Union He
alluded ia Roger Williams as the founder
of a New England civilization different
from that OF the Maytiower and
Plymouth Rock. He next maintained
that New York, New Jersey, and Penn
sylvania could not separate from the
South, nor the South from the North,
and spoke OF the geographical ties which
bound them together. The Northwest
would not separate from the South. The
day which divided the slaveholding from
the non-slaveholding States would decree
the eternal divorce Of the East from the
West. There was no cause of controversy
excepting Slavery. The agitation of that
We must return to the old Constitution
and actual basis Of fifty years ago--the
three-fifths rule, the speedy and ready re-.
turn of fugitive slaves, no more agitation,
and the transit and temporary sojOurn of
masters with their slaves in the Free
States. This was the price of the Union,
and whoever was not willing to pay it
must finally declare for separation and dis
union. The South was interested Just as
much as we in reunion. Slavery, on the
old basis, was the way to reunion. lie
referred to the almost exact similarity of
the two constitutions, Federal and Confed-
crate, and to the impossibility of keeping
up two such Governments without ma
tional boundary. The only difficulty in
the way of reunion was the want OF the
will to reunite, and while the war
lasted that would never exist. If the
country were really tired of the war,
and thought the military experiment had
been tried long enough, and enough of blood
and treasure had been expended and misery
inflicted on both, he would then propose
this: Stop fighting: make an arlnistice, no
formal treaty; withdraw your army from
the SecCucu CldtcS IcuuC0 uOtu stIIIlicS W
fair and sufficient peace establishment;
declare absolute free trade between the
North and South; buy and sell agree up
on a Zollverein. Recall your fleets. Break
up your blockade. Restore travel. Open
up your railroads Re-establsh the te|e-
graphs. Re-unite your express compa-
MES. Make no more Monitors and IRON
clads, but set your friendly steamers and
steamships again in motion. Visit the
North and West. Visit the South. Elk.
change newspapers. Migrate. Intermar-
ry. Let slavery alone Held elections at
the appointed times Let us choose new
President in 1864. And when the Cos
pei of Peace shall have sounded again
from heaven into their hearts, and the Cos
pei of abolition and hate been expelled, let
your clergy and the churches meet again
in Christian intercourse, North and South.
Let secret orders and voluntary associa-
tons everywhere re-unite as brethren once
more. In short, give to all the natural
and all the artificial causes which impel us
together, their fullest sway. Let time do
its Office in drying tears, dispelling sor-
rows, mellowing passions, and making the