The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-02-04
HIS VIEWS OF THE CRISIS.
His Proposed Remedy.
HE DEMANDS THE STOPPAGE OF
800 THE WAR. aa
HIS idea of the Relations of the States.

/
HIS idea of the Relations of the States.
From the Washington Congressional
Globe of the 18th of January. eG)
Mr.. VALLANDIGHAM-Indo at the
recent election within the same district for
which [ still hold seat on this floor, by
a majority four times greater than ever
before, speak to-day in the name and by
the authority of the people who, for six
years, have intrusted me with the Office Of
La Representative. Loyal, in the true and
highest sense of the word, to the Consti-
tution and the Union, they have proved
themselves devotedly attached to and wor-
thy of the liberties to secure which the
Union and the Constitution were estab-
lished. With candor and freedom, there
fore, as their Representative, and with
much plainness of speech, but with the
dignity and decency due to this presence,
Tpropose to consider the state of the
Union to-day, and to inquire what the
duty is of every public man and every
citizen in this the very crisis of the Great
Revolution.
1t is now two years, sir, since Con-
gress assembled soon after the Presiden-
tial election, A sectional anti-slavery
party had just succeeded through the
forms of the Constitution. For the first
time a President had been chosen upon
platform of avowed hostility to an insti-
tuition peculiar to nearly half Of the
States of the Union, and had himself pro-
l. L 4 Al 10
conflict because of that institution be-
tween the States; and that the Union
could not endure s'part slave and part
free" Congress met, therefore, in the
midst of the profoundest agitation, not
here only butthroughout the entire South.
| Revolution glared upon us. Repeated
efforts for cenciliation and compromise
were attempted in Congress and out of it.
!, ,All were rejected by the party just coming
into power, except only the promise in the
Hast hour of the session, and that, too,
against the consent of majority OF that
/ party. both in the Senate and House, that
/ Congress NOT the Executive = should
never be authorized to abolish or inter
.fere with slavery in the States where il
existed. South Carolina seeded; Geor,
/ gia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louis
lana and Texas speedily followed. The
/ Confederate Government was established
4 The other slave States held back. Vir
q ginia demanded Peace Congress. The
II met, and, after some time
agreed upon terms of final adjustment
But neither in the Senate nor the Hous
were they allowed even a respectful con
sideration. The President elect left hi
home in February, and journeyed towar'
!, this capital, jesting as he came; proclaim
ing that the crisis was only artificial, an
,at snobody was hurt" He entered thi
/ city under cover OF night and in disguise
o On the 4th of March he was inaugurated
surrounded by soldiery; and. swearing t
: support the Constitution of the Unite
States, announced in the same breath tha
the platform of his party should be tn
: law unto him. From that moment a
hope Of peaceable adjustment fed. Br
for a little while, either with unsteadfas
sincerity, or in premeditated deceit, th
, policy Of peace was proclaimed, even
o the evacuation of Sumter and the othe
Federal forts and arscnals in the secede
States. Why that policy was suddenl
u,
But just after the spring elections, an
the secret meeting in this city of the Go
= ernors of several Northern and Westel
States, a feet of-vcssels, carrying
men. was sent down ostensibly to provisit
Fort Sumter. The authorities of Sout
Carolina eagerly accepted the challeng
and bombarded the fort into surrende
while the feet fred not a gun, but, ju
as soon as the flag was struck, bore awi
=, and returned to the North. 1t was Su
Of day. the 14th of April, 1861: and tn
day the President, in fatal haste and wit
rs out the advice or consent of Congre'
e issued his proclamation, dated the ne
& day, calling out seventy theusa
militia for three months; to repossess t
forts, places and property seized from t
@ United States, and commanding the inst
". gents to disperse in twenty days. Agi
~ the gage was taken'u by the South, a
thus the flames of civil war, the graz
est. the bloodiest and saddest in histo
lighted up the whole heavens. Virgin
Forthwith seeded. North Carolina, TX
W, ness ee and Arkansas followed. Delawa
" MARYLAND, Kentucky and Missouri W
in a blaze of agitation, and, within WI
from the proclamation, the line OF
Confederate States was transferred TT
- the Cotton States to the Potomac, and
om most to the Ohio and the Missouri,
irst their population and fighting men doubl
last In the North and West, too, the stc
ragged with the fury Of a hurricane. n
= er in history was any thing equal te
,Lp. Men, women and children, native,and
eien born, Church and State, clergy
laymen, were all swept along with
lcurrent. Distinction of age, sex, stat
party, perished in an instant. Thousa
,..s bent before the tempest; and here
Ion. there only was one found bold enor
foolhardy enough it may have been