Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-03-20

NJ" anu 1nGm-A 0DG0WOCEt8t1C
Precedent.
John Van Buren,, In tho course of his recent
Democratic war speech, in New York, re-
minded his hearers that the grant of power
BY Congress to the President, for the purpose
IF carrying on the war, was only . repetition
'f the legislation of 1889, when the Demo-
cratic party was laboring with might and
main to get up hostilities with Great Britain
On the Maine Boundary question. We had
thought to make an abstract of what he said,
but his words on this point are so complete
an answer to the sympathizers with the
South, who arc making the heavens ring with
charges of danger to our liberties, 'usurp-
ation," dictatorship" etc, that we copy the
report of that part Of his speech entire, as we
find it in the New York journals
1.-THE third, gives the President power to
call out $4,000 volunteers. In those days,
when our army had never reached 5000 men,
it WIS weighty matter to call out fifty thou.
sand men. and was regarded as an enorm Gus
authority. Laughter.
"Thc fourth section gives the President
power to complete and employ all the armed
vessels Of the United States thus nutt;nc
the whole army and navy of the United
States at his disposal. Applause.
''The fifth section approprlates $40, 10000
to carry into effect the provisions OF this act
In those days ten millions of dollars was
great deal Of money. Laughter The sixth
section appropriates $4,000 to send special
Minister to Great Britain. The seventh Sec
ton authorizes him to expend a million of
dollars in finishing the Notifications upon our
seaboard, and building them. The eighth
st ct!on directs that the militia and the volun-
teers, when called out, shall be portions of
the army of the United States.
snow, how do you suppose the bill passed ?
1t put tho whole purse and sword into the
absolute power of the President of the United
States. Clay, Webster and Calhoun - men
perhaps inferior to the Solons OF our day
laughter we're members of the Senate. The
bill passed the Senate, and these three states
men-although all violently opposed person
ally and politically to then President of the
United States voted for the bill, and it
passed the Senate unanimously. Applause
1t passed the House of Representatives, after
full discussion, by vote of POI to 6, and
the leader of that six was Henry A. Wise
Hisses the bold br gadier who distinguished
himself so greatly at Nag's Head Laughter
while his brigade was fighting and his son
dying. Applause
"Now let us see whether the Democracy of
our day was alarmed at the union of the
purse and the sword, and. in The first place,
let US see how the political opponents of the
Administration treated it. Governor Seward
was then Governor of the State of New York,
having been elected in 1888, and political
opponent of the President On the 9TH Of
March he communicated this act to the Lesis
lature, with a NEST pra:seworthy message
concluding thus: L respectfully call your
attention to this subject, with the expectation
that an expression on our part Of concurrence
in the policy of the General Government will
contribute to avert tie calamities of war and
cause speedy and honorable adjustment Of
the difficulties between this country and
Great Britain
-" Mr.. Isaac L. Varian was then Chairman
of the Democratic General Committee, and
Mr.. Elijah F. Purdy was one of the Secreta.
ries. They called meeting of the Democrats
Of this city, and over that meeting Mr.
Holmes presided, and for Vice Presidents
were men whose names, when read to any
Democrat, will bring back associations OF
great interest, and perhaps of some sadness
unless he supposes that the promin mt Dem
ocrats Of this city now are more respectable
than those whose names | will read: The
Vice Presidents were Henry Yates, Walter
Brown. Samuel Tappan, MyndertVan Setback
Gideon Tucker, Abraham Van Nest; and they
resolved, not that there was danger in the
union Of the purse and the sword-not that
it was a usurpation but that it was q
prompt and patriotic measure on the part of
the House of Representatives. Loud cheers.
"Let us see how it was received by the
electors. 1t was on the I'd and Sd days oil
March, as have stated to you. The election
in New hampshire came on then, as it will
now within few days, after the adjournment
OF Congress and New Hampshire, which
had been somewhat equally divided, gave
Z 900 majority fer the Democratic ticket.
shall be pleased If my Democratic friend.
find it gives large majority now. [Chcers
and laughter The city of New York, by a
detection Of the conservative portion of the
Democracy, had been thrown into the hands
of what was then called the Wings. The
city election almost Immediately followed
and the city was recovered. Isaac L. Variar
was elected Mayor by thousand majority
and twelve out Of seventeen wards gave
Democratic majorities, Immediately after this
extraordinary usurpation!
Seen. Scott, who was to have presided
here this evening, fortunately for the country
wa then prominent in the command of the
armies OF the United States. On the 7th OF
March he went to Maine; and he remained
there until about tho 21st, when he concluded
an arrangement with Lieutenant Governor
Harvey, by which the British troops retired
from their position in the State of Maine; the
Maine troops also retired, and civil officers
were left in protection of public property, and
by his wisdom and his foresight, by the Oath
of March he was able to report to the Gov
eminent of the United States that the whole
difficulty had passed over. [Applause1
Not dollar was expended, not volun
teer was called out, not man from the
militia was brought into the field under this
act; and would be glad to know why it
may not happen that this extraordinary
demonstration on the part of the Congress of
the Unite d States, Of the power and resources
Of the loyal portion Of this confederacy will
not again be followed up by similar auspi.
cious result. The successful soay to prose-
cute a aoar is to make an Overwhelming
demonstration Of strength, to satisfy those
aoho are prepared to resist The rightfuz au-
thority Of the Government that the resist
ance is useless, and that this must be
crusAed out [Cheersl Now, gentlemen,
there is no hing, in my humble Judgment,
therefore, in the law just passed, putting
this enormous newer in the possession of the
President of the United States, to deter me
from assisting in vigorous prosecution of
the war. [Cheers.] can very we'll under
stand how, if sympathized with the rebel
lion-if I deemed that this war should fail
| could spend hours and columns in picking
flaws in this act, But If I believe that sub
stantial Justice Yequires-tbat the areat end