Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-10
rnE DEMOCRACY AND THE WAR.
SPEECH OF
HON. VIM. S. HOLM A N,
Is YuK UxlrrD srArts Hor-E oY RlrsAs1xr-
ArIvBs, FKBRUARY 10. l-63


suspending the privilege Of The writ OF hsbeas
corpus. and acts done in pursuance thereof"
DIR Holman said:
IL j. not my purpose Mr.. Speaker 20 discuss !
the merits OF this bill. ! believe the country
owe- 10 the Senate. IN certain sense debt OF
gratitude for presenting a bill Tor the cousidera
ton of tue House much more reasonable IN us
features and les startling ia IT. defiance OF the
Constitution than the bfii which passed the House
OF Representatives.
As amended by tie Senate. there seems 70 be
but two radical objections TO the bill. The first
j. that IL Expresses the injured citizen whose per
sonal liberty has been tramped on by arbitrary
power. BY authorizing the removal of the action 4
he may bring in the yudicatIon OF his rights from I
the State 20 the Federal courts. and allows the
unjust defense that his Imprisonment. however
wrongful and oppressive, was made IN good faith,
under the authority of the President or under an
act of Congress. 10 be received a a full answer
to the action In these respects il debars the
plaintiff from right guaranteed 10 him by the
Constitution. In the second place. the bill oper
ales as a permanent perpetual suspension of the
habeas corpus a right invaluable To the citizen,
Indispensable TO personal liberty, and restrictive
onlv on arbitrary and deSpOtic power ct this
BILL as amended by the Senate, is not so fragrant
in lis defiance Of the Constitution as the bill
which passed this House; but it is still an ez post
facto law. Ii still confers on the President OF
the United States powers conferred by the Con
stItution Congress alone. Ii gives the citizen
a right OF action. but il makes the right cheat
andel delusion By providing defense 10 his &C
ton Yet il does this under the apparent forms
of law, while the bill of the House Is perfect
and complete denial OF justice. Both the bill OF
the House and the amendment OF the Senate
strike down the undoubted constitutional rights
OF the citizen, but bv different agencies Both
uphold arbitrary power: and while prefer the
amendment Of the Senate, | cannot, with my
views of the Constitution and the rights of the
citizen support either.
But air, 1t is not for the purpose of discussing
the merits OF this bill that have sought the floor.
Nv colleague Mr V oorhees and other gentlemen
have fully discussed the bill and amendment
sought the floor for few words of general debate.
Had the President of the United States exercised
the arbitrary power of suspendlng the writ OF ha
beas corpus only IN sections of the Union where
treason was in the ascendant, and the courts and
the civil authority suspended, must say. sir that
the Argument of actual necessity and the public
safety ought TO command grave consideration.
But, sir, what argument justify the suspen-
sion OF this writ, this ancient imminent OF per
sOnal freedom. in those sections OF the Union
where the great masses of the people were loyal.
and the authority of the civil power unimpalredE
IL was, sir AN unwarrant tble distrust OF the PEG
sir, opposition to this act indemnifying tire Presi
dent aud.hs subordinates for every act of unwar
rtnted oppression will be met by the charge OF
dlslOyalty and sympathy with traitors Sir. this
method by which the friends of this AdmiDstra
ton have attempted To meet ever, just opposition
to its policy is equally wicked. impotic and un
just The Republican party has charged all its
opponents with dsloyalty, rs though II gloried IN
increasing the enemies of the Republic. 1t
cit. Sh feh N In
say the least, very large minority 1t not Il ma
jorty of the people OF the loyal States of the
Union. of ancient and traditional loyalty, Is at
heart and in spirit unfriendly b. the cause OF the
Union. Sir the Senate and the House. the pub
lie press ana the stump, have riyaled each other
in this public work of wicked denuncaton. Ii
the charge true. the nation must perish; but
il is UNANIMOUSLY false 1t is the cry OF PARTISAN
ism-wcked, selfish partsanism-which would
increase its power by the ruin OF the country.
lie appears to me, sir, that the Republican
party, coming into power under such fearful
auspices on such questionable issues, with civil
war and national ruin springing up at It's ap
proach ought 10 have characterized its advent
and progress by spirit totally different, for its
opponents Ioretold that its triumph would endan
ger the safety of the Republic. 1t should have
defeated this prophecy Ii should have sought,
above all things, the union OF public opinion IN
the l0val States and the encourae ement oil loval
| sentiment everywhere. IL should have sought by
its policy to unite the entire people of all sections
in the cause IF the Union. and not by its polio,
to lerment discord and encourage divisions. In
such crisis 1t we'll became the party in power Il
| be prudent and self denying. to di>arm partisan
spirit by rising above party
But, sir. that party. on coming into power. in
stead Of being forgett"i Of party differences, in
spIred by its own fierce ambition ana reckless
| fin ,ticism. indifferent TO the dangers of the Re
public, has, step by step, without variation, with
ont swerving Tor "A moment, prosecuted Us par
tisan purposes: every measure which might have
been embraced in the letter or spirit OF the plat
form adopted by that party at Chicago. IN lc6O
| has been hot only carried into effect. but they
have carried their dog mas TO their last final re
suit: and al the same time crying out down with
party have branded traitor every who
entertained political opinions differing from their
! own NJ king no sacrifices of opinion they de
mand universal sacrifice of opinion by others.
They charge the Democratic party with dis
/ lo,at. WhyI Because that party. while it h ):
sustained tins Government throughout by II:
gall soldiers ia the field, by its representative
upon this floor and in the other end OF the Capt
tOl. has sought To do so under the shield anC
within the limits of the Constitution, nothing
more. Not that II has ever swerved or hesitate,
in the cause of the Union; not that it, people il
any township. city State OF the loyal section
/ nave ever uectafei against the government. Du
because they have insisted that the Constitution
has provided means ample and complete by whIcl
/ To carry on the war To successful termination
for this and this only. sir they have been braude
with disloyalty. Gentlemen talk about disloy
alty-charge the Democratic party with sympath
with the South and with traitors. of fav BRING tn
Rebel Government. IN terms OF intense obOqul
and reproaeh-when the very first proposition
coming from any prominent man in the country
in the Senate or in the House OF Representatives
or among the people. for recognizing this Rebe
Government. comes from a leading member o
the Republican party. Strange enough. sill
while |. humble as am, have never hesitate
for one moment in supporting this Government
BY all the humble agencies within my power. We
have not escaped the charge OF disloyalty. an
while NV associates upon this floor belonging Il
the SINE political organization have been with
out exception denounced rs dlsloyal. vet gentle
men upon the other size ct the House have hear
without condemnation proposition from q
their mum er. cooly and deliberately made
To- recognize ;hi, Rebel Government aud desiro
the Republic forever.
Mr. Washturue: Let me say TO the gentle
nut
Mr. Voorhees,: call the gentleman from Hi
n il or Ter
Mr. Washburne Well. sir. | deny that an
member of The Republican party has made an
such proposition.
Mr. Voorhees, Mr. Pendeton. Mr.. Vailandc
ham and others objected to interruptions
Mr. Wasnburne rose.
Mr. VOORHEES,: | object to any interruption.
I .lxs af..tf