The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-01-30
The Great Civil War in America.
eff Extracts from the Speech Of
Hon. c. L. ValIandigham,
s7.- OF OHIO,
In the House of Representatives., Jan
uary l4th, 1868.
OF OHIO,

IN the House OF Representatives., jan
uary l4th, 1868.
Mr. VALLANDIGHAM. Mr.. Speaker,
indorsed at the recent election within
the same district for which still hold q
seat on this floor, by majority four
times greater than ever before, speak
to-day in the name and by the authority
ofthe people who, for six years, have
intrusted me with the Office of Repre-.
sentative. Loyal, in the true and high.
est sense Of the word, to the Constitu-
tion and the Union, they have proved
themselves devotedly attached to and
worthy of the liberties to secure which
the Union and the Constitution were
established. With candor and freedom,
therefore, as their Representative, and
much plainness of speech, but with the
dignity and decency due to this presence,
propose to consider the STATE OF THE
Union to-day, and to inquire what the
duty is of every public man and every
citi en- in this the very crisis of the Great
Revolution. .......
e X
And now, sir, l recur to the state of
the Union to-day. What is it? Sir,
twenty months have elapsed, but the re-
bellion is not crushed out; its military
power hos not been broken; the insur.
gents have not dispersed The Union
is rot restored; nor the Constitution
maintained; nor the laws enforced. -
Twenty, sixty, ninety, three hundred,
six hundred days have passed; thou
sand millions been expended; and three
hundred thousand lives lost or bodies
mangled; and to-day the confederate
flag is still near the Potomac and the
Ohio, and the confederate government
stronger, many times, than at the begin
ming. Not State has been restored,
not part of any State has voluntarily
returned to the Union. And has any.
thing been wanting that Congress, or
the States, or the people in their most
generous enthusiasm, their most impas-
stoned patriotism, could bestow? Was
1t power2 And did not the party of the
executive control the entire Federal
Government, every State government,
every county, every city, town, and vii.
lags in the North and West? Was it
influenced What more? Did not the
school, the college, the church, the press,
the secret orders, the munici pality, the
corporation, railroads, telegrapbs, ex.
press, companies. the voluntary associa.
ton, all, all yield it to the utmost p
Was it unanimity2 Never was an Ad-
ministration so supported in England
CT America. Five men and half score
Of newspapers made up the opposition
Was it enthusiasm? The enthusiasm
was fanatical. There has been nothing
like it since the Crnsades. Was it con-
fidence? Sir, the faith of the people
exceeded that of the patriarch. They
gave up Constitution, law, right, liber.
ty, all at your demand for arbitrary pow
er that the rebellion might, as you prom.
ised, be crushed out in three months and
the Union restored. Was credit need.
ed? You took control of country,
young, vigorous, and inexhaustible in
wealth and resources, and of Govern.
ment almost free from public debt, and
whose good faith had never been tarD.
ished. Your great national loan bubble
failed miserably, as it deserved to fail ;
but the bankers and merchants of Phila.
phia, New York, and Boston lent you
more than their entire banking capital.
And when that failed too, you forced
credit by declaring your paper promises
to pay a legal tender for all debts. Was
money wanted You had all the reve.
nues of the United States, diminished
indeed, but still in gold. The whole
wealth of the country, to the last dollar,
lay at your feet. Private individuals,
municipal corporations the State gov.
ernments, all in their frenzy gave you
money or means with reckless prodigal.
ity. The great eastern cities lent you
$l50,000,0O0 Congress voted, first,
$250,000,000, and next $5O0,O00, 900
more 10 loans; and then, FIRST, $50, ,OOO,-
900, then $lO,00O,OOO, next 800, OOG~
900. and, in July last, $l5O,OOO,OO in
Treasury notes; and the Secretary has
Issued also q paper postage currency"
In sums as low as FIVE cents, limited in
,smoult ohly by his discretion. Nay,
more; already since the 4tb of July,
1851, this House has appropriated $2,.
.l0l5S64, 900, almost every dollar with.
out debate, and without r corded vote.
"A thousand millions have been expend.
ed since the 18th of April, 1861; and a
public debt or liability of 81, 500, ,OOO,.
900 already incurred, And to support
s!all, this stBpeudouS outlay and indebted
ness, q system of taxation, direct and in
direct, has been inaugurated, the most
Onerous and unjust ever imposed upon
any but conquered people. uTE
'.o Money and credit, then, you have had
10 prodigal profusion. And were men
wanted z More than a million rushed
Ito armsi o. .Seyenty,6ye thousand first,
(andrthe country stood aghast at the
. multitude then eighty,three thousand
more were demanded and three hun.
. ;dred and ten thousand responded to the
cali The President next asked for four
hundred thousand, and Congress, in its
q generous confidence, gaveihim five hun
b dred Thousand and, not TO be outdone,
eihe took six hundred and thirty.seven
thousand. Half of these melted away
in their first campaign; and the Presi.
dent demanded three hundred thousand
more for the war, and then drafted yet
b another three hundred thousand for nine
months. The tabled hosts of Xerxes