Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-14
SPE ECH OF
HON. DANIEL W. VOORHEES,.
ON THE CONSCKsPTION BILL,
IN THE HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES FEB 23, 1863
fcoNcLvpED !

CONCLUDED
But. sir, there is another measure which sails
under the no party flag. and to which wish TO
alude. You propose To levy contributions on
the white labor OF this land TO pay for the ne
groes only in the District of Columbia, but in
Maryland, IN Missouri and in all other States of
the Union where they have them to SELL and
where the people still claim to be loyal lie is
proposed to tax the farms, and the houses the
live stock, the blooded horses, the cattle, the
hocks and the herds-to tax the bone and sinew
of the white laborer-to mortgage all the prop
erty of the country, to mortgage all the owners
of IL. and the unborn children tor hundred years
to come. for the purpose of carrying out this de
lirious scheme of emancipation. You say il is
not much for the people to bear. No, not much
Ten millions to Mary land Fifteen millions to
Missouri! Bills here to that effect And
this is only the commencement 1t is but trife!
The old farmer 60 to his work little earlier
aud stay ut It little later, and work little
harder; there will only be one meal day less,
perhaps; the children will have To de- with less
schooling; little Injuries and innocent amuse
ments will not Ii (atiorded by the honest poor;
money must be earned aud saved up against the
day of the tax gatherer, to buy negroes with.
Don't murmur either children of toll for the up
start dictators here say that would be disloyal
Be still while the robber takes your money, or he
may take your life Sir, will this madness never
ceasef Can YOU learn nothing by experience
that schoolmaster which teaches the most fool
ishg Sir, say here that not one dollar
not one cent, will the people ! represent ever
pay tn Missouri, to Maryland, or to any other
State TO purchase their slaves. And YOU cannot
make them Please remember this You can
not lawfully add untold millions to our taxes for
that purpose; and the people will repudate this
illegitimate item Of expensive fanaticism. | say
il boldly, and | say it plainly. Ii ough to be
understood The DAYS OF this Congress are
drawing to close. and we may well have "A
plain talk among ourselves before part. Ii
YOU propose ut this time. with Government
credit ut 81 per cent below par-f YOU pro
pose, with 81. 500 100000 of ndebteiness-if
you propose. with a distracted country, with
the agricultural pursuits depressed, and the
whole land grOaning from the effects OF this
war-f YOU propose in full view of all these
things, To tax the people, IN addition 10 what Is
necess Try To sustain the Government. To an un
limited extent-perhaps hundreds of millions
for tie purpose of accomplishing compensated
emancipation. for the purpose of flooding the
free States with free negroes then you my
make up YOU minds for trouble The mOney
VII! hot be paid, and you cannot compel il You
will find at last Who owns and controls this Gov
eminent the people will assert the original
divine right OF the oppressed and outraged. They
will say to YOU in the language OF the Constitu
are not our masters, but our servants: we are
YOUR masters" The stream cannot get above
It's They will rise and say. "you shall
obey US; ve will not obey yOu we are the
source and fountain oi power. YOU not T"
strange error has crept into the public
mnd-a very strange error. Men talklas If
they could force and coerce public sentiment
The very theory OF oar Government forbids it.
The theory of our Government ~ that not
aham m lani
whose lingering footsteps are just departing
from these places forever. constitute this Govern
ment; but that the people made il all. and con
sttuie all its parts Thew made il. and they will
uphold il in the mode which satifes themselves
But not oulv that: he, will make YOU obey the
Constitution in lis spirit. which is the copcentra
te, vii of thepeope
Next in order however, for the purpose Of
uniting public sentiment aud oi prosecuting the
war with unity OF purpose presume comes the
procla nation OF the President. of September
Ten DAYS belure he issued IL he sa { himself. to
the Chicaro ministers that he bad not the power
Ia promulgate such "A document and that il
would do no good if be did In that he MAS
right for But suppose he gave way TO
pressure. Yes. pressure He was pressed By
whoml By Horace Greedy. that potitai har,
lot, who appeare, in praying attitude in be
halt of twenty millions OF people lie gave
way TO pressure brought TO bear, too. by the
Governor OF Massachusetts,, They Represented
that twenty millions OF loyal hearts were praying
for the issuing OF this great deei OF emaneips
Ton, Tins .teit proclamation Of libefty which. in
the well rounded language OF the gentleman
from OHIO. Dir bingham. ruug out freedom "a
'ne whole earth, and 70 ali the inhabitants there
OF. Tie gave way to the pressure. and have no
doubt experienced relief. This was Jacksonan,
very. IL showed VIA, j. known as backbone
Az ieas'i showed quality. IL not quantity have
an immense respect for an Executive who vio
'a'es ms OATH under the fressure OF impairment
meddiers But the President was told of the
moral and military eject OF such psoclamstiou.
and presume he believed M Ne heard was true
But the gentieman from Ohio Mr. Bingham
was unfortunate IN bis musical recitation Of
the New Eagland song. few minutes ago:
- ave coming. Palmer Abraham
sx hundred Thousand sHens."
For IL anybody is on the way here to swell III,
broker ranks OF the army under the inspi
ration OF that proclamation. be j. tarryin.
lang His arrival has nat been notteat IA, ~.