The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-02-12

which still hold seat on this floor, by a
MAJORITY four times greater than ever be
fore. 1 speak to- day in he name and by
the authority Of the people, who, for Six
yeal 5, have intrusted me with the office of
Representative, Loyal. in the true and
highest sense of the word, to the Consti-
tuition and the Union, they have proved
themselves devo,edlv attached 10 and wor-
thy of the liberties TO secure which the
Union and the Constitution We're establish
ed. With can6or aud freedom, therefore,
as their Representative, and with much
plainness of speech, but with the dignity
and decency due to this presence, | pro.
pose TO consider the STATE OF THE UNION
10 day, and TO inquire what the daty is of
every public man aud every citizen in
this the very crisis of the Great Revolu-
ton.
1t is now two years, sir, since Congress
assem- bled soon after the Presidential cleo
iiou. ~ seCtiOodi diti'Sla'Niy P"itf hf''
! Just succeeded through the forms of the
Constitution. For the first time Presi-
dent has been chosen upon a rlatform OF
svowed hostility to an institution pecu-
liar to nearly one half of the States OF the
Union, and had himself proclaimed that
there was an irrepressiole conflict because
of that institution, between the States: and
slave and part free" Congress met,
therefore, in the midst Of the proi'unGest
agitation, hot here. only, but throughout
the entire South. Revolution glared np.
on. Us Repeated efforts for cancellation and
compromise Were attempted in Congres,
and ou. Of it. Al. wele rejected BY the
party Just coming into power, except o'ly
the promise in the last hour Of he "ession,
and that, too, against the consent Of Il ma
r'y of that party both in the Senate and
House, that Congress hot the Executive
>hould never be authorized To aboii ii OF
nleriele with slavery in The Sta'c- wheie
J., existed South Carolina sece,ied; Geor
gia. y ALBANIA, ta,sda. i.i,>is ipri. Lonis
ana AID Tyxss specify li"we.i. The
| Confederate Government WAS established
| .'hp other ~lave States hell back Nirgini.
d msndeC Peace Congress. The Com
mi,sioners met, and, after some time,
agreed upon terms of final az usiment.--
| Blu, neither in the Senate nor the House
we're they allowed even q respectful con-
s;deralion. The President elect, Lift his
home in February. anI journeyed toward
te capital. testing as he came; proclaim
| ing that The crisis was on y artificial, and
that "uobody MAS kurt He entered
The city of Washington under cover of
nIght and in disguise. On the 4lh of
March he vas inaugurated, surrounded by
soldiery; aid swearing to support the
Constitution Of the United States, announc
ed in the sam. breath, tha, the platform oi
his party should be the law unto him. =
From tia. momcit all hope OF peaceable
adjustment fed But for a little while,
either with unstcai fast sincerity, or IN pre-
medt., deceit, the policy o. peace wa
prcclaitn d, even To the evacuation OF Fl.
Sumpler. and the other Federal forts and
arsenals in the seeded STATES. Why that
policy was suddenly abandoned, time will
fully disclose.
But just after the spring elections, aud
the secret meeting in this cily of The Gov
ernors of several Northern and Western
States, fleet was sent down, ostensibly 10
provision Fort Sumpte:. The authorities
uf South Carolina eagerly accepted the
challenge, aud bombarded the fort into
but Just as soon as the flag was struck,
bore away and returned to the North. 1t
was Sunday. the l4th day OF April. 1861:
and that day the President, in fatal haste
and without the consent or advice of Con
gress, issued his proclamation, dated the
mex. day, calling out seventy five thousand
militia for three months, 10 repossess til,
forts, places and property seized from th'
United States, and commanding the insur
gents to disperse within twenty days
Again the gage was taken up by the Soutl
and thus the flames of "A civil war, tn
grandest, the bloodiest and saddest in his
'ory. lighted up the whole heavens. an'
Virginia forthwith seeded, North Carroll
ma, tennessee and Alkanas followed
= Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky aud Mis-
: souri, We're in a blaze of agitation, and