The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1863-03-21

- o .'o demonstration to enable itself to
IN IN possession OF this continent. They have
e.n 'uueis and effectualy awakened from their
Co... ''s'ons OF power, and they, at last &C :
s,orn , se~ sathe.'ng around them that terrific
storm OF wa. which, whilst we are vr;,;nr - !
eninking n' all this; NAV have burst mon ,ho,,,
WIN festibatEon Ia it's track. And vet bey
"ou'u naV- IL 50, and for ,hc further conseousn.
s e. "nica aay nappea, they have none to blame
ou' 'uemseises.-l Baltimore American.
SPeecn OF A Conservative, ShowIno ~.
Ac,. "a '"e ConscriptiOn
report Of Procs edngs CT the House of Sepresen
tatl'e:, February 18th
coNsCR'Prios BILL.
NIX. THOMAS, OF Massachusetts. THANH nv
TREND from Indiana (Mr. Holmanl. Mr. Sneakar
tor n's great courtesy in Yielding to me the floor
rejoice thai have no party interests to renre.
SENT no party topics to discuss. have heard
Win sorrow, .not to say disgust, the voice, of
party strife from both sides Of the House. n tho
spirit OF party can not be subdued or chastened
IN the presence of such imminent peril Odd
save the country, for He ouy can.
In tue few remarks shall submit to the Hons.
propose TO look directly to the merits of tho
measure before US. Mr.. Speaker this is terrible
OIL terrible in the powers it confers upon the
Executive; terrible in the duty and burden it inn.
poses upon the citizen. meet the suggestion
oy one as obvious ard cogent, and that is that
the ex'gency Is a te rrb!e one, and calls for all
tue powers Win whicj che Government is vested.
some OF the features OF the bill my judgment
condemns, unheslta,ingly condemns. The period
ior which the service Is required is unreasonable
long. think ,he enrolment should not incIude
Judges OF the State Courts, or ministers of the
gospel OF Peace, or members of Congress- nj
either branch, though the inclusion of members
OF Congress would Le, think, simply ycid. I
earnestly object, also, to the provision of the
OIL tor the arrest Of civilians by the military
power; but understand that gentlemen unon
nay rlght VIII consent to an amendment which
Will strike that feature from the bill. But ex-
ceptus these objections, think the bill is with.
10 the scope Of the Constitution, and necessary.
DO not rest the power of Congress to pass
thus OH. upon the provisions of the Constitution
in relation the militia. put it upon the simple
and clear provision which gives to Congress the
power to raise and support armies" and upon
tne absence OF any provision of the Constitution
Wnicn limits or restricts that power. Iu the na
ture OF things, there csa be no such Limitation.
ane powers OF Congress, within the scope of the
constitution, are supreme, and strike directly to
the SUBJECT and held Linn IN its firm, its iron
grasp. repeat what, at an early day, asserted
upon this floor, thas there is not human being
within the territory cf the United S;ates biacE
or white, bond or free, whom this Government
Is DOT capable OF taking in its right hand and us
ing tor Its military service whenever the defense
OF the country requires, and of this Congress
alone must Judge. The question of use ia a
question of policy only.
having the power TO raise and support armies;
ana the exigency existing in which the use OF
Lnat rover Is necessary, the question arises
whether the power of Congress with respect 10
The militia qualify and restrain the power to raise
and support armies. Very clearly not. Mr.
speaker They are distinct. independent DOW
srs. The militia is branch of service well un
1erstood III the Mother Country and our own
20 be called forth ITO execute the laws, suppress
nsurreciions, "nG repe iuvasions.' It was not
resigned 'oF permanent service, but to meet spe-
'iai ex'sehcles, and Tor brief periods of time.
0entiemen talk, without much reflection, of
ne very "unpatTiotic" course of the Government
VI Massachusetts With respect to the use of the
militia in the war of 1912. The opinion of the
Supreme Court Of Massachusetts, of that day pro.
'eeded, as | recOllect it, upon the ground that
he purposes OF the militia being to suppress in
urrection and Iepe invasion, the militia of the
state could not be required by the Federal Ex>
cut!ve to go beyond the limits of the State
% that view Go Dot assent; but it is, think.
uite PLAIN they are not, in the light of the Con-
utution, part OF the army of the United States.
hey are TO be enrolled aud organized for the
'urpose stated in the Constitution, and for no
tber
This power to raise and support armies is
wen TO Us TO meet al hour and an exisency
Ike this
Now, the gentleman from Kentucky mr.
says that the army is made up and has
cen made up by volunteer enlistments, and that
ou never have "conscripted" men into the ar
~, Doubtless such has heretofore been the
ractlce But the exigency never before arose s
men II was necessary to conscript men into an +
rmy. The exgency does rot confer new pow $
Rs, but evokes them into service. At this mo j. l
'eut, the question whether we shall use this
over is not ore OF policy, not what is best /
il, IN effect. TO this naton question of life or
eath We literally have no choice Gente-
len upon my right ttbe Republican side of the g
loCse) KNOW that IL Is my conviction that all
le Wanted Panacsas tor our troubles have fall Il
!, utterly failed. l expected them to fail. il
tempted in vain to satisfy the House that it b
as leaning on reeds shaken by the wind. Nv
'rnest, repeated suggestions were, of course. C
lheeded. But the results are too palpable to '
; oveIl looked or mistaken, and reason is slowly n
ascending tne steps OF Its th.one PRAY God II
may not be too late. r,
The policy inaugurated on the lst of Decem. e
r, 1861, has been fruitless of good 1t has
anged the ostensible if not real issue of the d
lr. That policy and the want of persistent Ii
gor in our military counsels render any fur te
er reliance upon voluntary enlistments flu tt
e. The nostrums have all failed Confsca- to
n, emancipation by Congress, emancipation W
the proclamation Of the President, compen. ia
led emancipation, arbitrary arrests, paper pa
de legal.tender, negro armies,--will not do al
mighty work. Nothing will lisave US now st
victories in the field and on the sea; and We
N the protfer of the olive branch, with the
st liberal terms of reconciliation and re. m
ion. We can get armies in no other way by IN n
asures. substantially those in the bill before so
unless the Administration will retrace its ~
ps, and return to the way of the Constitu n: s
q, for US the strait and narrow way which ol 7.
ds unto life AT any rate, the war on paper Oh
1t an end. The people have. for time been r.;
uded by it. That delusion exists no longer ~
you are to suppress this rebellion, all in.
umentalities will fsil you but the power of ga
IT own right arm. Mr.. Speaker, the meas. u er'