Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-14
UsURPATIOEs.
SPEECH OF
HON. FAR. SALISBURY,
OF DELAWARE.
z. The taitsd States soaate, Jsauary s4 1893.

Mr.. Salisbury Mr. President, when the in
Justice and Intolerance Of the British minis try
were fsrcing an issus between the parent coun-
try and the colonies in reference 70 the power of
Parliament to impose taxes upon The latter with
out their consent the remonsirances of she ablest
English statesmen were treated by the sdyo-
Gates of power az the uteerauees Of ssditon. 1t
was then that the noble Chatkam thus sPOke
Sorry I an to hear the liberty Of speech in
this house imputed as a crime. Bot the imputa-
ten shall not discourage ne. II is q liberty
moan to exercise. No gentleman ought to be
afraid 30 exercise it it is q liberty by which
the gentleman who calumniates It might have
profted
Il has been frequently said upon this floor,
rince the commencement Of this unnatural war,
that 7vo are making history. Sir, we are bat
repeating it. Rspesting ils fsllies, its madness,
It's Wickedness, instead Of aT0idiHg them, being
Instructed by its examples. Thoy would ad-
nlonish Us by these examples. and who would
have Us profit BY them are, bT tbs advocates Of
power and ihe tools Of faction, charged, like
being sympsthizers with rebellion Well, sir,
this Is not strange. Great popular connections,
great civil revolutions, always bnng to the sur
face Of society clsss Of men too wise in their
own coneSits, but really toe ignorant and too
dsbased to be instructed By The lsssoas of his
tory Thrown by revolutionary force into US
natural positions, aHd true TO theiT native in
stincss they crawl around the feet of temporary
power, and seek their own greatness in the de-
traetion of those who would have wisdom in
counsel ard moderation ia action. Such men
glory in nothing 80 much as in writing the name
of krissidss on the shell.
In his annual message, transmitted to Con-
eTess On She hsst day Of the session, the Presi-
dent thus speaks:
We of this Congress and this administra-
ton, viii BE- remembered in spite of ourselves.
No personal significance or insignifcanee can
spare one or another Of us. The fiery trial
through which We pass viii light us down ia
honor or dishonor tc tho latsst generation
A moments lunaCy after eighteen months Of
madness A fas5l Of reason at the conclusion
Of an hours iHcohersni raving What viii the
fuiuge think Of me- How shall I and my ad
minisiration live in history If such questions
had constantly presented themselves to the Ex-
ecutive, and had he honestly and uniformly
acted in referees 20 the Judgment Of impartial
bistorv, hoH different would have been his and
oVr situation now. But, sir, party, not coun-
Try vengeance, not justice, have been the ob-
iscts most dear 10 this adninistratisn; and the
evidence Of this fact, which they have and will
continue 70 furnish. VIII light them down in
d'shonoT TO the latcst generation" I know
question may be asked, as It bas often been
ssked heretofore, why dsnounce the administrs-
ton Why not den0anee The rebels ] an
sweY siF that The resels, as thsy are called, are
sot to be affected By denuneiation or praise,
frsm You OF ma. They have goze out from
amone US, aad are not = be brought back BY
denuncistiSn, bat by wisdom in council even
more tran By bravery IN ihe fald. That there
may be wisdsn in c9uscii, both for the purpose
of reunitiHg a discovered country, and' for the
still greater and nObler purpose of preserving
civil constitutional liberty, have right to
speak nay honest convictions in reference 20 the
executive action aud Of party action aud, hsy-
ing the right. shall be governed in It's exer-
else by no ether consideration than that of the
public good.
At the commencement Of the new yesr, It usy
be well 10 review the political chart by which
our action has been governed, that thereby we
NAV in future avoid the errors Of the past
We, Of this Congress and this adminissra-
ton, (says the President VIII be remembered
il spite of ourselves No personal significance
or insignifcance can spare one OF another Of
Us s"
Since, then, sir, we are esea to be " lighted
down in honor or dishonor 70 the latest genera
tion,n it is but right that each make his own sp-
pesl 10 the awfu tribunal of history, and nii-
cate ais action ia this national catastrophe, even
before the latest genefstion" But where Is
the necessity ia making ones own defense, Of
condemain1 the action Of ethers Way find
fault with thai which you cannot control and
for which you are not responsible Ny answer
is plain. Some of us here can only act upon
measures sf public policy submitted to US by
Others. No efforts Of oars to give q proper di-
reetion to public aasirs BY propositions Of Iegie-
lation OF tonder Of advice can aVsil. Al adrsis-
istgation policy, supported by a majority Of this
Congress, IS submitted for our approval or re-
lection. il we approve, well. if We reject,
then, IS the dogma sought 10 be enforced is that
the administration IS the government and the
/ government is the administration we are to bs
charged with being opposed to the government
and il favor Of rebellion. The questions, then,
upon which history is to decide are simply these
/ Is this administration right OF wrong Are its
measures, as means for the restoration Of the
Union and the preservation Of the Constitution,
wise OF unwise, proper or improperi and should
/ they or should they not receive the support ol
| the representatives Of the States and Of the
people
A ReBieo Of he Past.
Rightly to asiernins these questions we mist review
TO soms extent the past and consider tbs sltuaton O
tie present. we are anil for sightsen months hev'
been IL the midst of he gressest political revolution
tue rord has ever seen We deiude ourselves when
ssy and eahnot deeeve The Judgment Of stsry by
lAl All Isfoiitllol mas no ottoffr
appeal 10 the history og the past for The truth o
/ tiis assertoa that thrrs never hes been any gfea
aora social polticel revolution without some esas
more or ess Erea more or less iustiE1bie All govern
rrs1fs consider revolutions against thar authoriiy q
without cause Wee their judgments Of TIC iighfu
uess or wronfuness q ting exeFse Of power by then
ssiVse ard 81 resis'aaoe thrrets By others admitted
ne infslibis rue liberty could not exist but despou
would everr where preTniL According to such stan
d-ra of Judgment; tie eres English revolution was
| s,i7peudous crime 40 n0nrba ccul see arght bu
trniuaiiy ia the French revolution, aod the Aisfca
struggle ior ind-peudepce was regarded b the sngls
kiug and ministry AMI sven by the Bsglsh p3opie vi
as CREST ahhorren az wicked resistance 70 ilghrlp
"a ho-ty we affect 70 regard the resistance ot %
revOlted satss 70 Federal antaorty. Ihe law Of reFo
lsfions that 81 which their character r most gee'
ally deternined thas ni st makes right that i'le
/ cess IS iustifcation.