Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1863-02-13

/ OF GuIy, IOFpear TO IFy the QttHcUlL anu
embarrassing path before me.
| came here a Representative of peace
and compromise, and the determined ad-
versary Of military coercion. No party
claimed my nomination, but short state
ment of my views was accepted, and the
people have the honor to represent be-
slowed their confidence and elected me.
No party hailed my election, and | en-
tered this hall a Representative of con-
citation, an independent Representative.
Forseeing the futility of arms in such a
contest as was then impending, and be-
lieving that the ruin which now seems so
inevitable would follow the cruel strife
that was to cleave open the hearts of
kindred and Of countrymen by each
others hands, in countless numbers. !
have opposed and voted against every
measure Of this war. Not "a drop of the
blood OF my countrymen rests upon me.
An advocate Of peace from the first and
always, let no man, now that the sorrows
of our nation rise up to Heaven appealing
for its sanctions, challenge or condemn
my devotion to its real interests.
At the first called session of this Con-
gress, and after the terrible lesson Of Ma
nassas had, as I fondly hoped, opened
through the vistas Of bloody and hope
less future of strife the contemplation of
peace, l felt it was my duty to propose,
at once, plan of adjustment. did so !;
but it met With no favor here. Passion
was yet longer to rule the sad destinies
Of our once happy land; and anger, hate,
revenge, cold, calculating avarice, too,
and foul corruption, tainting the very air,
these were yet to hold an undisputed
sway.
The present condition Of our country
can find no parallel in history. In vain
can an example be searched for. A peo-
pie the freest and happiest of the earth
we were blessed with the best Govern
meGt that ever has or will exist Provi-
dence seemed to have preserved our con
tiuent undiscovered until the progress of
the principles Of free government were
sufficiently matured by the wise and good
Of the earth to make America the appoint
ed place for their development and happy
trial. The circumstances Of our settle
ment, the various types Of the early emil
grants, the differences of religion, Of
habits, manners, customs and institutions,
all these conspired to help the hopeful
problem. And when the purifying fires
of our glorious Revolution lit up the high
motives and exalted the natures that made
the patriot and the hero of 1889, then all
that Heaven could do, and more than it
had ever vouchsafed to man, was done,
to erect the Doblest structure Of free
Government that had blessed the earth.
Those patriot heroes did the rest Con-
summate wisdom and noble disinterest-
eduess Of purpose, guided by moderation
Cancellation. and a spirit of compromise,
enabled these great men to finish the
grand work of our majestic Constitution
Those who came next after them initiated
their virtues and followed their example
The Government of the United States
lourishod, expanded, and became at
length the admitted equal Of the greatest
Of earthly Powers, the most admired Of
nations,
The land OF the free and the home Of the brave
Unoxampled prosperity and power had
been gained. The oppressed Of the world
hailed our asylum Of liberty, and the di-
vine right of monarehs began d" to pale
its Intellectual fires before the radiant
splendor Of our new Republic. The pre-
sent and the future, the citizen and the
sojourner, the emigrant, the signing
children Of liberty everywhere, hailed our
United States as the perfection of human
government.
But, sir, the necessities of labor and
the cupidity Of commerce sowed the fatal
seeds Of our discord. The Inflated chill
drcn of Africa, though led out from the
captivity Of barbarism, darkered as by a
shadow the bright focus Of our cultivation,
and finally have eclipsed it, and strangely
+ and mysteriously the barbarism Of Africa
seems about to subduo the civilization Of
America.
African slavery was established in all
the colonies, and those who are now en-
gagged IN destroying it have inherited and
enjoyed the wealth it helped to create
Climate and soil unsuited to the negro
slave banished bin from New England
and the North to the warmer regions Of
. the South, and "a compensated em2pci-
patton from a fruitless dominion fully
satisfied all the demands Of conscience OF
humanity. There was then no sin in
bringing these human chattles from their
native shores-in originating their sad
enslavement, or in parting from it for
money. The precious price told down
: then purged the moral sight, and slavery
stood only revealed in hideous wickedness
when interest stepped aside and was re-
; leased. Sir, foreseeug this result, and
, fearing il, tho founders Of our system
/ provided every security against it. BE.
fore the Union could be established, the
strongest and most binding covenants that
man can make in forms Of government
we're provided, and faith, sacred faith in
these guards of slavery were mutually
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