Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-01-25
Ohio
sPEECI OF
HON. G. L. VALLANDIGHAM,
THE WAR,
Lately Delivered in the House Of Rep
resentatives of the United States.
lOoncluded.1

causes which led to dieunion and the present
civil war; and to inquire whether they are
eternal and ineradicable In their nature, and at
the same time powerful enough to overcome
all the canses and Considerations which impeI
to reunion. ., t,.r-., t.-.f "a q, s---.
Having two years ago discussed fully and
elab0rately the more abstruse and remote causes
whence civil commotlons in all governments,
and those also which are peculiar 10 our complex
and Federal system, such az the consolidating
tendencies of the General Government, because
lof executive power and patronage, and Of the
ltarlf and taxation and disbursement generally,
all unjust and burdensome to the West equally
with the South, pass them by now.
| What, then, ask, is the immediate, direct
cause Of disunion and this civil War2 Slavery,
1t is answered. Sir, that 10 the philosophy of
the rustic In the play-"Chat great cause Of
the night ia lack of the sun" Certainly slav-
cry was in one sense-very obscure indeed
the cause of the war. Had there been no slav-
cry here, this particular war about slavery
would never have been waged. In a like sense,
1.-THE Holy Sepulcher was the cauae of the war
of the -Crusades; and had Troy or Carthage
never existed, there never would have been
Trojan or Carthaginian war, and no euch per-
sonages as Hector and Hannibal, and no Iliad
or Enead would ever have been written. But
far better, say that the negro 10 the cause. oil
the war; for had there been no negro here,
there would be no war just now, What then 2
Exterminate him Who demands III Colon
lie hint Howl Where7 When7 At whose
cost7 Sir, let us have an end of this follv.
Bot slavery ia the cause Of the war. Why7
Because the South obsinately and wickedly re-
fused to restrict or abolish it at the demand of
the philosophers or fanatics and demagogues of
the North and West. Then, sir, 10 was aboli-
1 At ohn l.nh A.
and hem in slavery, which caused disunion and
war. Slavery is only the subject, but abolition
the cause, Of this civil war. II was the persist-
ent and determined agitation In the free States
of the question Of abOlishing slavery in the
South, because of tho alleged "irrepfessble
conflict" between the forms of labor In the two
sections, or In the falee and mlschievous can't Of
the DAY, between freedom and slavery, that
forced collision Of arms at last Sir, that
conflict was not confined to the territories. II
was expressly proclaimed by its apostles, as be-
tween the States also, against the institution
every.where. But, assuming the platforms Of
the Republican party as the standard, and
stating the case most strongly in favor Of that
party, il was the refusal Of the South to consent
that slavery should beexcluded from the Terri
tories that led to tho continued agitation, North
and South, of that question. and finally, to dis.
union and civil war.
Sir, | will not be answered now BY the old
clamor OF "ths aggressions OF the slave pow
er." That miserable specter, that unreal mock
cry has been exercised and expelled by debt
and tsxaton and blood II that power did
govern this country for the oil xty years preced
Ing this terrible revelation, then the sooner this
Administration and Government return to the
principles and policy Of Southern statesman.
ship the better for the country; and that, sir, is
already, or soon will be, the Judgment Of the
people But deny that it was tho "slave pow
or" that governed for 80 many years, and 60
wisely and we'll. Il was the Democratic party,
aud lis principles and policy, nodded and conl
trolled, indeed, largely by Southern Statesmen.
Neither will be stopped by that other cry of
mingled fanaticsm and hypocrisy, about the sin
and ibarbbrism of African elayery. Sir, see
lmore of blbarism and sin, a aLthOusand times,
in the continuance of this war, the dissolution
of the Union, the breaking up of this Govern!
J ment and the enslaverent Of the white race by
debt and taxes and arbitrary power. The day
of fanatics and sophists and enthusiasts, thank
God, is gone at last; and though the age Of
chigalry may not the age of practical states
manshp is about to return.
Sir, | accept the language and intent of the
Indiana resolution to the full" that In consid-
ering terms oirsettlemen. we will look only to
the welfare, peace and safety Of the white race,
without reference to the effect that settlement
may have upon the condition OF the African"
And. when We have done this, my word for Il,
/ the safety. peace and wolfareOs tha A frican,
will have been best secured. Sir, there 10 fifty
fold lessl anti.siavery continent to day In the
West than there was two years ago; and If this
war be continued, there will be still less year
hence. The people there begin, at Last, to COM
"A tptehend that Domestic slavery 10 The South is
tquestion, not Of morals, or religion, or human.
iiy, but-a form,of labor, perfectly compatible
With the dignity Of free white labor In the same
community, and with natioal vigor, power and
prosperity, land especially with military strength,
They have learned, or begin 81 learn, that the
evils of the system affect the master alone. or
lthe community and State 10 which it exists;
and that We of the free States partske Of ali
the material benefits of the institution, nm,
mixed with any part of its mischiets. They be.
lleve also 10 the subordination Of the negro
trace to the white where they both exist togeth-
er, and that the co0dtion of fasubordination, as
established In the South, lie far better every way
for the negro than the hard servitlde of poverl
ty, degradation and crimes to which he is sub.
1jected7in the free States. All thia,air, may be
: f"pro-slsyeIyism," II there be such a word, -
Perhaps 1t isI but the people Of the West begir
now think Il wisdom and good senses We will
not establish slavery in our own midst; neither
will We abolish or Interfere with it outside o
9 louf own limits. Z l-iia.-. ..ll' 20 80 .
4 Sir, an anti-slayery, paper In New York 9Th
TY!bune), the most influential, and, therefore
Emost dangerous o Fall that cfass-.it would ex
hibit more of dignity, and command more o
4 infuence,lf il were always 10 gdiecuss publ
Questions andpublio men withls decent fespec
Ir-laying aside now the epithsts Of Secession