Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-03-05
Sketch of Debate in the Assembly, yes.
terday, on the Resolutions for Cess
satiOn OF Hostilities.

Sketch of Debate in the Assembly, yes
terday. on the Resolutions for Cess
satiOn OF HostIlities.
The following are the preamble and
resolutions:
WHEREAS, We believe that the following lam
guage, "Suppose you go to war, you cannot fight
always; when after much loss on both sides. and
no gain on either, You cease fighting, the old iden-
teal question terms of intercourse are again
upon you,' embodies great truth and wisdom
therefore,
Rssoloed By the General ssena5ly of the State of
Wisconsin, the Senate concurring, That it is the
Imperative duty of the Chief Executive of the ns-
ton to proclaim, and we therefore, in the name of
the people of the State of Wisconsin, demand the
establishment. as soon practicable, of an arms-
tice, to the end that convention of all the States
may be held for the adjustment of all our diff
cuties.
RssoEUed, That we hereby instruct our Senators.
and request our Representatives in Congress to
labor to procure, and in the of the people of
the State OF Wisconsin to demand that the present
Congress shall provide for convention of ali the
States, including the socalled Confederate States
to De held at some suitable point at the earliest
practicable period, with view to the restoration
OF the Union with all the dignity and rights of the
several states unimpaired.
Resotoed, That in the event of the present Con-
gress falling to provide for such convention we
hereby In the name of the people of the State of
Wisconsin, invite each and every State in the Fed.
eral Union, including the so-called Confederate
States to meet from the State of Wlscon-
sin in convention at Nashville, Tenn, on the first
Monday of June, A. D. 1868 each of said States
to send as many delegates to said convention as
shall equal the number of Senators and Represen-
tatlves to which said State is entitled in the Fed
| eral Congress, according to the census of the
United states of 1860.
ReSolUed, That for the purpose of carving out
on the part OF the people OF the State of Wiscon-
sin, the object set forth in the last two of tt
foregoing resol buttons, there shall be elected
sd of ADril In no
ner and at the usual places of holding elections,
eight delegates from the State at large repre-
| ton to be held in Nashville, Tenn, as
above set forth, unless the present Con-
gress shall provide tor convention, as in the
| second of the resolutions designed, in which case
the said delegates shall represent Wisconsin in
such convention and the election of said delegates
shall be certified to by the Governor of said State
and commissions shall issue to them, in the manner
prescribed by law as the same may be practical
ble Such election for delegates afore said shall
be conducted and the returns thereof made in
| compliance with the statutes requiring general
ele ctlons for state officers; and further, in the
ev. mt Of the present Congress failing to provide
for q convention set forth in the second of these
resolutions, said delegates shall be entitled to a
| per diem of - dollars during the time of their
attendance at said convention above stated, and
| - cents per mile for every mile travelled in
going to and returning from said convention, which
per diem and mileage shall be drawn from the
| treasury upon the warrant of the state auditor
upon the treasurer of the state upon certificate
OF the Presidelt and Secretary of said convention
| ReSolUed, That the Governor of this State be
| requested to transmit copy of these resolutions
to the President of the United States, the Congress
of the United States and to the Governors of each
state respectively, including the Governors of the
! so-called Confederate States.
Mr.. JONES moved to Pc ,tpone the resolution till
tomorrow evening.
MIR, WHITE democrat and author of the resolu-
tions) said that he hoped the motion to postpone
| would not prevail He wanted the resolutions act ed
| on now. He thought that after carrying on this
1 va n nm nj as we had
| about time to take some measures for peace.
| The motion to postpone was lost.
| Mr.. SHARPSTEIN. (Dem) When motion was
yesterday made reject these resolutions, stated
! that hoped that motion would not prevail, be-
| cause wished to see them printed. The gentle
man wis made the motion to reject kind
enough to withdraw the motion, and have since
had an opportunity of looking at The resolutions,
! and have come to the conclusion that they ought
not to pass, and in any event they are Of such a
| character that cannot support them. 1t is not
| that am opposed to peace, or to any negotiation
shat may lead to restoration of the Union, but it
Is for the reason sir, that in my judgment this
was brought on by the Confederate States that the
FIRST blow struck by the secessenists themtelves
snd that SO tar as the conflict between armed men
| Is concerned, they responsible for bringing it
en-. My views are in harmony with the party to
| which belong Reads from Ryan's Address to
| prove this statement. will go as far any man
on this floor make this war for the preser-
walton Of the constitution and the Union, and with
my views of secession, Of its character and of its
| unconstitutionality, cannot say that will pro-
pose any armistice, or peace, or negotiations,
convention of all the States, SO long as those who
have taken up arms against the Union and the con.
stituton their de elimination to achieve their
| indie pendence, and show disposition for peace
There is a great deal of sound philosophy in the
| Christian admonition to cast not pearls before
| swine. I respect the motives of gentlemen who
offer such resolutions. The is distasteful to
| Democrats. And when the attempt is made to
| wage the war for the accomplishment of object
| which is not just and proper, instead of crying
peace, peace, my cry would be that which Chatham
and Burke raised in the English Parliament s. Re
peal, Eecede from your obnoxious measures, your
| stamp act and your actions which are odious."-
These men thus spoke, not because they favored
| the separation of the colonies from the mother
country, but because they believed that when the
mother country should take the right position, the
| colonies would have no desire TO SeceGe. My be-
lief to-day is similac. 1 do not suppose that the
repeal of the confiscaton act the revocation OF
the emancipation proclamation would bring back
South Carolina, but such acts might in short time
produce peace clear down to the borders OF the
Cotton States.
| The people of the border States would be united
| to US man, were it not for the bad policy
which has been pursued of crowding upon them OBJ
noxious measures. am opposed to the prosecu-
ton of the war for the purposes of confiscaton
emancipation. But am not prepared to say now
| that would ask the Government Of the United
States, after what has taken place, to propose an
armistice a convention OF the States. When the
rebels propose these measures it will be time to
consider them. In my judgment, the immediate
effect of receding from these obnoxious measures
| would be to cement the bond OF union between the
I
called. This proposition however, involves ques-
tIon OF honor. l do not see how the Government
of the United States can now make proposal of
that kind, without disgrace admit that 1t is dis
graceful to carry on to confscate property in
the Seuther States. But when We taks into con-
sheraton the declaration of the government, the
substance of which is presented in this address,
| (Ryan's)-which l presume the majority on this
| floor have never read, although they have de
| nounced it, often-I do not see how we, acting in
| defense of the Constitution and the Government,
/ canm Ike tn ne led
in these resolutions. 1 Will never accede to the
proposition to dissolve the Union, come what may.
sir, if the question were as to whether the Union
should be reconstructed and New Eng land left out,
| l would oppose the secession of New England as
| much as l would that of South Carolina. Such is
1 my feeling at to whether should yield single
inch OF land that rightfully belongs TO Belong
ing, as I 10, party declare that the last
thing they will do consent line of para
ton, not prepared to consent 70 the secession
of any of territories whether ne war is to last
one year ten years. want that issue to be pre-
sented to the people of the United States. regret
| that it should ever have been lost sight Of tor
| know, we'll as know that I am standing this
floor to-day, that there is not a Democrat in the
| Northern States, who would not, sooner than have
| this Union broken, desire to have this war go on
| as long as We have a man or cent left. These
| questions about the proclamation and about the
| writ of ha6edS corpus will some day pass away
But, sir, bare proposition will be presented to
the American people, as to whether they will agree
| to disnlemberment OF the Union. know that
| some things expedient which not wise.
| do not know but such measures may be
| taken by men of influence in this State.
| that the main questions before the people may be
lost sight OF. But majority of the people of this
State have been led to endorse nulifcation and it
is possible they may be driven the verge of dis
union by the conduct of the Administration. But
can never be induced to sanction secession under
any circumstances. l will make proposition to
these men to come back into the Union, until they
first say that they will come back some terms.
If they declare that their property is not sale in