Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-06-16

Nom:;.sads r Soldiers and Sailors in ReJe, ssas..
SPEECH
HON. WIN. B. ALLISON, OF IOWA
Delivered IN the House of Representatives,
First Session, Thirty eighth Congress,
Wednesday, May 4, 1884.
Mr.. ALLISON said
Mr.. Speaker-We are still in III,
midst Of war. More than three wear,
ago the people Of eleven States OF thi
Union, in their organized capacity al
States, By their representatives select
ed for that purpose, confederated to
gether, adopted form of governmcn,
independent of the Government tc
which they owed allegiance, and lev
led war upon the Union which had 60
long protected them in the full enjoy.
ment of every right under the Consti.
tuition. This war, begun confessedly y
without cause, has been prosecuted on
their part with despotic cruelty and
implacable vindictiveness without pre-.
cedent in the annals of civilized war.
fare. ...
The despotic chieftain who rules o.,
Richmond shrinks from no act that in
his judgement tends to perpetuate his
power, either in the treatment of his
subjects or in his conduct toward the
Government against which the war is
prosecuted. -ss
Although the conflict has waged
with varied fortune from the begin
ming, yet survey of the situation to-
day clearly indicates that we have
made substantial progress toward the
re-establishment of the power of the
Government over the revolted States.
We all indulge the hope that the in
vincible hero with his brave men now
about to move on the enemy's works
will achieve success. We must not
deceive ourselves, however, by resting
in the belief that the enemy is sub
stantially overthrown his armed ls-
gions will still confront US: many
battles are yet to be lost and won be-
fore bis military power is destroyed.
That power destroyed, the enemy is
not conquered. s.... .--s.r. ......0, ...
.......l ga. Who overcoIncs ..r
By force hath overcome but half his foca."
"our better part remains to work in close
Design what force effected not
"The unconquerable will and Study
Of revenge, immortal hate, and cour-
age never to submit or yield" must
be subdued by wise legislative action,
by firm administration, and by un-
wavering fidelity to tho great priuci-
Piles of republican liberty. The cause
of all our woe must be eradicated.
We must not be led astray by the
siren song recently echoed on this
floor, that abolition is "a thing ac-
complished," that slavery is dead.
But we must annihilate it forever, and
see that it has no resurrection.
This duty primarily belongs to the
Congress of the United States. We
fail in the discharge of our whole du-
ty if we do not adopt every measure
that will bring about this consumma-
tion. Every measure Of Congress,
and every act of the Executive look
ing to the suppression of the rebellion
and the destruction of the diabolism
that produced it, although vehemently
assailed on the stump, through the
press. and in these halls, has been tri.
umphantly sustained after full and
free discussion by the people Of this
country. The loyal people who have
sacrificed so much, and who are ready
for still greater sacrifices, demand Of
US and of the Executive that these
necessary measures shall be carried
to their legitimate and proper result.
They demand that we shall so triumph
over the rebellion that the cause which
led to it and which has been its chief
support shall with it be destroyed for
ever. They demand that free repub-
lican institutions, with all their attend
ant blessings, shall be established in
all the territory reclaimed by our
armies from the usurpation that now
holds it.
l have listened with interest to the
discussion in this House as to the re.
lations Of the so-called Confederate
States" to the Government of the Uni
ted States. 1t seems to me, however,
that this question is to us res adjndica-
ia. 1t has been settled by executive
proclamation, by congressional action,
and by judicial determination. Our
authority over the revolted States, and
the rights to which they are entitled,
have been clearly defined and fixed
by the Supreme Court of the United
States, in the prize cases reported in
Q Black, page 6S5. ct seq. The court,
in stating the nature of the revolt,
says:
"That in organizing this rebellion they
have acted as States, claiming to be sovereign
over all persons and property within their res
pective limits, and asserting right to absolve
their citizens from their allegiance to the Fed
eral Government. Several of these States
have combined to form new confederacy
claiming to be acknowledged by the world as
o sovereign State. Their right to do so il now
being decided by wager of battle. The ports
and territory of each of these States are held
In hostility to the General Government 1t
Is no loose, unorganized insurrection, having
no defined boundary or possession. 1t has q
boundary marked by lines of bayonets, and
which can be crossed only by force. South Of
this line is enemy's territory, because it is
claimed and held in possession by an organ
lied, hostile. and belligsrant Power. "a
Black, pages 673, 674.
Judge Nelson. page 693, says:
The laws Of war, whether the laws bo