Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-08-31
SHALL OUR NATIONAL LIFE BE
ICNOBLY sURRENDEREDi
A Speech delivered In tina U. o.
Senate, June 23, 1854, by
Hon. Solomon Foot, ,OfVt.

do not rise for the purpose Of speak
ing now upon the question directly before
the Senate; that is, upon the question Of
Communication. have already very brief
ly expressed my opinions on that ques-
ton. l have no occasion to repeat them,
and as yet no occasion to change them.
The Senator from Kentucky dilated at
some length, and with much emphasis,up
on the cost and the sacrifices of the war
in which we are engaged upon the Attic
tions, the wretchadness, and the woe thatit
was bringing upon the country; that the
public mind had become tired and weary
in disgust at the maner in which the war
has been conducted, all calculated, as it
seemed to me, to disparage the war and
to disaffect the public mind. 1t is true,
Mr.. President, it is too sadly true, that
our country is involved in war, but war,
nevertheless, into which it had been driv-
en- By the inevitable necessities of self
existence 1t is war of self-defence.
Bfr. Sprague And self-preservation.
Mr. Foot 1t is war of selfpreserVa-
ton, to repeat the suggestion ofmy friend.
1t is a war for the rescue and for the sal
vation of this Republic, and for the sal
vation of republican institutions and of
republican liberty, against the assaults of
q gigantic and causeless and unprevoked
rebellion.
Shall we prosecute the war to its final
issue, or shall we ignobly and ignomin-
iously surrender our national life and our
national being? That is the question be-
fore us tonight, Mr.. President, and the
American people have answered that
question for themselves, ard for you, and
for me- The true and loyal people of the
country have since fully made up their
minds upon this whole subject of the war
and of the rebellion. They have taken
their stand upon it. They have spoken
their purpose in relation to it. They
have proclaimed it in the face of the ma
tions, that this aceursed rebellion shall
die, and that this Republic of ours shall
live, cost what it may yea, more, as a
necessary incident of the war, or, if you
please rather to have it so, as an ineVita-
bic result of the rebellion and of the war
/ for the suppression of the rebellion, the
instigating cause and the sustaining pow
er of the rebellion must die out with it,
so as never to rise again to plague this
people and to desolate this land of ours.
To this great consummation-the sup
preston of the rebellion, the restoration
of the Union, and the salvation of the
Republic-thel loyal people ofour country,
like the immortal authors of the Decla-
ration of Independence, have consecratsd
their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred
honor.
Though the trial may be long and se-
we're. though the contest shall wax fercsr
and hotter than ever before, though
the cost and the sacrifice may be great
- deed, it is to be borne In mind all the
while that the stake at ISSUE i far greater
still Sir, whatever may n4f}ne cost or
whatever me- be the sacrle5 savAtg
YOUR country, it will be inhHifeis Jess
than the cost and sacrifice Of hFAss ysnr
country. If the Republic be saved e
else. comparatively speaking, a
with it. If the Republic is lost, Al enc
of this worlds goods or of this world's
homes. which are worth living for or worth
diving for. is lost with it, and lost irrecov-
erably and forever.
Senators may dilate upon and deplors
as they may the cost and the sacrifices OF
the war. They may expatiate upon and
pour out their laments over the miseries
and manifold horrors of the war. We
eoncede it all. We have no controversy
or disputation Nth them upon that ques-
tion. But alasl who caused it ALI Who
brought all this horror and misery OF
civil war upon our countryf Who are
responsible for this great iniquity that
aflicts our Iandi Who are answerable
for IL before the tribunals of God and
man. The Senator from Kentucky did
not answer that question; he did net an