The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-03-09

this Government to do it; and I say furth
er thar that, if the party in power hat
kept steadily in view that original and
legitimate object, the proud old flag Of
our country would have foated in triumph
over the capital of every State in the
Union. 1t was because its original policy
was changed that this little insurrectiou
of ninety days has swelled into the might.
lest revolution recorded in the annals oi
time. 5e5 ftt
We are told by gentlemen upon the
other side of the House that they do not
want the Union as it was; that this is an
abolition war. For what purpose? They
tell you for the purpose of coniscation, OF
emancipation, of subjugation, and of ex-
termination.
Sir, should be glad if any gentleman
who has the power sufficiently to make il
appear would tell US the way in which
such a contest should end. A war OF
subjugation! History tells us when Rome
attempted to subjugate Carthage and con-
fscate their property, it SO exasperated
their people that their women tore their
hair from their heads and gave it to their
fathers. sons, husbands, and brothers,
with which to make bowstrings to fight
the gladiators of Rome. More than that
When the despots of Europe parcslled
out Poland like so much public plumber,
and when Russia brought men from Sibe-
ria and placed them upon the con6scated
estates ofthe Polish noblemeu, she thought
that she would raise up a new race ofppo-
pie who would be loyal to the Russian
Government. How often have the streets
of Warsaw beeu crimsoned with the blood
of their people; and this very day that
same Puland, -trodden, without an
army, without navy, without munitions
of war, is again appealing to the God OF
battles upon newly made revolutionary
battle fields to place her name on the
honored roll of nations. And there is
Ireland, against whom England has war
red for centuries for the purpose of sub
jugsting her people and con6scating their
property, and the time never was that the
worry bogs of Ireland did not send forth
their hardy sons of toll to resist the tyran
ny and oppression of the British Gov
ernment. ~
Subjugation Who is it you propose
to subjugatc7 Eight million Americans,
eight million men in whose veins flow the
Same blood that courses through our own,
eight million people who drew their inspi-
rations of liberty from the same great
fountain.hcad whence We drew our own.
Subjugate such people. Are they less
devoted to their homes and firesides than
were the people OF Poland and ireland?
Are they not as much devoted to liberty
as any race Of people who has lived in the
past ages? VIII they not make greater
sacrifices to maintJfn and to preserve
them? Talk about subjugation Let me
tell you that the man breathes not the
vital air that will live TO see the day when
the lightnings of civil war will not fash
through the heavens, if that be the pur-
pose of this war. Look at it, When you
have parcelcd out the estates Of the peo.
pie at the South between the people oil
the North and the negroes of the South
when you have driven their unofending
women aud innocent children to the noun.
tain Businesses, do you suppose that they
are subiugated7 Why, sir, those womer
will whisper in the ears of their children
etornal hatred to you aud your Govern
ment. The fires will only be smothered
and at some unpropitious heur. as in Flu
rope, they will burst forth anew and brins
destruction upon you aud the country.
THERE'S one other question which
would like to ak nfthe learned and ex
perienced gentleman upon the other sid
of the House. Can they tell me whethc
the mission of war is to build up, to re
store, to reunitc? Let me rather ask yo,
sever, to overthrow, to destroy, and ami
hilate? Did not the long aud protracte,
Peloponnesian struggle ofthe Greeks bio
out Athenian liberty? Did not the civi
wars Of the Caesars erectan imperial des
potism upon the ruins of that proud oil
republic? Did Spain restore Mexico wit
force of arms? Did Mexico in turn re
store Texas? Did Holland in 1881 re
store Belgium by war? Did George III
restore 10y force of arms these thirteen re
volted American colonies? Sir, it is no
the unaided mission of war to accomplish
any such thing.
Let me ask gentlemen another question
Suppose you succeed in accomplishing al
you desire; that these southern hosts ar
driven and scattered before your victori
ous legions like ckaff before the vino
is that the end of the struggle? How Wi
you enforce your laws upon an unwi1lln
people scattered through their mountains
forests, and swamps, How will you en-
force even the ordinary writs of courts {
Justice? Before you can do it you mus
take your sons and garrison the cities {
the South. You must do that in orde
to hold Them in suljection. And whe
you have done that, will they be an ele
ment of strength to the country a
/ ask gentlemen to look at this in tn
light of history. Is Poland an elemer
of strength to Russia? Is Hungary a
element of strength to Austria? l war
eentlemen TO bear in mind the importar
lesson that all history teaches, that nation
are born amid the mighty throes of reye
iiutiont When Andrew jackson declare
this Union could not be preserved or til
Constitution maintained by the mere &c
ercive powers of the Government, he al
nounced fact which three years of wa
has only confirmed. And when Abra
ham Lincoln announced in his inaugurs
address that suppose you go to war 20
cannot fight always, and after mach los