Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-05-25
SPEECH OF SENATOR DO0LITTLE
EARNEST APPEAL FOR UNION AMONG UNION MEN.
Let Minor Questions be Postponed

DOoLTTTLF 81 " IscoI5lll, mace IN the United
States Senate in opposition TO an amendment
offered BIZ Senator WILKINSON of Minnesota
to the bill for the organization of the terrific
r. Of Montana, proposing TO extend The right
Of suffrage to coIored persons.
What is the state of the country We
are engaged in a war which has no parallel in
human history. This whole country. from
Maine 70 the Rio Grande, trembles under the
tread of armed meT One of our great corps
e a1nlee, under Gen. Burnside Is this moment
passing through the streets Of Washington,
marching across the Potomac to engage in
the greatest battle this continent or the
world has seen for two generations; and on
the result of which, perhaps, hang not only
the hopes Of this Republic, but the hopes of
the world.
We are gathering our forces from the East
and from the West; we are massing our
strength; We are pouring out our men, our
blood, our treasure like water not only all
our own treasure-all we of this generation
have and all we hope TO haye-but we are
mortgaging, in advance, the property and the
earnings Of generations TO come after rs, to
raise the means necessary to sustain our cause
and win the decisive victory
Our country at this hour Is bleeding at eve
~ pore every household wears the drapery
Of mourning; grief sits an unwelc0me visitor
at every freside an uubidden guest fills the
vacant chair at every family table: and by
the side Of the mourning widow or mother,
bends, in anguish deep and unutterable, at
every family altar. Sir, some of US have
been made to drink Of this bitter cup: there
are some, like my honorable friend from
Maine, Mr. FessenGen,l and myself who
have been compelled to look into the graves
Of our sons, fallen a sacrifice to put down
this uuhOly rebellion. And, sir. we have been
n IN pFp zgrr1- -fl1+ lrr
judgments clearly see, that the great issue Of
this people and specially Of this present time,
and before which all others should give place,
is an issue Of arms-whcther we shall have
success OF whether we shall fail III crushing
the military power Of the rebellion.
snail the Republic live or die We not
only know, but we are made to feel that if we
do not succeed in maintaining this govern
ment and putting down this rebellion-and
that can only be done by force Of arms-our
sons have been sacrificed IN vain But if we
shall succeed as, with the blessing Of Provi-
dynce, | hope and trust we may if we shall
be permitted to see that standard, under
which they entered the service, float once
more in triumph, with not one star obscured
nor one stripe erased, over every inch of the
soil of every State and Territory of the Unit
ed States, we can then say to our struggling
hearts, Peace, be still though our sons
have fallen our country lives"
We know, We feel, that III war as in reli-
Elon and in every other great department Of
life there Is, and there can be, but one great
aIl-absorbing, controlling issue to be decided
40 the same time. We are told in Holy Writ,
Seek first the kingdom of Heaven and its
righteousness, and all other things shall be
added unto YOU" And in this war of our
country for its very life, we should seek first.
last and all the time to do nothing, to engage
fl nothing, to say nothing but that which
II
to sustain them. When this war is past:
when peace shall smile once more I'm beauty
an around us when there is no more blood
tu 5e she'd when there are no more sons
TO be sacrificed upon tine altar, then, if YOU
will opgu the Senate Chamber 70 become
debating school for All the distractions you
please.
ur. President, as have said already. nv
respect for my honorable friend from Mime
sata feel sure that ia all his acts here he IS
guided only rs Gle highest ana most patriotic
motives. But, at the same time, [ cannot re-
train from expressing lbs deep regret that au
issue should have been raised at this time or
should appear TO have been raised at this
moment, before the people of The country
upon lhis disrmcting question of negro 7uf-
trage.
II Co.'s name, lex as first save the Union;
Iet us crush the rebellion; let Us give free
tom to tie negroes as tile necessary result of
tHg prosecution of this war, and secure ii by
constitutional amendment But let us post
pore the discussion and action upon this and
rlL other issues, which can Only serve to dis
tract divide and weaken the energies of the
.arI people In this great struggle. For my
SELF | would So conduct our affairs, il ii were
within nav power, that the whole people of
tne free States, loyal States, in this contro-
gerr should stand together as one man, Shout
der 10 shoulder, speaking but one voice,
FFFrFsa rirfsTr ls.ls.r
uaIsating with one wish, that IS, to save the
Government, crush the rebellion, and trauple
she Slave Coutedcracy in pieces.
Bat what else dc we see. do not hold
the Senator from Minnesota wholly responsi-
hIa This Is but one measure ofa whole class
8f measures tending 10 raise the question of
negro social as well as political equality OF
uy honorable friend from Massachusetts,
Nj Sumner have sometimes thought in
aly heart ] had some right 10 complain, not
personally ct him, but of propositions that he
Is disposed 10 bring forward from time to
timc taat TO me seem TO have no bearing
whatever on the great issue, and tend TO
nothing else but TO distract the public mind
and divide the hearts and energies of loyal
men Upon any other subject but the negro
question. my honorable friend can appreciate
what / am about TO say as well as 1 or any
other Senator As an instance, we all know,
and none better than that Senator, how i'm
aareant L is for us to have the moral support
ana sympathy, If not the friendship, at least
sha -trict neutrality of foreign Governments
5utHs struggle II We can retain them honor
aalr and legitimately. At all events, he
knows IS wei as /, how disastrous 1t would
ae for MS 10 raise an issue now with England
ar France which might lead them to recog-
alze the Couteaeracy, much more should they
enter INTO an alliance with the Confederacy
and take sides az llnSt us He would 90, !