Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-01-21
CONGRESSIONAL.

On Wednesday, the 18th Instant

lutious offered on the 9th instant by MIR, WILSON, Of
Massachusetts,, as follows
Whereas the Hon. GARRETT DAVIS a Senator from the
State Of Kentucky did on the 9th day Of January A. D.
1864 introduce into the Senate of the United States series
Of rssoutors in which among other things it is declared
that the people North ought to revolt against their
leaders aud take this great matter into their hands
thereby M aung TO ncts the people Of the United States to
revolt against the President the United States and those in
authority who support him in the prosecution OF the war TO
preserve protect and defend the Constitution and the Union
aud to take the the war into their own hands
Therefore,
BE rescued, That the said GAnRarr DAVIS has by the
introduction the resolu aforesad guilty Of adj
visng people Of the United reasonable nsur
reco ary and rebsious action against the Government Of
the United States and of gross violation of the privileges of
the Senate; for which causes he is hereby expelled.
Mr. WILSON opened the debate in speech of some
length, which chiefly devoted to reciting cricisng
and constituting the alleged offensive resolutions of Mr.
DAVIS.
Mr.. DAVIS followed in an elaborate reply in which he
denied repudiated and rdcued the Interpretation given
to his propositions by Mr. WILSON whom he pronounced
to be incapable of comprehendng either their principles
their spirit In the opening of his speech addressing
the President of the Senate, he said
Sir, at the threshold, deny that made any charge
any mpuaton in those resolutions or either OF them that
the army subsidized that the heroes of Gettysburg
aud tho other battlefeds upon which the American
have been illustrated were magned by me in the terms
that the Senator has imputed to What said
was this and repeat it, that if the present Executive
and his particular friends and advisers entertain the
schemes that impute to them, firmly believe they
do and charge in those resolutions, the natural and
necessary
tuae their schemes would be subsidized army, and lest
they should fail in their Calculations of that agency to
eectuate their nearious and reasonable bcts they
would throw themselves upon that army of black anza-
RES which the Secretary OF War and the
against the laws Of this land mastering into the
service of the United States. do not withdraw that
position stand up to it and intend TO abide by it,
Sir, ask gentlemen to read this whole series of
luons. deny that there 10 sent nent exhorta-
ton 10 them inviting to instruction rebellion war;
military violence utterly controvert the position that
resolutions any Of the series The resolutions
institute attempt institute bold and frank nves
tgation Of the principles and of this Admintra
ton; and intend to continue that operation until the
Senate expels me from it of it's members.
But, sir if such shall lie the Judgment OF the Senate,
have higher mission than that of enacng Senator Of the
United States. have the mission Of American free
born under the Constitution, having imbued in my
boyhoOd and cherished in my mature manhood its mmor-
tai principles liberty and to them will adhere while
there is breath in this feeble body and will go home
and among my native people, in my own loved Kentucky
will raise the cry Of oppression and tyranny Of usurpa
ton and revolution against the aithess who have
charge of their own Government.
Mr.. President, have fallen evil times indeed. We
not only have great war, great nsurrecton great
rebellion which have always said believed to be second
in wckedness and consequences if successful only to that
rebellion to which the Senator from Massachusetts, ad
verified when Luciier and his rebel angels were hurled
from heaven but, in addition to that, we have
Government the administrators of Government, who
sworn to support it, sworn to uphold protect and de-
which the Constitution clothes Them but also the liberties
which it guarantees and to the citizen and with
out which the Government would have been form
ed-we have these men, their high trusts by
the grossest Of power by its glazing abuse and
uurpation, both civil and military trying to subvert that
Constitution and the popular liberties which it secures
Aud if any has the audacity to question their
sures, their justice, their wisdom their consuonaty
their compatibility with the continuance of popular lber
ty the who dares to attempt to perform that task
branded and denounced by them as dsoyal as traitor
Lnll
what has been uttered by the Senator from
against me never fell from human lips
Mr.. President, have had great in the past The
founders of our Government great wise, good
great patriots When desire to learn the principles Of
our Government and Of Constitution, go TO that
noble fountain of political truth their Illustrations OF it,
Such the Senator from Massachusetts, only perform
the ignoble aud base Office of attempting TO mudde that
fountain He is not competent to any other work Sir,
will read from what Mr. Webster said upon this eubieet
Of investigating the measures of Government and its Off
GERS;
1t the ancient ndubabe prerogave of people
to canvass public and the merits of public 1t
is not to be drawn into controversy II is undoubted
the right Of breathing the air walking upon the earth
Belonging TO private life right belongs to public fe
duty, and it is the last duty u shall abandon This
high constitutional privilege shall defend and exercise at
all hazards
In that sentiment but the humble follower Of the
immortal expounder of the Constitution At far off and
humble distance intend to follow his lead his enuncia
ton Of that great sentiment and though may be ss
will be found as steady and true to its support any
Mr.. DAVIS proceeded at length to arraigu the public
conduct Of the Senator from Massachusetts, in the
Of which he reminded the Senate that three years ago
when he Mr. ID was not member OF the Senate Of
Congress- that the Senator from Massachusetts, had heard
Mr. T0ombs address the President Of the Senate and boldly
announced to him and all others then present II
rebel and you looked upon better rebel" He had
also heard Mr. Mason, of Virginia stand 10 the pre-
sence and declare II allegiance TO the Govern
nent of the United States" And Messrs. Wgfall, Davis
and other leaders in this great rebellion had day and
day out and nearly every hour Of I'll day that the Senate
in session. fouted their reasonable ssseveratops
the denunciaoDs Of the Government and of s power
the presence Of the pure aud august ard courageous
and patriotic Senator from Massachusetts, and he
dumb fish Was there such grand theatre for
the display Of his and pbyscs courage the high
est order of patriotism II be had had tf
did not read in my distant home (sad Mr. DAyIs) the
declarations Of those audacious traitors without feeling
my blood boil within my veins Had been present and
member tho Senate and had heard their utterances OF bold
treas and witnessed the insulting in which they
assailed their own Government and country believe
would have been little demonsrave than the mute
Senator from Ma sachusetts was But the Senator was
then in a minority. He was in the presence Of aVowed
traitors; he had army to back him 10 any line Of cJn
duct he chose to adept Now the state Of things altered
am here 10 the minority the Senator from Massachu-
ses is in trumpha and whelmine majority in ths
body and 10 addition to that he is supported by hun
dreds OF THOUSANDS of soldiers whose officers hold their
places by the will Of the power other end OF the
avenue and when they ordered to do the bebess of
their chiefs they must do it, dismissal Disgrace court
martial martial law and sentet to be shot will be
doom. But, Mr.. President, If the condition Of hinQs
could be changed IL possible for Prospero to
lure back the party that then in power aud to p cs
the Senator In it's midt and he doomed to suffer the