The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1864-12-26
Refore the question was taken, another

order came up, VIZ: the curren'y JILL
Mr.. Foote, of Tennessee, addressed the
House. The following are important ex-
tracts from his speech:
Mr.. Foote said he saw much GROUND for
despondency and apprehension in every
quarter. If this financial bill, said he,
is defeated in the two houses of Con-
gress, so admirably digested as it is, so
imposingly avouched and sustained as IT
is. / shall utterly dispair of our cause; II
this measure shall be defeated, shall re-
gard the war as virtually at an end, and
all the generous hopes of our patriotic
and much-snffering countrymen as cruel
ly and criminally blasted. III the honor
able gentlemen here suppose that 1t 10
safe, at this perilous moment of our his
tory, to indulge in vain and visionary ex-
periments upon the currency. Ii they
regard the present as suitable time for
the utterance of such language as We
have heard in this hall in the last forty
eight hours, looking manifestly to the
wholesale reputation of all our present
currency, then do differ from them es-
sentially. Sir, / beseech the honorable
gentlemen, on this last occasion perhaps
that | shall have the honor of addressing
this House, to look with me upon the
present condition of the country, before
they receive or withhold their support
from this measure. What is our situa-
toni Let us look danger in the
face, and provide for shelter, If it is
possible to do So Sir, ice are upon the
rery edge of ruin Our financial affairs
are NEST seriously disordered, Abroad,
owing TO the most criminal mismanage-
ment of every kind, no respectful consid-
ration has been yet accorded to us, or
seems likely to be accorded hereafter At
home series soflegislative acts have found
sanction here which must be inevitably
fatal to state rights and state sovereignty
and to popular freedom if not speedily
modified. Congress is rapidly abnegat-
ing all important powers, and building
up an irresponsible military despotism,
the like of which has never been seen be-
fore upon this earth. Other acts are in
progress here, which, should they pass,
must produce popular cOnvulsions which
will put our whole governmental system
in the most serious jeopardy, enormous
abuses of power, heretofore committed to
the executive department, have occurred,
which have everywhere filled the minds
of our ccuntrymen with distrust and
alarm. Ten days hence freedom OF
deliberation will have been etfectually
extinguishsd in this body, by means
which | may not specify. The freedom
of the press will in all probability come
to an end about the same time; by the
operation of causes which / have hereto
| fore discussed in this hall In the midst
of these alarming occurrences, and while
corruption is known to be ditfusing
itself along all the channels OF otfi
cial intercourse, what is the condition Of
our armies2 Lee is snobly and successfully
defending Richmond and Petersburg
The unjust, unwise, and deeply criminal
displacement of the gallant and efficient
Johnston from the command OF the army
of Tennessee, and the transfer OF thai
army to the neighborhood Of Nashville
has opened all Southern Georgia, Soutl
Carolina, and Alabama to the army o
Sherman. Fort McAllister has fallen
Savannah is about to -fails--Fhe fate o
Charleston seems only to be deferred
few days later Hoods army has already
met with a great disaster at Franklin
and is, in my Judgment, fatally compro
missed. Presidential interference is tn
|
of the result of the unfortunate battle o
Murfreesboro, and the still more disas
trous one at Missionary Ridge Should
Hoods army be destroyed-an even
which | fear is but too probable-ant
Sherman come round to this vicinage il
ships, as do not doubt he now intends
what will be the fate of Richmond Sir
it is under such circumstances that il i
deemed wise to throw unseemly Obstruc
tions in the way of passing an eficien
financial bill! Is this the proper time to tall
about repudiationl Is this the time t.
refuse to entertain proposition looking
to an honorable peacel So think man.
in this House, who constitute a ma jOrity
but so do not / think. Sir, j have spG
ken out my views frankly and explicitly
and now l wish to say to this House
that the course Of events here and else
whore has been recently such that shal
deem it duty which owe alike to m
own character and to the principle
which have heretofore steadily main
tanned, to withdraw from this body a.
} together ain a freeman, and the req
resentative of freemen, and know no
how to legislate in chains. | will Ii
longer be responsible for measures adop,
ed in secret sessions of this body, whic
} my whole soul abhOrs and my whole III
: derstanding condemns This, asI hav
already said, is perhaps the last tim
that will address this body or discus
the questions here under consideration
, | shall withdraw to some sequestere
! spot, where l can enjoy a little repos
} and freedom from taxation. Ifdisturbe
, in my retreat by the hand of oppression
, I will seek in foreign climes that feedol
and happiness which ] consider is denie
to me here.
The committee then rose, and, ON m,
ton, the House adjourned.