The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-03-16
coNGRHssIoSAL.

f5+ssss .f2ss GdfNeStxkcSSlONAL.tS H.. - 80
tssaI sz 5sls ---.ls 45a Esslif
f HoUsE-Febsl7. T1a,aks to Minor Gene,
AZ e honaas.--J oint resolution s. No. II Z
thanks to Major General George ii. hon1as
and theso officers and men who fought suf,sie
ms command at the battle offChickama,oa
/ was the next business taken from the Speak
ers table, and read a first aud second time. 5
MT. GARFIELDs4 Is itiin order to move
| an amendment to that resolution? af
The SPEAKER. It's.
Mr.. GARFIELD. Ther, move To aner an,
by inserting the name OF Major General "
/ 5. Roseerans before that of General Thomas
| SO that it will read to Major GeneralaW. 8
Rosecrans and Major General George II
Thomas, and to the officers and men upde,
tkem.,, xsdf aEa4f ,gs1 ''a5syfeI Is ss,s'lsse'
NJ R. WILSON, Ibelievethat this House
n mas q already passed ointreselation of thanks
to General Rosecrans.
. Mr.. GARFIELD. The gentleman is mis-
taken. tiia zzg.se9etsi e ssif 71fS sf9
Mr.. STEVENS. We had better wait and
GRAMS. =
Mr.. FARNswoRTH. Sc thipk.a . I /
believe that these resolutions ought to stand
each byitselfa Fhisi is special resolution
Of thanks to the officers and menswho fought
- % o'VS.9F y. Va 5SSnlckainauSa ana am not
Prepalec, WITH the lr information m have in re-
resolution of thanks to Major General Rose
GRAMS, At. all events, it seems To me that
each resolution should be acted on Sc eparately.-
Mr.. GARFIELD. Mr.. Speaker. / regret.
that this resolution has come before TIE House, 8,
OF Representatives, 1T is now presented. I
had hoped. should not be compelled to- refer
PuDlciy i3es 70 the matters involved in1it, and,
ueiose ,s l speak 70 tne merits OF the resolution
i'seii, must oe lnduiged IN the expression
oi my opinion IN regard to the custom which
IS growing up 10. tins body in reforeneel to this
elsss 5I oi resoihflons The. practice of this
llouse duurlng urg the bret period IN which have
ueen iie,iloer mas led me to lear that the
lns',Ao ois e"e congress OF Inc Y nlted States
Z. 700 cneap an artlcie IN the eu-
los'se'c literature OF the world. Time was
:" nen ~ nan man must stand grandiy pre7e nllneHt
- Ie ee ese,'iatlon ana aHeqtlon pf the Anaerl-
caii pesopiei 20 recelye ffrough the: solemn
iornis OF law the THANKS OF the nation through
us l,, representatives IN Congressi assembled-s,
! /. o merit tnat was worth q Lifetime of sacri-s
nee ana nero snl. We have changed, this
worthy fa- custom. Since this session, began,
many resolutions OF thanks have been passed
y sisnous ioesing s relerred TO the appropriate
IN. .onliiii.sees, "ltnoue remarks and almost
loslce. Ihey nave been passed tac-
siy " x, kihd ei common consent. w e have,
not only thanked otf1cers who were chiefs of
,.ni.es, out also those who have held subor-
!, r.nee posleions IN the various armies of the
sI Ipuone no p quesstlon mas been asked
se' 'ne onieer was enti.ied 10 this dis
nos.oa' =, wnetner e'l oy tnanKlng one, another
= as noe foooea Oh ms merlted honor. re-
4 -
eeHng mat we are eheapening the thanks of
congress by distributing them without dis
and without question. I have
'een SO willing to thank any man who has
erved the country IN this war, thatI have
loI ielt disposed to lnterpose objection. s5Ala
In many OF the instances referred to I have
lad no knowledge of the merits of the case. I
5ut when It comes so close to my own ex Pc
lehce and knowledge OF the history of the
saf' cannot permit areselution of ths kind
pass Wlehout my protest against this hasty
no tnoughtiess style OF legislation. / have
cen e surprised that the honorable members
TINS HOUSE should treat so lightly the
natters involved IN thanking the public SER
ans .. tue natlon.z now appeal tos your
suse oi Justlce Wnetner IL De right to single /
Ut a subordinate officer, give him the thanks
congress, and pass his chief in silence
N what grounds are you now ready to ignore
he man who has won SO many of the proud
st victories! l do not believe that such is
ie purpose or wish of this House. s
ms resolution proposes to thank Major
feneral Thomas aud the officers and men
hoer ms command for gallant services in the
attic OF Chickamaugua- 1t meets my hear
approval ior what 1t contains, but my pro-
81 ior wnae IL does not contain. l should
1's lee.sans 70 my own sense OF justice did
,om - ,,aa .nS Omission 70 pass "'sneut aofice.-f
= ',iel n,ali uere is ready TO say-and There be
lon man al am reaoy 70 meet hlm-that
e suanAs ot TINS congress are not due, to
AZ r-uenefai w. ?. hosecrans, for the CAM
.iga lwh.ch cuImlnated IN the battle of
iIckaniauga. sIl'a g IL Is not uncommon through
- she press OF tne country, and among
any peope, 70 SPEAK o. saa. oattle as a DIS
'er 20 tne army OF the United States, and
.feas oi ~ Us q oeieat IL thas battle was
eeieat, q we may wetcome hundred. SUCH
ieats- should be glad II each OF our ar
es wouia repeat Onickamauga. twenty b
cn wouio destroy the reoei army and the
u,sueracy lJa utterly ana forever. .ss
w lial was sl. tnae oaseie, terminating as 1t did
'reas campaign whose object was to drive S
reoei army beyond the tennessee, and to 9
ialn 4 ioosnolo on ene soush oank OF that !
.. Hnscn snoulu H,c ,cfen .ne oasls SIS oi future
0'a'ions ~ si.s uuil o'aeess naa hev-e
Ses olusseI .ne Ilser, eAceps Lar peiow IN
: ~ a".. uou 81 ~ oof,nsn Ina1sa.loosa an