St. Mary's gazette., 1864-02-04

~ c1Asc ANN NOOD.
T We clip from the Baltimore Ssa of last
week, the following cxtrsct. from the
speech Of Fernando Wood. recently made
in the House of Representatives, of the
JT aS.f4etF ss -f5as
s DC. Fernando Wood, of. New Yerk.
said Mat the proposition under considera-
tion sought te accomplish two great
wrongs. Une to repeal a measure which
bad prevented Presidential veto Of the
eou6scaiion bill. and which was substan-
tally part af that law, and the other to
Grade or vialate the constitution itself.
lie gave history of the proceedings at
i"nding the passage of the coniscation
bill in 1862, and sreued that the expla-
natory resolution was part Of that bill,
and that the President gave his assent to
the two as one measure; and that now,
10 repeal the resolution and leave the
bill stand. was a gross violation of law,
justice aud, right. lie then argued against
the consiitulionah,y of coniiscation. so
far as the lint resolution pending at
tempted TO deprive The heirs of persons
aiiaintcd of treason Of the fec of their re-
| al property. The limitations Of the con-
siitu'ion aud of the mode "f procedure
pointed out for the punishment of crimes
were direct and explicit III The organic
law.
| He sad that the Southern States were
either within or without til: Union. IF
within the Union. tl.e people Of the re-
voting States were not deprived Of the
protection, nor EXEMPT froi. the operation
of the CONSTITUTION; but if without the
! Unh IN. they were belligrr.nts-a foreign
power at war with The Unite! States, aud
were entitled to all the immuniiirs which
the law of nations recognizes. lie alluded
to the positions assumed by Mr.. Stevens,
of Ponns. lyahia. taken in his speech de-
livertd IL the House or Friday, as sus-
tainir & the latter doctrine. lie congratu
la,es Tie country that at last tho leader OF
the republican party in this llousc--,he
man who represented the administration
here as chancellor Of the exchcqucr-had
The courage to thus publicly avow the
doctrine upon which The government vas
now acting. While pretending 10 be for
the trios. il -sss sgs;ps, the Union. ad
uniting ITS dissolution. and secretly pre-.
pariag for eternal separation and recogni-
tlon Assuming this as the attitude o..
The party III power, le saw TO difference
between it and the Confederate govern
ment The latter csntcndcd ,hst it was
an independent power, at war with US,
aud SO did the gentleman from Pennsyl-
! vania and the xdinni.tl alton.
Mr.. Wood then said that early in the
session be had proposed The appointment
of commissioners to treat with the Con-
federate government. Such had always
been the practice Of this country. We
had d6Lc 50 with the Barbary powers.
With England il. 1915, and with Mexico
iu 1913. But if it be said that this was
rebellion aid should not be recog-
| nizcd by the appointment Of commission
crs, he refeIred 10 the appointment Of
! commissioners to treat with The leaders
of the Shay rebellion in l7e6; with the
whi>kcy rebellion in 1895, when Washing
ton ahd Alexander Hamilton, then Sec
rotary Of tho Treasury, proceeded TO Car
Isle, in Pennsylvania. to treat in person
with the rohrls; and t., the Mormon re-
bellon, in 1857, when the President ap-
pUinied Governor Powell, of Kentucky,
and ColoUcl McCulloeh, Of T, xas, con,-
nissioners to effect paciication Of those
Prctiiga:e oLtcas;s. Colonel Kane, of
Pcnnsylvanis. was also party. with the
Executive appreciation, TO quiet the Nor
ni~ns, aud induce thcm to acquicsce in
the authority of the constitution aud laws.
But the administration aud party in
power were opposed to the restoration OF
the Union. and desired continuance of
the war. " which to accomplish designs
Of partsan advantage. The fu.li=g cle-
nents w,re fanatici$m aad corruption.
Thus the war is sustained under the plea
Of patriotism. The most damnable deeds
were being perpctrsted This ,cur must
cease. 1t was commenced without cause.
has bern prosecuted without glory. aud
will emd in national impNerisimcnt,
disiutegration ahd ruin. These who fa-
vored this var favored Jisunior; and peace,
he said. is the only hope of restoration. Ii
was idle to talk of the policies Of the war
Ii made no difference what were the poll
cies The Result would be subversion of
republican institutions and utter dcstruc-
tion " .a v
He was opposed to The conduct Of the
South. but Was sqially oppased to ,he
conduct of the North under the republi.
can pOlicy. Both were for Gissoit,t;an
Let us therefore attempt peaccabie solu-
,iou of The difficulty. Peace must come
sooner or later. Why not procure it be-
fore both sections were exhausted aud all
their material Interests destroyed? Fe
ref rrcsl4o what be designated the barbar-
ism nf the times, which had s~e.me so
rcv"lting that il ceased TO .h.ck. lie
appealed to the baasied spirit of Christian
'':zasion, Of Progress. ef common hu-
! fnaniiy, to ihr,w itself Into thc arcua aud
sivs the American people. 49, ~