Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-08-13
THE GREAT CONTEST ga =
Final Success of Our Cause. u
1s.l SPEECH or rAe n8 III 3 so
HON. JAS. "A. GARFIELD
OF OHIO. eoa mH
In the House Of Representatives, July 25. O

uas seen nj 10 refer 10 mark whiJh j
made on the last occasion when the pro-
posed repeal of the communication clause was
before the House. do not think be In.
tended to misrepresent me, yet he did so.
did not take 1t Upon myself TO criticise
the individual acts or votes of any member
OF this House. But, sir, 1t is my right to
animadvert upon the action Of this House,
and the effects Of its policy. This right ]
have hitherto used in such manner as
deemed proper; and while have the honor
OF a seat in this body | shall continue to
use 1t. On that occasion / did, as the
gentleman states, declare |, as my opinion
that we had reached point in the progress
OF events where we must decide to repeal
the communication clause, or give up the
successful prosecution of the war / did
not theu believe, that the vote then taken
was such decision; but did believe, and
! yet believe, that if the policy indicated
by that vote shall be persisted in If the
communication clause be permanently retain.
ed in the law, if no more effiaient law be
passed this session for filling up our armies
aud supplying the waste OF battle and dis
ease, the rebellion cannot be put down
during the lifetime of the Thr Eighth
Congress -
| go further. If this Congress shall
leave the law as it now stands, and the
next Congress repeats the folly, do not
believe the rebellion will be but down dur
ing the continuance of the next Congress
nor at all while the incubus of commuia-
tIon weighs down the present law. In my
judgment that clause stands directly in the
way OF hlling up our armies.
Mr.. Speaker, it has never been my pol
icy to conceal a truth merely because it is
nnpicasant IL may be well to smile 10 the
face OF danger, but it is neither well or wise
TO let danger approach uncballenged and
unannounced. A brave nation, like a
brave man, desires to see aud measure the
perils which threaten it 1t is the right
OF the American people to know the neces.
sites OF the Republic when they are aled
upon TO make sacrifices for il. 1t is this
lack OF confidence in ourselves and the peo.
pie, this timd waiting for events to con
troll US when they should obey US. that
makes men Oscillate between hope and fear !;
now in the sunshine of the hill tops; and
nv" ~ wv 6iOOh uuu ouuuONo VI tuC val
ley. 10 such men the morning bulletin
wnlch heraldS success in the army gives
cxculton and high hope; the evening dis
patch announces some slight Disaster TO our
advancing columns brings gloom and de-
preston Hope rises and falls by the ac-
cdeuis of war as the mercury of the ther
momeler changes by the accidents of heal
and cold. Let US rather take for our sym
ooi tue sailors barometer,- which faithfully
forewarns him OF lhe tempest and give.
nin unerring promise of serene skies and
peaceful seas.
Mum IN can deny that we have ground
Tor appr h'usitn and anxiety. The unex
ampieu magni q lie of the contest, the enor
nous expenditures of the war, the unpre
cedenled waste of battle bringing sorro"
To every loyal fseside the courage, endur
ance, and desperation of our enemy. the
sympathy given him by the monarchies o.
The O.d World as they wait and hope fo'
our destructionj all these consideration
should make US anxious and earnest, but
they should not add one hue Of despair t'
the lace ct an American CITIZEN, they
should not abaie title Of his heart ant
hope. The Spectators of defeat, bankrupt
cy aud reputation have stalked tbroug
This Chamber evoked by those geutleme
who see no hope for the Republc 10 tn
arbltrament of war, no peace made secur
by the triumph of freedom and truth.
i M. Speaker, even at this late day of tn
session will beg the indulgence of tn
House while point out some Of the ground
of our confidence 10 the 6nal success of ou
cause, while l endeavor to show tha
though beset with danger we still stant
on finn earth, and though the heavens arr
clouded, yet above storm and cloud the u
Of our national hope shines with stead.
aud undimmed spIendor. History
constantly repeating itself, making
ouly such changes Of programme as to-
growth of nations aud centuries requires. =
Such struggles as ours, and lar create
ones have &c :uri e in other ages and thel
, records are written Tor US.
desire 10 refer to the example OF ou
ancestors across the sea. in their grea
struggles at the close of the last and tn
beginning of the present century, TO SHOW
: hat a brate nation can do when thel
liberties are 10 danger and their national ex
, is,ance is at stake. There were two period
] in the history Of that contest when Eng
land saw darker days than any we hay
seen, or, hope, ever shall see. Conslde
her condition 10 1851. For ten years tn
tide of mad revelation had been sweeping
over Europe like destroying pestllenee
! demolishing thrones and principalitles. and
while many evils were swept away, chao
and anarchy were left in its track. Il
tl192 France declared war against To-
world; and in February. 1893. spec fcall
declared war against England. AT tha
fine the British debt was 81 1858, e6S, ,O45
and It's auusl interest $45,225. .304. lib
populaiion of the United Kingdom wa
less than twelve millions, incndng treiau
Ireland then as now the tear ia the ey
) Of treat Britain, source OF weaknes
rather than strength. The spirit OF revc
!. llution prevaded the kingdom from collier
: iss to court. The throne distrusted tn
people, and the people were Jealous OF th
: mowers OF the throne. ~
In 1894 the hsbsas corpus act was su
Z Deuded sgainst an opposition 10 parliamer
: mora determined and fat abler than It's So
pepsion met in our Congress two years sg.
I'm 1895. three and q quarter million Gall