Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-04-16

take measures a. be would sgaIust the saw
age who attacked himself or family Hs
wonld resort 10 any element Of deslructioei
aud, " necessary, he would fling oil con
stitutional ronctions 10 the winds raihel
than lose his country.
Mr.. Eldridge OF VIA (Dcm asked hin
whether he had not sworn to support The
Consultations?
Mr.. Garfield replied that Ire had, and We
glad the gentleman had ssked the question
He recollected that the Constitution de
clared the purpose FOR which Il was formed
II was for the general welfare and publ,
defense. And on that ground he swore Il
support Il, regreiting that he had not ,
sword 10 bis 1plifted AauG at the time, u
show q determination to inierpose all mean
TO overthrow this cursed rebellion. Ill
said that while he was In the military ser
vice, q spy brought TO him two letters I'D
dressed to John G. Breckenridge Tbey
contained commeudations OF the bearer
Who desired place in the rsuks Il
fight the Aboli,ionists. One of them wa,
written by man who recently held seal
on his floor. aud was from Indiana.
Mcssrs. Holman, G. A. White, aud 9th
ers, on the opposition side, called for the
name Of the writer.
Mr. Garfield said be had the letter. ard
was understood to say be would give The
name Of the writer at the proper time. Ht
then alluded TO tho knights Of the Golden
Circle, with their secret signs and pass
words. Such organizations came up before
the American people under the lead Of the
party over the way. This will be the sig
nal for throwing up blue lights at the Cap
itol at Richmond. This be believed 10 be
the elevated banner, the signal to be an
swered by traitors all over the land.
Mr.. Long replied that he said very dis
tinctly when be commenced his remarks,
that he spoke for himself, and that he was
alone responsible for his utlerances. He
was well aware Of what he did say. He
said It deliberately, becau,e bis conscien q
told him II was right, and bis judgment al
proved 1t. He said it, because when be
approached the front of the desk and held
up bis hand TO swear before heaven to sup
port the Constitution, be intended TO main.
tain The solemnity of the obligation--and
so help him God. fearless of all charges
that could be made by that gentleman or
Others. in spite OF all the means OF pow er
in the land, he never would violate that
oath or shrink from the responsibility he
assumed on The FIRST day of the session. He
uever belonged to party which took the
oath with q mental reservation. He re.
membered the district of country from
which his colleague hailed. The resistance
to the fugitive Slave law, and the setting
al defiance Of the most solemn acts of Con.
greSs and the decision of the Supreme
Court, occurred there. lie had never been
guilty of that. II the gentleman charged
him with being q traitor. be ought to re:
member the authorities from which he Mr.
Long) quoted to support bis position. They
were the opinions OF the leaders of bis owp
party. who had advocated the doctrine
which he had promulgated to day. Secre.
tary Chase bad advocated the identical doc.
trine. If this was treason, all these men
were traitors. If this was treason they
might make the most of it.