The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-05-05

ion, and will serve to bring up emotions O
: eternal hate. i j. we're true. as was al
, legged bya distinguished Senator from Obi
: tir Nade.) III a speech in Portland il
1896, that he believed th;st no two na
tlons on the earth hated each other as mucI
As the North and South" how much NOR
true Is the remark now, after they haf
been arrayed in such bloody contests |
Is the object OF the sword tocut and cleav,
asunder, but never to ante What Uniol
Is there between Russia and Poland be
tween Austria ana Hungary, between
England and Catholic Ireland where tn;
sword and the bayonet for centuries hay.
been employed? Instead of conferi:Ie ma
terial strength, thcy are sources Of weak
ness to countries that hold them in sub
lection, and which would this day bs
stronger without than with them.
Mr.. Chairman. these lessons Of h;sior,
are full OF warning and example. Much
better would it have been for us in the be-
ginning-much better would it be for US
uow-to consent TO a division cf our mag
nilicent empire and cultivate anicable re-
lations With our estrangei brothers, than
to seek to hold them 10 Us by the power OF
ihe sword Here lex me advert to the COM
mon, yet perfectly glaring and apparent er-
ror. that 10 part with cur jurisdiction over
eleven States involves the destruction Of
our Government. The statement OF the
proposition demonstrates its absurdity. As
well might one say who had Il farm Of two
hundred acres Of land. that he had lost his
! title deed to all Of il. because. by some mis-
fortune. lie had parted with fifty In los
ing the South, not one function OF cur GOV
ernment over Us is surrendered. Il re-
mains over Us as completely sovereign as it
ever Gid. Here let me say. Us the ex-
preston Of my individual belief that If it
ha / been understood IL The North. as in
the South, that by tie terms OF the Fed
eval compact, a State had right to secedc
from the Union, this disputation would
never have occurred. Had the North so
understood the matter. there would have
been apon Its part forbearance from the
exercise OF extreme measures, and the de-
sire no; to force the Southern States to the
wall. that would have ever maintained the
COnicderacy unbroken. Il was the preya.
lency of the ide, OF the consolidationists in
the North, that the Southern States had
40 right t., and would not secede, that
tempted them and that fatal policy that
has sun9erel the Confedcracy
1t is said that no Contederacy can exist
by recognition of this principle; but such
was not tac view OF tie fathers OF our
government. it was not the view Of .jeiler-
son and Madison in their immortal resclu-
items OF l7a8 and 1899.
L has been sad. Mr. Chairman, that it
woui.l make a conielcracy Il rope Of sand
but ifso it is strange that the Southern
ronlcdcrac:-. N'.ore II is recognizcl sho'd
hol,. together through such a bloody pres
sure As we have applied to il for the last
three years; it is strange rope Of sand
that cndures all that.
But tc return, Mr. Ci.airiiian. as viii be
Judged perhaps, to the tenor OF these re-
marks. | en- reluctantly ard despondent-
IL forced 10 In conclusion that the Union
is lost. never 10 ne restored. | regard all
dreams OF the restoration of the Union,
which was the pride Of my life, and to re-
store which, even now, | would pour out
my hearts blood. as worse than idle /
see neither North or South any sentiment
OH which it is possible to build Union
those element u union which Mr. Adams
described have by the process of time been
Destroyed Worse, yet worse than that,
Mr. Chairman, am reluctantly forced to
the conclusion that in attempting to pre-
serve our jurisdiction over the Southern
States we have lost our constitutional form
oi' government oyer the Northern. What
has been predicted b cur wisest and most
eminent statesmen has come to pass; in
grasp;ng at the shadow we have lost the
ubssance; in striving 10 retain the casket
oflberty in which our jewels were contin-
ed. We have lost those precious monuments
Of freedom.
Orr Government, rs all know, is not
an thing resembling what 1t was three
years are; there is not one single vcstigc Of
the Constitution remaining; every clause
and every letter OF it has been violated, and
| have 10 idea myself that it will ever be
respected. Revolutions never 90 back
ward 30 the point at which they started
There has always been large party in
this country favorable to q strong or mon
archid government, and they have now all
the clements upon which to establish one.
They have vast army, an immense pub
lie debt. ana an irresponsible Executive.
Ambitious to retain power, he Is a candl-
date ior re-election and as Commander-in-
Chief, it is charged (whe.her true or false
[ shall not undertake 10 decide). that he
has already used the army in the Florida
expenition To advance his chances of sue
cess. One OF the Generals he has decapi-
tatel (Gcn. Fremont, has entered the
field to dispute his claim to n continuance
in power. and IL the Chronicle of this city.
the Presidents organ, is correct in his
constructions OF the suggestions Of
he New York Herald, speaking OF Lieut.
General Grant the question is already
mootcd whether he. in certain contingent
ces. al the head OF the army, would not
be justified in assuming the reins OF gov
ernment.
The very idea upon which this war is
founded coercion of States leads to des-
potism 10 preserve a republican form of