Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-05-05

The House being in Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union in consld-
Grafton of the Presidents Message, Mr..
Long said
Mr.. Chairman 1 speak to-day for the
preservation Of the Government, and, al
though for the first time within these walls,
speech and latitude of debate so freely ex-
ercised by other gentlemen for the past four
months and which is admissible under the
rules in the present condition of the House;
but for what | may say and the position ]
shall occupy upon this floor and before the
country, | alone will be responsible, and in
the independence Of a representative of the
people, intend to proclaim the deliberate
convictions of my Judgment in this fearful
hour of the country peril. And now, Mr.
Chairman, as we are in Committee of the
Whole on the State Of the Union, let us
inquire, how stands the Union to-day.
4 little over three years ago the present
occupant of the Presidential Mansion, at
the other end of the Avenue, came into
this city under cover Of night, disguised in
plaid cloak and Scotch cap, lest, as was
feared by his friends he might have rccciv-
ed warmer greeting than would have been
agreeable on his way through Baltimore, at
the hands of the constituents of the honor
able gentleman from Maryland Mr., Davis.
On the 4th of March he was inauguratcd
and in his address deprecated civil war, us
ing that ever to be memorable language,
Suppose you go TO war, you cannot fight
always, and when, after much loss on both
sides, and no gain on either, you cease
fighting the identical old questions as to
terms of intercourse are again upon you. y
Seven States hadup to that seeded from
the Union. All believed that war would be
averted. At the conclusion Of the address
the lamented Douglas, who had closely
watched every word as it escaped the lips OF
the President turned to a friend, and with
tears in his eyes thanked God that after all
the election Of Abraham Lincoln would not
involve the nation in war A secret meet
ing of the Governors of number of States
was soon after held in this city A scheme
was devised and vessel sent out under pre-
tense of furnishing provisions to the troops
with Major Anderson in Fort Sumptcr On
arriving in Charleston lIarbor the people OF
that city fired upon the Fort The telegraph
bore the news to this city, and ON its first
mention to the PRESIDENT, he exclaimed, 81
knew they would do it, which, to my
mind, is conclusive that it was intended ex
pressly for that purpose. Seventy five thou
sand men were Immediately called for, war
was inauguratcd twenty days were given
the insurgents to lay down their arms; an
additional five hundred thousand men were
called for, hostlitcs commenced. The re
bellion was to be crushed inside Of sixty
days more troops were called for d; the
Union was to be restored with all the rights
equality and dignity Of the States unimpair-
ed. No man was permitted to question for
a moment the right of the Government to-
coerce the States back into the Union To
Ip,lt thn ri,rbt q, rnn-tipp thn ,nn,.,r
tOration Of the Union, was to be denounced
as a traitor to the Government and sympa-
thizer with the South. Thus, sir, was the
war inauguratcd.
The first year passed away; the second
came and passed III like manner, SO of the
third, and now, sir, let me again inquire
how stands the Union to-day? The brief
period of three short years has produced n
fearful change III this free, happy and pros
porous Government SO free in its restraints
upon personal liberty, and so gentle in it,
demands upon the resources Of the people
that the celebrated Humboldt after travel
ing through the country on his return I,
Europe, said, "rhc American people hay,
Government which you can neither So,
nor feel. So different is it now, and 5,
great is the change, that inquiry might wei
be made to day, are we now in Constantine
pie, in St Petersburg, in Vienna in Rom,
or in Paris ? Military Governors and thci
Provost Marshals override the laws, and til,
echo of the armed heel rings forth as clcarl,
now as in France or in Austria, and tn,
President sits to-day guarded by armed sol
diery, stationed ut every approach LEADING
to the Executive Mansion. SO far from
crushing the rebellion in sixty days, tire,
years have passed away, and from the da,
on which the conflict began up to the pres
hnn, thn I,nI,I,V,t, I,g
been forced beyond the sound of their gun
from the dome Of the Capitol in which VI
are assembled. The City of Washington i
to-day, as it has been for three years, guard
cd by Federal troops in all the forts and for
tifcations with which it is surrounded, I,
prevent an attack from the enemy, and n
an evidence Of the dcspondency of the Ad
ministration, and the unsuccessful opening
of the spring campaign of the fourth yea
in the progress of the war, the morning
EhOnicie of this city, the Presidents on
pan, in AN editorial n few mornings since
said. ''Charlcston has not been taken Le
maintains " bold front ON the Rapidan tn
Florida expedition was q failure the Shcr
man expedition has not be- success, all'
the rebels have everywhere shown lore yis
or than they were supposed to possess
Although this paper, and Others in support
OF ttlt AuilllllNlldllOl, nave IDlu lIlt tOun
try from time to time during the past win
ter, that the rebellion was crushed, and
slavery was dead that the Confederate'
were deserving, whole regiments at at time
coming within our lines, taking the oath
and describing the most horrible suffering
and decentralization from want of food
clothing and ill-treatmcnt, yet at the very
time the people have been so deceived and
misled from day to day the President calls
for 500, 900 more troops, aud III n few weeks
follows il by call for 2O0, 600 more, making
200, 900 since the first of January, and over
$500, 900 since the commencement of the
war out of the 3, 500, 900 who voted in the
so-called loyal States at the last Presidential
election, when 75 900 militia were to end il
in twenty, or at most, sixty days.
MIR. Chairman: have thus made very
brief statement Of facts as 10 the condition
OF the Union, to-day, and for doing whicl
i have no doubt the usual charge of zen
couragement for the rebels, " " the prolon
CATION Of the war, " the rebels are aidc'
by their friends on this floor and the lik
charges, will be repeated again by gentle
men on the opposite side of the House; an,
as have heard such charges 30 repeated
during the past four months, say now an
here that the real friends of the Coniedei
ates-those who give them aid and cncom
agement, and enable them to carry on tn
warfare on the opposite side of the Hous
and IN the control of the Government