Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-03-03

Ihe AuOctty y tOUtScdhOn, dc.
On the Goth of Januury, the Hon. Fer
nando Wood, Of New York, made a speech
in the House of Representatives, against
Confscation Bill. After showing its un-
constitutionality, he said:
Mr.. Speaker, suppose that these obiec-
tions to the confscation did not exist, what
should be said in this enlightened age Of
progress, civilization, and Christianity, of
such legislation? What will be thought of
the American people, who, boasting oftheir
freedom, advancement, and progrcss--cal-
ling themselves enlightened and Christian
of thus pursuing their fellow citizens with
this spirit Of unrclenting hate, desoation,
and destruction, by carrying vengeance be
yond the guilty party, even to his remotcSt
postcrity? Why, sir, Rome, the most in
human monster ofnatlOns as against IL pros
I trate foe, never went so far as that. Rus
Sia, emerging from barbarous condition,
! (for she has not been recognized among the
civilized nations ccntury,) when she par
titioned Poland respected the widows and
orphans. No government has pursued an
enemy with such yindictivc malignity as we
are now those who came into the Union
with us, whose blood has been freely shed
upon every battlefield Of the country until
now, with our own; who fought by our side
in the American Revolution, and in the
war of 1872; who bore our banner brayest
and highest in our victorious march from
Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico, and who
but yesterday sat in these halls, contribu-
ting toward the maintenance of our glorious
institutions.
Sir Edmund Burke discussed these qucs-
tions in the British Parliament He was
not afraid of the epithct Of traitor. He
stood erect in the dignity of manhood, in
spircd from above las would to God we
had such an one here, dcnouncing tyranny
and upholding freedom. His words are di-
rcctly pertinent to the present proposition.
Mr.. Burke says:
Il do not know the method of drawing
up, AN Indictment against, whole people.
x ''In such un.
fortunate quarrcls among the component
parts of Il great political uuion of commu
mites, | can scarcely conceive anything
more imprudcnt than for the head of the
empire to insist that if any privilege is plead
against his will or his acts, that his whole
authority is denied, instantly to proclaim
rebellion, to beat to arms, and to put the
offending provinces under the ban. VIII
not this, Sir very soon teach the provinces
to make no distinction on their part? VIII
it not teach them that the Government
against which claim of liberty is tanta-
mount to high treason is Il Government to
which submission is equivalent to slavery?
Lord Chatham, ina speech, ito put a
stop to hostilities," delivered in the House
of Lords, May 30th, 1877, speaks in al
most the same words as the advocates Of
peace at the North do at this crisis
"We have tried for unconditional sub
mission try what can be gained by uncon
dtional redress. | say this country hn
been the aggressor. You have made de
scents upon their coasts, you have burned
their towns, plundcred their country, mad
war upon the inhabitants, confiscated thcl
. property prescribed and imprisoned thci
persons do therefore affirm, my Lords
that instead of eXacting unconditional SUI
mission from the colonies, we should gran
p, them unconditional redress. We have ii
1 jurcd them; we have endcavored to enslav
and oppross them Upon this ground, m
Lords instead of chastisemcnt they are el
titled to redress.
/, Again he sa,u.
My Lords, ] need not look around f
grievances. The grand capital mischief
y fixed ut home, II corrupts the very fou
dation of oCr political existence, and pre-
upon the vitals Of the State. The Cons
tNtion has been grossly violated. I'm
that wound be healed, until the grievan
y be. redrcsscd, it is in vain TO recommcl
union to Parliamcnt--in vain to attem
to promote concord among the people.
"The Constitution has its political Bib
=, by which, if it be fairly consulted, eve
political question may and ought to be {
termincd .Udgla Chdrto, the Petit
of Right, and the Bill of Rights form tn
''' code which | call the Bible of the Engh
Constitution lad some Of His Maiest,
''' unhappy predecessors trusted less to t
comments of their ministers had been b.
ter read in the text itself, the glorious /,
y. olution would only have remained possi
- in theory, and would not now have exist
upon record, Il formidable example to tn
successors.
On the employment of mcrccnalies II
savages in war the same great orator bur
z. forth in Il strain of indignant cloqucr
which is as familiar as household words
every land where the English tongue
known or spoken.
what has been the conduct Of yC
ministers? How have they cndeavored
concliatc the affection and obedience
=. their American brethren? They have G,
to Germany; they have sought the allial
and assistance of every pitilul, beggm
insignificant, paltry German Prince, to
- the throats of their loyal, brave, and inj
ed brethren in America; they have entc
= into mcrconary treaties with those hun
- butchers for the purchase and sale of
man blood But, my Lords, this is not
they have entered into other treaties ; q
:. have let the sayagcs of America loose NJ
their innocent, unoilending bNthrcn- 10
- upon the weak, the aged, and deienscles
on old men, women and childrcn--ul
the very babes upon the hreast--to be {
mangled, sacrificed, broiled, roasted, 4
10 be literally eaten alive. These, my Lon
are the allies Great Britain now has;
> mage, desolation and destruction where
her arms are carried is her newly adop
test mode of making war y
ex, 1.-The arms of this country are disgra
i,nl hHi even in victory as well MS defeat. Is
,ye- consistent, my Lords, with any part Of
4 Of 2f former conduct Was it by means
rgh these We arrived at the pinnacle OF Il
and grandeur which, while it establis
our reputation in every quarter OF the gl'
,rd. gave US the fullest testimony of our Just
mercy and national integrity? Was i
-- the tomahawk and scalping- knife that L
= ish yalor and humanity became IN mar
60 proycrbial, and the triumphs of war
the eclat of conquest became but mat
of secondary praise when compared
those of national humanity and matte
honor? Was it by letting loose the S,
'io ges of America to imbrue their hand,
- IL ~ 4. L. j :.