Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-04-20
General Garaeld,s Speecn.

agate, the Washington correspondent
of the Cincinnati Gazette. writes a long
letter describing the debate in the House.
On Mr. Longs taking his seat, he says:
From the beginning, the attention OF
the House has been growing more and
more fixed; as he closes the aisles near
him are filed with q crowd OF standing
Unionists, who have been closely watch,
ing the bold, bad utterances. There is a
general return 70 the seats, and q cluster
ing toward the center front, where Gar
field sits; while a few Democrats take the
hand of their speaker, and the rest ex-
change inquiriDg glances. and seem at q
loss what TO do.
The hustle and hum OF relaxation that
has followed the speech bushes Sc Gar
field rises, and profound stiffness reigns
through hall and galleries.
This man, thus put up, On the spur of
the moment, 10 answer and d~enounce the
most attrocious speech lat least since Val
lsudigham's) ever heard in this hall, but
thirty two years of age, has never had but
q single terms experience in a Legisla-
tive body before he came here, is q new
member here, and is among the youngest
on the floor. Before he was sent to the
Ohio Senate, whence the war drew him
TO q brilliant career in the field, ftly
crowned with u Major Generals commits
sion and a seat in Congress, he was a qui
ct principal of q village Academy in
Northern Ohio.
The first sentence comes home; and
smiles OF satisfaction pass from face to
face on the Administration side.
After d opening paragraph, Agate
says:
Mr.. Long has been adjusting his manu-
script on his desk, and acknowledges the
congratulations of his friends; but this
requires attention. He leaves his desk
near the outer row, and comes down the
aisle, within convenient hearing distance,
and other Democrats initiating his move
ment, gather closer to the clerks desk
The orator continues.
After the invectiye, with which the
speech opens, is fairly begun, Agate says:
The inyective is terrible, and the inYol-
untary murmur OF sensation that runs
through hall and galleries shows how
heavily it falls. Longs face was wreathed
in smiles in the beginning, at the splen-
did compliment 70 his honest courage,
but it now grows black with Indignation,
and he shifts unessily in his seat, while
the others dart stolen glances ct him and
back again TO the flushed face, and point
ing menacing gesture of the excited ora
tor, as the climax manifestly approaches.
at the close of the invectiYe, he says:
Here this splendid burst of oratory
have fully closed. The audacious
advocate of the rebellion had been de-
nounced by a loyal representative from
his own State, and the fact had been fair
ly acknoWled0ad that however humilia-
ting was the admission, be spoke for a
section of his party.
But, not satisfied with ~invective, the
General enters upon srgument.-
THAT traitor, over the asile," has advo-
the right of secession, and main
tanned that we should let the rebels CO.
He will not seek constitutional arguments
it, for he has done that before,
but he begs TO call attention to a fact, the
mere statement of which becomes the
strongest of arguments:
On the conclusion of the speech, Agate
There is quiet for a moment after the
orator has taken his seattle
seem to wait as If for more; and
no man cares 10 follow, in contrast with
such a display. Then comes the congrat-
hum that marks the delight of
the Administration side; and as the DEM
turn TO their sadly shattered cham
oion, he rises to respond.
There has been an idea that ne does
lot amount to much; that he can write
,ut and declaim a speech well enough,
that he will be unable to take care Of
in ez tensp0re debate. There is
Don occssion to correct the mistake.