The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-02-10
SPEECH OF MIR. HOWARD. OF MICHI-
GAN, IN THE SENATE OF THE UNIT
I'D STATES, JAN. 1864, ON THE En-
PULsION OF MIX DAVIS.

-
PULsION OF MIR DAVIS.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the
following resolution, submitted bv Mr.. Wilson
on the 6th instant:
Whereas, Hon. Garrett Davis, Senator from
Kentucky, did, on the 9Th day OF January, A. D
1864, introduce into the Senate Of the United
States a series of resolutions in which, among
other thinss it il declared that the people
North ought 20 revolt against their war leaders
and take this matter in their o~u hands there
/ by meaning TO ncite the people OF the United
States to revolt against he President Of the
United States, and those in authority, who sup
port him in tie prosecution Of the to pre-
serve, protect and defend the Constitution and
the Union and to take the prosecution OF the war
into their o~n hands, Therefore,
| Ress'ecd, That the ssii Garrett Davis las. ~
the introducing Of the resolution afOre- ID
been guilty Of advising the people Of the United
States TO REASONABLE, iisuuectiOnaIy. and re-
bellious action agans; tie Government Of the
United Ststes, aud Of gross violation Of the
privileges Of the Senate, ior which be Is hcTc6 =
expelled.
Mr. Howard offered an amendment, substitute
ing the word " censuFed " Tor the word expelled.
Mr Howard sa.d:
On the 5th Of January tue honorable Senator
/ from Kentucky presented 70 this body a series
OF very singular resolutions. snd asked the SEN
ate to order them 10 be printed The Senate
made the order They we're printed at the pub
lie expense, and are now pending before US
They are resolutions intended for consideration !;
We { asked to pass our judgment upon them,
AID to adopt them as the sentiments Of the Sem
ate of the United States, one Of the legislative
branches Of the Government In the course Of
I IL.
lucky, after alleging various grounds Of COM
plsint against the Executive Government Of the
United States and the action Of what be calls the
dominant party in the loyal States, uses this
| language
" Verify, the people North and the people
South had ought TO revolt against their war lead.
ers, and take this great matter into their own
hands and elect members to q national couven-
tion OF all the States, to terminate war that is
enriching hundreds of thousands of officers, plum
derers, and spOilsmen in the loyal States, and
threatens the masses of both sections with ire
trievable bankruptcy and indefinite slaughter /;
and TO restore their Union snd common Govern
ment upon the great principles Of liberty and
compromise devised by Washington and his as
socistes.'
Aud it is for the uterance OF the sentiments
contained in this clause which have read that
the Senator from Massachusetts offered the resO
luton for his expulsion. Now sir, think /
may say, without vanity. tha. | am too old aud
too well acquainted with the import of the Eag-
| lish language to fad il necessary to resort to
dictionaries, whether English, French or Latin.
for the purpose of ascertaning the meaning Of
the word "reU0lt." It is Lot capable OF discus
sion or disputation in the connection in which it
ia used in this sentence. The implication is
/ plain and irresistible that the word revolt as
used here, is revolutionary rising against the
Government of our common country. Such
regard ss its meaning. The school boy in the
geutleman's own Safe, fifteen years old, is just
as capable of giving the true Interpretation OF
this language as he is or as | am. He lie under
no misapprehension in regard TO it. When he
hears the word revolt, in this connection, the
idea at once and irresis ably suggests itself to bis
mind that the thing intended is a violent, unlaw-
ful revolution against the Government, bloody
insurrection, the object and aim of which are
the entire subverson and overthrow of the
Government of the United States az row admin.
stered.
Sir, cannot sit in my seat in this body and
allow sentiments of this sort TO be uttered with
out expressing my rebuke in some form or other
We are engaged in war, civil war; il you
please, sir, fratricidsl war, war which ia ex.
the Government, the people, the nation wal
not merely for the restoration Of the Government
in the insurrectionary districts, but for its pres
erVation and perpetuation for all time to come
a war which s covering our land with blood. Il
has already drenched the fair fields of Kentucky
with fraternsl blood. There, as in other places
brother rises up in arms against brother, sol
against father and father against son. The issu,
is simply this: whether We shall maintain III,
authority of the Government Of the United Stste
as established by the Constitution, or whethe
We shall abandon the struggle, giving the rebel
their way, and finally succumb in our effort, thu
acknowledging that there is not 10 the Govern
ment Of the United States. vigor sufficient (,
maintain its own authority, it's own existence
Il is .t this anxious moment, in the midst of thi
deadly struggle, that the Senator from Kentuck,
asks the masses OF the people to rise sgsins
their rulers in tunultuous iusurrection, and By
revolt hurl them from power.
Bat, sir, the Senator from KentSiky denie
that such a meaning is fairly to be imputed L
his language. | intend to treat both him an
his resolutions fairly aud in what have to ss
shall observe the plain duty incumbent upc
me, to cOnfne myself exclusively TO the recor
which be has made of his own opinions; that il
10 the resolutions be la- submitted TO the Ser
I ate. luc CcuttOl ifOla .-Sututky ueCihret III
speech which he made to the Senate by way
comment on these resolutions
"Nov, Ar. President, | ask gentlemen z
read this whole series of resolutions. I den
that there IS a sentiment or an exhortatiOn
them inviting 10 instruction, rebellion or wa
or military violence
q He then proceeds in the course of his r,
marks 10 read two OF his resolutions, and agni
declares;
al utterly controvert the position that there
any insurrectioa invited or stimulated in the,
= resolutions, or in any one OF the series. tn
resolutions institute, or attempt 70 institute,
bold and frank Investigation Of the prineipl,
= and measures OF this Administration, &c.
Mr.. President, the resolutions OF the Sena.t
from Kentucky are before this body subject
p be acted upon, and be is dssirous that we shs
:, act upon them. Ii is not for him, having thI
: written out the instrument and submitted it f
e our consideration, to set up 10 be its sole expo
e itor. lie IS not ST this stage Of the proceedu
I to be aNO"edto gi-e bis own particular gloss
' peculiar comment. Il is for rs a. veil as him
h 0onstrue and interpret the instrument; and
= must certain y have the charity 20 believe th
Z some Of rs at least are equal to himself in Il
:, power Of analysis 10 matters Of auguag
oi and that We are a. able as be 10 comprehend q
10 meaning as EXPRESSED in the ;ostrumsrf ~