The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-04-22
Longs Spces,inn speech.

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The following extracts from the
Speech Of Alex. Long in Congress,
we commend to the especial attention
of our readers.
Il again recur to the consideration
of the Union. Can the Union be res
tored by WARP I answer most unhes-
itatlingly and deliberately no, never;
war is final, eternal separation " My
first and highest ground of opposi
ton to its further prosecution is that
it is wrong; it is in violation Of the
Constitution and Of the fundamcnt-
al principles on which the Federal
Union was founded. MY second OBJ
lection is that as policy it is not re-
constructive but destructive, and
will, if continued, result speedily in
the destruction of the Government
and the loss Of civil liberty to both
North and South, and it ought, there
fore Immediately cease.
CATER all, Mr.. Chairman, it is not
the extent of territory which should
be the object Of our desires. Better
sacrifice over nine tenths Of the terri
tory thsn destroy our republican form
OF govcrcment. What peoble de-
sired in 1861, and which | honored
though I regarded rs mistaken, was
the preservation of the Government
and the retention of our jurisdiction
over the whole territory. They were
rightly willing to sacrifice every ma,
terial consideration for that purpose.
Land is nothing, Mr. Chairman, com
pared to liberty. We existed rs n
republic when the mouth Of the Mis-
sissippi was held by foreign power
when we had nothing west of that
river, when Florida was held against
us, and we could exist again ifbv the
chastiscment OF heaven we should be
curtailed to orr old territorial dimcn.
sions. For fifteen millions of dol
lars we purchased the whole Of that
immense territory, and were it hun
dred thousand times rs valuable its
preservation would not be worth oul
admirable form Of government. Pri,lc
of territorial ambition is a vulgar and
low ambition Of national greatness, -
Russia and even China can vie will
us in that, but who wou'd not rather
reside in one Of the Cantons of SwitZ
erland, or in Great Britain, than il
those countries?
81 do not share in the belief enter
tanned bv many ofmv political friends
on this floor and elsewhere, that an,
peace is attainahle upon the lnsis o
Union and reconstruction. If thu
Democratic party were in power to
day, l have no idea, and honesty
compels me to declare IT., that they
could restore the Union over thirty
four States. MY mind has undergon'
an entire change upon that subject. -
I believe that there are but two alter
natives, and these ar either an &C
acknowledgement Of the independence o
the South rs an Independent nation, o
their complete subjugation and ex
termination as people; and ofthes'
alternatives | prefer the former,
"I will say further, Mr.. Chairman
that if this war is to he still furthe
prosecuted, l prefer that it shall b
done under the auspices of thos
who now conduct its management, a
J l do not wish the party with which
am connected to be. in any degree re
, sponsible for its results, which can
not be otherwise than disastrous am
suicidal-let the responsibility re
main where it is until we can have
change of policy instead on men,
such thing is possible. Nothin
, could be more fatal for the Demo
cratic party than 70 seek to come in
to power pledged to q continuance G
a war policy--such policy wou'd b
/, a libel upon its creed in the past mp
, the ideas that lie at the basis Of a