, 1864-08-26


viency OF the bold tone of military despotism.
Such is history We are not exempt from the
fraities that wove this web of history for others
Party pride, blinded vanity, may think so. These
have driven many nations from the enjoyment
of liberty to the prOfoundest depths of tyranny.
To prevent this state of things we are all inter-
ested; one party no more than another, for when
it comes, all parties will suffer alike.
When the Roman legions had subdued Car
thage, the enemies of Hannibal, who in party
blindness had compassed his defeat, shared the
same fate with his friends. Party revenge may
be satisfied when political enemies come to grief
but this is no compensation for a ruined country.
When anarchy comes we are overwhelmed alike.
The Giroidist and the Jacobin followed each
other in rspd succession to the guillotine The
Royalist ~. 'ie Republican, the Presbyterian
and the Leveler suffered alike when party divi-
sions sacrificed the blessings of the revolution,
established a despotism for England more loath-
some than Charles had ever proposed.
In this moment of danger let all parties aban-
| don the prejtdiees of the past, and resolve to
follow the dictates of right. Whatever estab-
fishes justice tends to restore the Union. What
ever perpetuates wrong will continue to disturb
our peace. Let us unite to restore the Union,
and, if that be impracticable, let US abandon the
war.
X IL 80 .'oe# ~
Mr.. President, the party in power should re-
member the past. The responsibility of the
present occasion is momentous. VIII they be
able to avethe Union, and if SO, will they save
anything that is desirable2 These are plain
questions and ought to be discussed in all can
dor have never doubted that the rebellion
could be crushed if the proper course of policy
was pursued. But have always feared that
when the Southern leaders, who had so long
domineered over the minority, left these halls,
the political pendulum would sweep too far to
I Al. IL =. j. i. !
committed in the defence of slavery. 1t was
but reasonable that thereafter some wrongs
might be Committed in the name of anti-slavery.
In the days of Louis XVf the French people had
been oppressed in the name of the Church. When
oppression had been thrown off they not only,
sought and worshipped the ashes of Voltiare,
but Knocked the emblems of the true religion.
| once before stated, and now repeat the
opinion, that if the people of the seeded States
were all united as men are united when inspired
by just cause, when urged on by convictions
of duty to self, to country, and to God, they
never could be conquered. History furnishes no
example of such thing, and 1 saw no reason
why the general current of experience should be
broken in this case. thought, however, they
could be conquered because | did not believe
they were united. fo lg - 8t.s--oo .l9i
Mr.. President, we have expended two thous-
ions G treasure; we daily expend three
more. The daily DESTRUCTION q IN oper-
.,-- gh equals the daily expenditures there
by Decreasing our means ofpayment in the same
ratio in vi hich the burdens of indebtedness are
increased. nae -.l-r ru1 r.af
The bo'Sder States have been rayished, desola-
ted, ana now their population is flying to the
wilderness Territories of the West to escape the
curses of what we call American civlization.@
They seek peace, in order that when all else has
been lost the f6Jln2 rewards of labor may be
preserved for the comfort and support of their
families. To the holy purpose of restoring the
Union we have given million of lives, and
half million brave soldiers now stand ready to
add their blood to the sanguine lake that knows
no filling. Rebellion is confronting us yeti Is
it weaker than it was2 Public opinion says
yes. a- 93ido e ur. eri
Take the newspaper press of our country and
add up for yourselves the reported desertions of
rebel troops for the last two years, and it equals
the original militia strength of the South. The
same authority tells us that the rebel armies are
in a state of starvation, and in the same column
reports the destruction of commissary stores on
the outskirts of rebeldom sufficient to subsist
their armies for three months. We are told by
the reports of chief engineers and major-generals
in command, that forts have been leveled by our
artillery, have become mass of shapeless ruins
and unavailable for defence. These forts, for
six months thereafter, have held in security con-
federate garrisons, and they yet frown defiance
at our iron-clad navies. rI
Tor three years the armies of the rebellion
have dehed our power In April, 1861, the Ex-
ecutive and his advisers thought that seventy
1--WE thousand men could suppress the outbreak
in three months. In July 1861, the Congress
supposed that five hundred thousand men would
soon complete the work. With an army of many
thousands now in the field, the same authori-
ties regard it necessary to add seven hundred
thousand more to our present.
Who is the who thinks the rebellion
weaker to-day than it was one, two, or three
years ago. 1t is easy to say that we think it
weaker? Indeed, it may not be so strong; but
our actions give no evidence that such is our
opinion. If deceiving others be excusable, it is
scarce so to deceive ourselves.