The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1864-05-06
SPEECH
HON. ALEXANDER LONG OF OHIO,
DELIVERED
In the House of Representatives,
APRIL 8, 1861

| VIM. II. Seward in bis letter of April l.,
| 1861, to Mr.. Adams, our Minister TO England,
said
For these reasons, the President would not
he disposed to reject cardinal doctrine of theirs
the (ltebels) namely; that the Federal Govern
ment could not reduce the seceding States TO o.
| bedIence 10y conquest, even though he were dis
posed toquestlon that proposition But in fact
the president willingly accepts it rs true. On
! ly AN imperial or despotic government could
| suhju9ate thoroughly disatfected and insurrec-
tionary members of the State This Federal
Republican system of ours is OF all forms Of gov
ernments the very ona which is most unified Tor
such labor
Such was the language of the Secretary OF
State in April, 1861, three da;s before the Sum
day on which the President wrolG his procla-
nation calling cut seyenty-liye thousand troops,
but after seven States had seeded. The o2c-
retary shared in the fears of the President, that
the attempt to subjugate the South would de-
stroy the Government. Three years of civil
war IN a vain and fruitless effort at sublugation
attest and prove to day the correctness Of the
opinion then held by the President; "Only an
imperial OF despotic government, could subjd-
gate thoroughly diSaffected and insurrectionary
! members Of the State" This Federal republic
OF our. is of all forms of Government the most
united for such labor. Who does not believe
it! If there is truth in the declaration Of Iude
pendence, and the gentlemen on the opposite
side Of the House will certainly not dispute it,
sn they Incorporated it in the Chicago plat
form which became law unto the President; ;
who, ask, can deny the cont tIusion Of tie Sec
| ret. f,f fata liky hF
| and the President undoubtedly had, the great
cardinal truth underlying all republican govern
ments deriving their just powers from the con-
. sent of the governed II the President and
his Secretary of State gave utterance to truth
| in 1861, is it any less truth to-day Has not
rather the experience Of three years of war
confirmed it | believed it then; [ believe it
now. But sir, propose TO call another Wit
nese to testify against this coerciye policy, WHO
also spoke in advance of the war. Edward
Everett. in his letter of May %, 1860, to Wash
! ington Hunt, accepting the nomination as Vice
President of the Union Party OF which, be-
lieve the distinguished gentleman fom Mary
land (Alr. Henry Winter Davis was Il member,
and Tor whom a number Of gentlemen upon this
hUor voted then said:
The suggestion that the Union can be main
~ proves Of onS section exercised to coerce
the other into submission is, in my judgment,
as self-contr, ,dictory as it Is dangerous. 1t
I comes loaded with the deatI,-smeil from fields
wet with brothers blood If the vital princi
pies of all republican governments is the con-
sent Of the governed, much more does union
Of coequai sovereign States require, as its basis,
the harmony of It's members aud their voiunta-
ry cooperation in It's organic functions"
1t will 10 doubt be said Mr.. Everett has chang
cd his views upon the subicCt.-That may tc
SO, but have not. believed it Il sound doc
tine in $50, before secession occurred or coer-
cion began. Three years experience in attempt
ing ''by numerical preponderance and military
prowess of one section exerted to coercc the 9TH
er into submission has convinced me more thor
oughly that it is ''as selfcontradictory as II Is
dangerous because it violates
the great principles of free government which
derive their just powers frem the consent OF
the geverned Snd dangerous because, by lis eX
erciSe, especially when wielGed by a weak, vac
lilating aud unscrupulUus man, it DESTROYS in-
stead OF maintanina the Union, Constitution
and organic law; civil liberty and personal Sc
| curty are forced to yield to what is claimed to
be military necessity and the government IT.
10 day verging on the very brink Of ruin.
| am well aware, Sir, that the cry of disloy-
atty, want of patriotism and lack of devotion
to tins government, which is in every place and
and at all times raised against those who have
the independence to dsapprove of any of the
acts of Mr. Lincoln, as well ordinate de-
sire for Government patronage from the build
ing of steam ship and soddy contractor down
H. of falr ht
a mutIlated and deprecated greenback in the
Treasury building, has changed the opinion Of
many men, but The fixed principles Of free gov
erri nent as we'll as the rules of right, reason,
;pstiee eud truth are Interchangeable; and although
it may be unpopular andeVen at the risk Of per-
sonal liberty in times like the present to adyo-
cate them, they are nevertheless eternal and i'm
nutable-
Tie distinguished gentleman from Pennsylva-
MIA (AIr. Stevens) who stands upon this hoor
and before the country as an acknowledged iea-
der of the Administration party, has hao. the
honesty and Independence, IN speech CsaVer-
ed at early an part of the session to announce
what he holds to be the true position OF the
Confederate States. He says:
Some think that these States are sill in the
Union and entitled 10 the protection OF the Con
sttution and the laws Of the United States"
This idea he at once repudates and then bold
ly aifirms that which lie holds TO be the true
doctrine.
"Others hold that having committed treason,
renowned their allegiance to the Union, discard
cd the constitution and laws organized "A dis
tinct and hostile government, and by force OF
arms have risen from the condition Of insurgents