Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-04-22
The Peace Speeches in Congress.

Dir. Long vi Ohio, III INC AiousO VI H0P
resentatives, on Friday, which provoked
the resolution for his expulsion by Speak
err Colfax -
The very idea upon which this wa
IA founded-coercion of states, leads Il
despotism to preserve republican form
of government under any constitution
u,der the prevalence Of the doctrine
now in vogue, is clearly impossible
These convictions of the complete over
throw of our government are as un
wholesome and unpleasant to me as they
are TO any member of the House. Would
10 God the facts were such could cher
ish other convictions. | may be de-
nounced as disloyal and unpatro,ic fol
entertaining them, but il will only be by
shallow fools and arrant knaves who d.
not know or will not admit the differ
ence between recognizing fact and Gre
ating it's existence. A man may not de
sire to die, but nevertheless his belief will
not alter the fact of his mortality.
shall not, in these remarks, revive the
unpleasant and acrimonious controversy
of who is responsible for the death anC
destruction of our republic. do no
see that any such discussion now would
be productive of good. / entertain clear
and strong convictions upon that point
convictions that ] have no doubt will be
shared by the impartial historian of the
future. For the present am willing tc
LET the past with all its recollections rest
provided we can snatch from the COM
mon ruin some of our old relics of free.
dom. do not share in the belief enter.
tanned by many Of my political friends
on this floor and elsewhere, that any
peace is attainsble upon the basis Of
union and reconstruction. II the demo.
cratic party we're in power to-day, | have
no idea, and honesty compels me TO de-
clare it, that they could restore the I'M
ion over thirty-four states. My mind
has undergone an entire change upon
that subject. | believe that there are
but two alternatives, and these are, eth.
err an acknowledgment of the irdepend.
tnce of the South as an independent ma
ton, or their complete suhiugation and
determination as people; and of these
alternatives prefer the former.
Mr.. Chairman. take little or no in
terest in the discussion Of the question
which many Of my political friends
would make an issue as to how This war
shall be prosecuted, its manner ard OBJ
ject. regard this as worse than trifing
with the great question. do not be-
lieve there can be any prosecution of the
war against a sovereign state under the
constitution, and | do not believe that a
war so carried on can be prosecuted so
as TO render it proper, justifiable or ex-
ppdient. An unconstitutional war can
only be carried on in an unconstitutional
manner, and TO prosecute it further I'M
der the idea Of the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, (Mr, Stevens,) as a. war
waged against the confederate states as
an independent nation, for the purpose of
conquest and subjugation, as he proposes,
and the administration is in truth and in
fact doing, am equally opposed.
will say further, Mr. Chairman, that
If this war is to be still further prosecut-
ed, l prefer that it shall be done under
the auspices of those who now conduct
its management. as l do not wish the
party with which am connected to be
in any degree responsible for its results,
which cannot be otherwise than disas-
trous and suicidal-let the responsibility
remain where il is until we can have a
change OF policy instead of men, if such
thing is possible. Nothing could be
more fatal for the democratic party than
TO seek to come into power pledged to
the continuance of war policy-such a
policy would be libel upon its creed in
the past and the ideas that lie at the ba-
sis of all free governments, and would
lead to its complete decentralization and
ruin.
believe the masses of the democratic
party are for peace, that they would be
placed in false position if they should
nominate war candidate for the presi-
dency and seek to make the issue upon
the narrow basis of how the war should
be prosecuted. For my own part, as !
have already indicated, fear that our
old government cannot be preserved
even under the best auspicies, and under
any policy that may be now adopted
yet | desire TO see the democratic party
with which ! have always been connect
ed, preserve its consistency and republic
can character mistaken