Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1864-02-26
Remarks of Sam'l H. OrWlg,

In the House of Representatives, on th
18th inst, on the Resolution of Mr. Kelly
of Washington, requiring proof OF tn
/ loyalty OF claimants for damages doue b,
the Rebels iu Cum berlaui valley:
! Mr., Speaker, | do not propose, on thi
I OCCASION, I" occupy the time of the Hnus
in suy lengthy discussion OF this question
TheresoiuIop simply proposes To apply
the test of loyalty to certain class 0
claimants against the Government. Gen
/ tlemen on the other side Of the House
evidently do not want that test applied
aud, as Consequence, tboy propose 10 pay
! out millions ct pubilc money, without
| discrimination, as well to drsloyal as t
loyal claimants. Tbs is Il matter of seri
rus Iu u,0rtauce to this Commonwealth
Ia Consequence of the iDvasicns OF ouI
State by tue Rebel armies, the people ol
the Border unties lost valuable property,
while, at the same time, tue people OF the
Middle and N,rthern counties lost much
time, expended large sums of money, aud
suf many harI,bIps, privalions, aud
toils, to drNe these Invaders from our
borders.
TIE gentleman from Franklin, ty the
bill which he has presented. proposed 10
losses which they sustained. When the
bill Itself comes 10 be considered IN this
House, shall ehdeavor to state my OF C.
tioD 10 it. At this time We have uDdcr
consideration ouly the resolution instruct
ing the conmittee ihat has this bill 10
charge 10 add To that bIl a section req1i-
rug sproof Of the lgypiy cf lie claimants.
Sir, 1t is aa uuacc ,unyibie thug 70 me,
aud it has been matter of surprise TO
this side of the House generally, that our
friends on the other side of the Hall ex-
bibit SO much sensIrlveues., aud fy into
such 9 passion, at the bare proposition
that disloyal men should no, be paid out
of the treasury of the Commonwealth for
losses which they sustained i'll consequence
Of their own acts. can not think, that
the gentlemen fairly represent the great
body Of the Democf attic party Of Penusyl-
vanis. | believe that this occasion ha,
been seiz d upon for the purpose of build
ug up or upholdIng totteriug aud crum-
bling orgapiza,ion. do not thiuk that
the cons'i'uants Of these geutlen ea who
here declare, or openly boast that they
would be excepted from the benefits of this
BY the application of this
rule, fairly represent the democratic party.
had the satisfaction NY self Of hearing,
full two years ago, the eech, or at least
part of the speech which Was delivered in
he House a few days ago BY the gentle.
nan from Northumberland, (Mr> Purdy
That gentleman is not in bis seat tonight
,ut hope be will have an opportunity,
before this debate closes, to reply to any
hing may say.
The gentleman from Northumberland
las charged the Republican party with
being the disloyal party, the cause Of this
lnholy aud unrIghteous war and of all the
ooodshed aad sufferiog and sorrow that
nave re ulted from it. He boasted that
ne, and those who act with bin politically,
represent the only true aud loyal party 10
his Commonwealth. The gentleman has
urther informed US that he is the editor of
. democratic paper in the district which
he represents. | desire, sir, to refer to his
ssue of A pril l9tb. 1861 In that paper,
,e refers spproviugly to the resolutions Of
What be sty les "s great and enthusiastic
Democratic meeting" at witch they
"Resofred, That the rapid developments of
he last five months have rendered the exis.
pnce of the Southern Confsderacya a fired fact,
nd that We are opposed 70 erery form Of coer-
ION. under whafeper pref,rt. If enforcing laT,
oA,cting rerenue, or re taking proprty, which
nay lead 10 q con- diet ,Oifh the seeded Stafes."
This was the position, at that time, of
be Democratic party, which now prides
tself as being, as it claims always to have
been, the great champion of the Cons.itu-
ion, aud of the Union of these States
There, sir, By "a great and enthusiastic
neeting," they declared the establishment
# the Southern Cobfederacy a fxei fact,
nd deprecated all efforts on the part of
he National Government to suppress it
THIS same paper-issued on the 18th of
April, lS6l-she first issue, after the
p reclamation of President Lincoln calling
or sevensy.fve thousand men to suppress
be bellion-does not contain that Proc.
1nadtion ; while at the saue time you will
nd, in almost every column of that paper,
isplsyed in capitals, the name of Presi-
mt Dapis and the uhoke Of his Procianaa-
on-every word, every syllable, every
.tter
Now, sir, l would ask the gentleman
On Northumberland, where did be give
be influence of bis publication? Where
i'd he give the aid and encourage Dent aud
'slstance that be, as q private individual
nd as the publisher of a newspaper, was
LEASED to render upon that trying and
Important occasion in the history Of our
ountry! Is not the fact staring us all in
be face that he gave his assistance and
,fuence, Whatever these may have been,
, the side Of the Southern Copfederacv ?
1t would be tedious, and would occupy
,e time Of this House at too great length,
follow up the record that this gentle
sn has made for himself during these
oublesome years which have followed the
ate Of bis newspaper to which | have
ferred. Suffice it io say, that, if you
Ill examine the columns Of that paper,
ID c.mrsre the Iec0ld that /: has made