Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-05-05
SPEECH OF MR.. COLFAX
OF INDIANA
In the House, APril IA. 1864. on his Res
olution to declare Mr. Long Of Ohio, an
unworthy Member Of Congress.

In the House. dPrI IA. 1864. on his Res.
olut;on to declare Mr. Long Of Ohio, an
unrortAy Member Of Congress. E
! Mn. CoLFAx-"Where are we?" was
the emphatic question proponnded by the
eloquent gentleman from the first district
of Ohio. Mr.. Pendleton. on Tuesday last
answer him. We are in the Capitol Of our
nation. We are in the Hall where assem-
bles the Congress of this Republic. which,
thank God. in spite Of conspiracy and trea-
son still livesj in spite of enemies open
and covert within and without our lines.
with and without arms in their hands, still
lives. and which. thanks to our gallant de.
tenders in the field. will live As long as
time shall last. "Where are WEI" said he
/ will answer him in the language Of his
colleague Mr.. Long whose speech is un.
der review.
"From the day on which the conflict began UP
to the present hour, the confederate army has not
been forced beyond the sound OF their guns from
the dome of the Cspitol in which We are Assem-
bed. The city of Washington Is to-day, as it has
been Tor three years, guarded by Federal troops in
all the forts and Notifications with which il is SUR
And yet. sir. while we are TINS placed
''in this fearful hour of the country's per-
il" as the gentleman from Ohio [ Mr..
Long says IN the opening paragraph of
his speech; while the scales OF national life
and death a'e trembling in the balance.
while our veterans are in the front seeking
to save the life of the country. and willing
TO seal their fidelity II need be with their
hearts blood, with the enemy almost at
the very gates of your capital, at such
time as this the gentleman from the second
ond district OF Ohio Uses in his seat and
declares that our Government is dead. nay
more. that it is destroyed; and then. having
thus consignedit to death and destruction,
lie avows boldly that he prefers to recog-
nize the nationality Of the conlederacy of
tr,itors ,~hich has caused this alleged death
of the Repub.'c to any other alternative
that remains. .u
It.was ON tn.t account that felt il my
duty TO bring this resolution before tue
House. The gentleman from pho would
lower the banner of beauty and gl.-v tha,
floats above Us to-day. tetokenins that tie
Congress Of the United States is in session;
he would pluck from the slaxy that gilt
iers in its azure field eleven oil its s:ars; he
would allow in that diplomatic gallery
some Mason, some Wigiall. or Beaure-
gard. as envoy extraordinary ard minister
plenipotentia.y from foreign nation.
planted over the graves of murdered sons
aud brothers. uppn soil that belongs to the
United States Nay. more ilan that, he
would allow the heights Of Arlington to
irown with hostile batteries. menacing our
deliberations as we sit here in the Capitul.
The gentleman's colleague from the CO.
lnmbus district. NJ. Cox on Saturday
last. said my course was '.extraoIdnary,
aud that remark seemed TO be the KEY note
oi most OF the speeches that followed from
that side of the House But there is a
parallel aud justification. call the gem
Ileman from Ohio himself TO .he stand
On last Saturday he rose in his plarc and
said. afuding to his colleague. Mr.. Longl:
ale did not speak for,,his Democratic colleagues
They met this morning Ia Caucus lor the purpose
OF disavowBs any s,,ch sentiments ms those which
are attributed to him They have authorized me
so TO dcIarc 90 this House, in justice to tiem and
tASh SoAotf~nSAheitc it-
Sir. it was extraordinary when speech
had been delivered heie--nay. il was un-
Irece,leBted--fer the colleagues of the gen.
| ,lemsn who delivered it, oil his own DO
htical faith. to regard it as their duty TO
their party to hold caucus and authorize
one OF their number solemnly to diSavow
and rrrudiate j, npon this floor. II that
can be done for the interests Of party, sho'd
he criticised for asking this House to con-
demn IT sol. mnly to save the country and
the countiy's cause from it's dcleterions ef
iect-? IL the rountry 10 be cared for less
than the interests Of party. oai
Mr.. PeBdieto on rose Seas
MIR. CoLFAx-I cannot yield unless nv
time can be extended. for only have an
hour to answer the speeches on the other
side. and to anal, re the lprech under re-.
view. But do not wish TO decline TO
yield if the gentleman says that have
made amissta'ement Of his position
MIR. PENDLEToS- -I'askthe gentleman to
yielu to me a moment 10 correct q mistake
Mr. CoLFAx-l yield for that purpose,
though anxious i0riali my time.
MIR. PENDLEToN-I only want to saw
that my colleague did not speak in my be-
half in making that statement. and, so far
as know, there was no caucus of the Ohio
delegaIion. 90
+ Mr. CoLFAx-f quoted from the Globe.
Dir. Cox--l ask to say word. 'Elll
MIR. CoIFAx-l will yield if the House
will agreed to extend my time. [Cries of
/ Agreed .Agreedl' from the Democratic
side OF the H"use faa srs>s
Mr.. CoLyAx-l will yield then, Of
course. 9tfa 9s sacat
Objection was made. .'si
MIR. CoLFAx--I must proceed then with
out interruption. ssH .fsd
The gentlemen on the other sile, every
one. indeed. who have referred to it at all,
have been kind enough to speak of my i'm
! partiality as Presiding Officer of the House.
lthank them for this testi,nonisl. which
have endeavored to deserve. But at the
same time most of them have expressed
'regret" / left the Speakers chair
and came down upon the floor OF the House
havf. however. no regret; not even de-
nunciationa of the press, nor the structures
Of membtr RS upon this floor. to whichll 1
have listened in respectful silence without
interruptirg them, have caused me.a mo-