The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-29

there was but one syllable for our dis.
tressed and bleeding country. Abiding
to rebel barbaritiee, Mr.. Colfax said there
cOul.! not, as the gentleman (L,ng) ad
viseG, be amicahle relations with the reb-
els. No, Sir, the sword will be sheathed
only in the grave of treason. If our Con-
stitution is destroyed, az the gentleman
twice proclaims, and if the rebels have a
government, as he asserts, then the only
constitution alive was that framed at
Montgomery. Mr. Colfax here read and
commented on various extracts from MIR.
Longs speech, which charged the inaugu-
ration of the war upon Mr. Lincoln, which
said the rebels would spill the last drop OF
their blood in resistance, and which de-
clared that those forced to take the am
nesty and oath of allegiance would de-
spise the authority Of the government;
that he NOng) had ever since 1861 re-
garded the attempt to preserve the gov
eminent and retain our territory as mis-
taken; that We should not seek to extend
our jurisdiction over hostile people; that
our battle-tields were works of disunion
and division; that the republic was dead
and destroyed; that our government was
completely overthrow; and that every
vestige Of our Constitution had been de-
stroyed.
Mr.. Long said that he would not speak
| but for the peculiar manner in which the
| debate bad been conducted, and it's i'm
portance to him Individually In entering
the hall on Saturday morning, to his sur
prise he heard the Clerk of the House, in
shrill voice, reading a resolution for his
expulsion. He was still further surprised
when he saw the Speaker of the House
& Olfax) had left hi exalted position and
moved that resolution and be was not
less surprised st that gentleman's (Col-
| fax') fifteen minutes speech in favor of
his (LongS) expulsion He did not ohiecl
to the gentleman (Colfax) offering the res
olution He did not impugn his (Colfaxi)
motives. He did not doubt his ris,t to
off.r the resolution that he did. He (Long)
had, with few exceptions, always been
treated with the highest regard and con
sideration by members, and, therefore, he
had no fault to find. They had not i'm
pugred his motives Or bis honesty. For
what he had said he Oone) was arraigned
before this great and august assenblage
What was the sum of bis otfence2 Was
he fit to associate with gentlemen here?
Was it that he had lost his own self re-
spect, and had done anything worthy OF
censure? For four months he (Lone) had
occupied seat here, and now this extra
ordinary charge was brought against him
Gentlemen on the other side had compli-
mented him for the manner in which he
| (Long) had conducted himself here. We
have been called upon for an increase Of
taxes in addition to the present already
heavy burdens, and, therefore, in his
speech, he had considered the magnitude
of this taxation and the question of
war, and had claimed his ri gilt as the
representative of a free constituency to
express his views. This was the sum and
substance of his Uongs) offending He
had gathered the materials of his speech
already made for him by the statesmen of
the old Wing party, who adorned the pa
ges Of our history. The materials were
aso furnished by prominent gentlemen
connected with the Republican party. He
| (Long) had quoted from President Lincoln.
from Secretary Seward and from Secreta.
ry Chase, men in authority, who have laid
down the principles of the government in
time of war. 10 repeated that from these
he (Long) had drawn his conclusions
Some of his (Longs) friends had taken
occasion to put themselves in opposition to
him, and the Republicans had also been
very careful to do the same He Long)
asked gentlemen to approach the subject
now before them with care. He might be
in error, but his conscience and his iudg-
ment told him that he was not. He might
not look upon our present condition in its
true light. If so, he was sorry for it.. He
had the independence to express in this
ball his deliberate opinions, and with great
circumspection, and for this his courage
and his manhood had been commended by
gentlemen ON the other side. This was his
offence-no mOre-no less. If am to
blame for that, then the God of nv being
is to blame for thus creating me. He
Uong) repeated that he had declared his
deliberate convictions before this Honse,
and had quoted in his own support the
views and had followed the leadership of
the distinguished gentleman from Penn
sylvania (Stevens). He (Lony) said at
the time he would take shelter under the |
broad mantle of the gentleman from Penn
sylvania.
Mr. Long, continuing, said: "To con-
denim me you must tie consistent-yOu
must condemn your distinguished leader
(Stevens). Be just, though the heavens |
fall. Rise above party Make no differ |
ence IN your action between Republican |
and gentleman on the Democratic side |
Act above party, if you must make mar
tyr. Censure US both, if you intend to be |
consistent, if you intend to be just. l,
at least, will shelter myself under the |
broad mantle of the distinguished leader |
of the Republican party in this House
(Stevens)
Mr.. Long then proceeded to quote from
the Cincinnati Commercial of 1861. as a |
part of the material from which he con-
structed his speech, and also from the CO. |
lumbus Journal AS to being expelled.
he said he was regardless of the conse- |
quences concerning himself, and he would |
make the prediction that it would be the |
worst record to get before the people. for |
his Republican friends before this Con |
gress dissolved.