Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-04-14

as they are to any member of this House Would to God
tho facts such could cherish other convictions
may be denouAced dsOyal and unpatr0tc for enter
tanning them but it will only be by shallow fools aud arrant
knaves who do not know or Will not admit the difference
between recognising fact and creating its existence
may not drsir-to de- but nevertheless MS ooe' VIII
not alter the tact of his mortality
thal not 10 these remarks revive the unpleasant and
acrimonious controversy Of who Is responsible Tor the
death and destruction of our Republic do not soc that
any such discussion now would be productive OF good
entertain clear and strong CONVICTIONS upon nat punt
convictions that have doubt will DO shared Dy tho
impartial historian of the future FOR Inc present a
willing let tho past with all its recoecuons resi-, pro
vided we snatch from the common RUN some OF our
old relics Of freedom do not share IN Inc oeis' enter
tanned by many Of my political friends on tbs moor apu
where that any peace is attainabe upon inc pass
Union and reconstruction If the Democratic party were
in power to day have idea. and honefsy compe,s o
declare it, that they could restore the ui,n over hy
four States My mind has undergone an enlire change
upon that subject believe that there are but TWO alter
natives and tbese are either acknowledgment OF the
Independence Of the South independent naton or
Their complete sutasat1p and s r%sr
Mr. Chairman take little or no interest IN the ais
OF the question which many OF my pouca rehus
would make an issue as to how TINS war sna 20
cuted its and object regard that as worse than
triHng with the great question. DO not believe there
can be- any prosecution Of the war against sovereign
State under the Constitution and 90 NOT pellsve ena1
war go carried on can az to render pro
per- ust6abe or pedient. An unc0nstltutionSi war
ouly be carried unconstitutional manner ano
to prosecute further under the idea OF inc gehueaa
from Pennsyvania (Mr. STEyENs) as war Wagod
aganst the onfederate States independent nation
for the pur conquest and subugaton as he
and the Administration is in truth and IN fact DOING am
equally opposed. . .
I viii say further Mr. Chairman that if this war is to
be still further prosecuted prefer that 1t shall Dc Gone
under the auspices those who now condnct e manage
ment, as do not wish the parry WIN Wnca a SI
Dected to be in anv degree responsible for It's wncn
cannot be other Wise than disastrous ana SUICIDAL Let
the responsibility remain whore it is until we can have
change of policy instead Of men, II such ming Is Poss
BILE Nothing could be fatal tor the Democrac party
than TO spek Ia come uo power pledged TO
of war policy Such policy would oe npei upon us
creed ia the past and the ideas that lie az the OASIS u al
free and would lead to its complete democrat
zstion and min believe the OF the Democrauc
party are for peace that they would be placed 10 ase
position if they should nominate war canoiaa'e io .o
Presidency and seek to make tho For nv own
part as have already Indicated fear that our Ola GOV
ernment cannot bs preserved even under inc oes
and under any policy that may be now aaop'eo 70. no
sire to sac the Democratic party with which nave always
been connected it's consistency ana republican
character mistaken.
Mr.. GARFIELD, of Ohio, obtained the floor and ad-
dressed the committee as follows
Mr. Chairman should be obliged to you II you would
direct the Sergeant Arms to br white nag ana pan
it in the aisle between myself and my coieague VINO na
just addressed you recolect on one occasion s a.
lust planted approached company oil men dressed 10
the uniform Of the rebel Confederacy and reached OUT y
haad to one of tho number and told hm resPooseu nun
"a brave man Though he wore the emblems OF dsloy-
ay and treason st underneath his vestments beneid
and honest soul would .nat scene mere
this afternoon say, there such nag oi truco
but God forgive me If should do 1t under any other CIR
IL would reach out this right hand ana ASK
that gentleman to take it because honor MS bravery
and his honesty I believe what has just fallen from ms
lips is the honest sentiment OF his hear. ana ~ ths
it he has made epoch in the history OF TINS war
he has done new thing under the sun; ne mas zone
brave thing 1t s Drawer than to face cannon ana NUS
kerry, aud honor him for his candor ana iransness
But now ask you to take away the nag OF truce ana
will 90 back pside the Union lines, and speak OF what
he has done. reminded BY OF dstngu hed cnar
acter 10 Paradise Lost When he had reoeed .ne
glory of God and led away third part OF heaven Sous
conured against the Highest when alter terioe oates
in which mountains and hills were hurled by eacn
inp host with aculahons dire when at last inc leader
and bs hosts were hurled down nne times Inc space lnat
measures day and night" and after the terrible a Jay
stretched prone on the burning lake. Satan ted up his
bulk crossed the abyss looked down INTO Para
disc, and, soloquizng said:
(which way fly is hell; myself am hell"
It TO me 10 that ueranos he expressed the very
sentiment to which you have just stened uerea oy one
the meaning of this great contest the philosophy OIL the
moment the prophecies Of the hour and 10 sgnt OF tne
paradise of victory and peace uttsrs them an IN TINS wal
of terrible despair, "Whch way ny 10 noh Heougnt
10 add, Myself am hell"
Mr. Chairman, i reminded Of two characters IN the
war of the Revolution as compared with TWO others 10
the war of to-day. The first was Lord Fairfax, who
dwelt near the Potomac few miles from u.s. When the
contest was opened between the mother country
and the colonies Lord Fairfax after protacted struggle
with his own heart decided he must go with the mother
country He gathered his mantle about him aud went
over orandy soemnly and mpressvely and joined the
fortunes of Great Britain against the home OF bis adop
ton But there another man who cast IN MS lot with
the strup Cling colonies and continued with them ul the
war was we'll nigh ended But in day OF darkness,
which lust preceded the glory of the morning. that other
man deep down in the damned pits OF his black heart
the to surrender forever all that had been
gained To the enemies Of his country. Benedict Arnold
that man. -
Fairfax and Arnold I'D their parallels IN the struggle OF
to-day When this began many good men stood hest
tating and doubling what they ought to do Their doc
tne of State rights their sympathies all they had ever
loved and onQed for in the South and after iong
enemies of the nation At that time Robert h. Lee sat
in his home across the river here doubling and delaying
and going Off at last amot teariuy to join the enemies
Of his country He reminds me 10 some respects Oh LORD
Fairfax the stately roy alist of the Revolution.
But now when hundreds Of thousands OF brave souls
have gone up God under the shadow OF the nag and
when tn ousands more manned and shattered in the con
test are sadly awaiting the delverance of death now
wheu three years Of terrific warfare have ragged over US
when our ARMIES have pushed the rebellion back over
mountains and rivers and crowded it back into
limits until wall Of FIRE girds it when the uped
hand of majestc people about to let fall the lightning
of it's conquering power upon the rebeon now II the
quiet of this Hail. Matched In the lowest depths OF sn
lar dark treason there arises Benedict Arnold and pro-
poses to surrender all up body and spirit the nation
and the flag genius and its honor and forever to the
accursed traitors to country And that proposition
comesGod forgive and pity my beloved State lit comes
from citizen of the honored and loyal Commonwealth OF