Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-21
GENERAL SCHENCK'S SPEECH
IN REPLY TO
FERNANDO WOOD %

{
not ndorse Mr Longs views, or those IF
Mr. Harris, Of Maryland, but he was for
sending Commissioners to Richmond, and
making peace; and yet he would not recog-
nize the independence Of the Southern Con-
federacy. General Schenck made scath-
ing reply, as folows:
Mr.. SCHENCK. Mr.. Speaker, a stu
dent in natural history would have much to |
learn Upon this floor. Some specina ns Of
the snake family are so slippery that it
seems impossible to classify them, or to hold |
them to any place. s... ..sE
l find myself at great loss to understand
what ground is occupied by the gentleman
from New York, Mr. Fernando Wood,
who has just taken his seat. He avows that
he disagrees to tho position taken by the
member from Maryland, Mr. Harris, who
was yesterday visited with the censure Of
the House he dssents from the arguments
and propositions Of my colleague, Mr..
Long, whose case we are now considering;
aud yet he says to his fellow cepperheads,
those, it any there be, who crawl with him,
that there is no such thing as War Dem
ocrat, for a creature Of that kind is snoma
lous. Laughter. | may be pardoned,
thOtVtotOt ~ udNO utnCuUy III CUUlpTc-
hendiDg his own nature, or knowing exactly
where in the scale to place him.
| But, at the close Of his remarks, the gen.
tlenan from New York seemed 10 some
small degree to develop his peculiar views
and purposes. He has laid down something
like the same platform in resolutions which
be, early in the session, offered in this
| House. Being neither against the war nor
for the war, he would send commissioners to
Richmond to treat with those arrayed in
arms against the country, to offer them
terms OF peace. He breaches new gos-
pei of peace, of which he is the great
apostle.
How many others on his side of the
House may agree with him | know not. -
But do know this--whenever any such
propositions of Northern Democrats have
appeared in public print, or their offers or
suggestions Of peace have been made in any
form, they have invariably been received by
the rebels at Richmond with scofiing, and
repelled with scorn. Their rebel friends
have not hesitated to declare that such ad-
vances, and the emissaries who might con-
vcy them, could only be entertained by them
with fingers holding their offended sristo.
cratic noses. Laughter. That only is
the way they would receivs the Democrats
who came to offer them peace You must
not come between the wind and their no
bility."
The gentleman and his friends, then, are
willing, and propose to crawl on their bellies
to the feet OF rebels and insurgents in arms
and, looking up piteously to say, "Oh. oui
master, Notwithstanding all Your scoffiDg
aud scorn, and though you may spurn u,
from your presence, we implore you to say
whether You will not graciously agree t.
mako some terms with us. cannot com
prehcnd this abasement in any other way
| said | would refer to thi
/ with view to the former position of tn,
gentleman from New York, Mr.. Fernand,
Wood. Whenever and however hostilitie
|, commenced, where then was he, and wha
: was his relation to the great rebellion
. movement by which was sought to be des
\ troyed the integrity of the country?
= When our difficulties with the South wer
= ripening into war, when it was not know
:. how lar dsaffectiun might extend through
n n out the several States of this Union, ther
q was Mayor Of New York who propose
4 that tie city should seceIe from the Gov
II ernment OF the United States, and set IL
- for itself as free city," on the patter
n Of independent political communities {
" that sort, known on the EuroI can continent
# FERNANDOWOOD. Mr., Speaker
n The SPEAKER pro tempore. Doas tn
,. gentleman from Ohio yield 10 the gentlema
= from New York;
r. Mr.. SCHENCk. l cannot be inte
rupted, sir, but will continue, as the gentl,
d man insisted on doing when others sougf
"a "a to interrupt him.
Not that alone, sir; the same Mayor
70 New York, after rebellion was already ra
=, pant. when boxes filled with arms We,
,f stopped by the loyal city authorities on Il
wharves OF New York. and not permitts
h to so South, that weapons might be D,
ID into the hands of those Internal scoundre
who were seeking to overthrow the Cover
g. being telegraphed 10, replied that he r
g. or he would gladly prevent any interieren
n with such transmission of these munitio,
Of war.
: Mr.. WOOD. Mr.. Speaker
e, Mr.. SCHENCK. Yes, know that tn
has been denied here, a short time ago,
re that gentleman on this floor, and witho
20 that denial. But ho shall also have Il
,e benefit cf the positive proof produced Al
=. published widely in he papers of New Y Yo
x, few days afterwards mailing upon him Il
49, ialsity Of the denial which he presented
this House.
I'd Mr.. WOOD. Mr.. Speaker
u Mr.. SCHENCK. am not to be int
W rupted by the member. .. ..s. .a
Mr.. WOOD. The gentleman states VII
is false. .t.
Mr.. SCHENCK. / have met re bells b
fore, when they had something more tn
en- tongues with which to contend, and | a
80 not to be interrupted or put down by q
se member from New York. As that gent
1t man entertained the House by the readi
er of soMe precious extracts. J propose to se
an something to the Clerks desk to be res
ed It is an extract from paper recently pu
OF lished in his own city, 3 5.t' fubeIf5. =
= The Clerk read as follows:
On "Mr FERNANDO woop has the stfron,ery to deny
re the House that while Mayor OF New York hs sent
patch Georgia regretilg that arms inteuded for
" state had been stopped in New York He averred 4
he his dispatch related msrchandise only. Hsrs are
lei dispatches. % p
- ..eH MnLEDaxvnLE, Jan %, 1851
"a re his Honor Mayor WOOD: = .71If7'
to Is true that any Intended for and consigned
b the State OF Georgia have been seized by public auth
40 ties IA New York; Your answer is important 10 us
NJ io New York. Answer Al ence.