, 1864-03-18
SPEECH OF MIR. GRINNELL OF:
IOWA,
House of Representatives

WARRINGTON, March 49, 1861.
The House being In the Committee Of the
Whole, Mr. Grinnen Of Iowa said:
Mr. Chairman, we hnyc listened this after
noon TO very remarkable speech from the
gentleman from Indiana, {Mr- Voorhecs.) re-
E-et that be is not now in his seat, rs I shall
notice few Of lis most extraordinary state
ments- One Of his first utterauecs was that
we are at the feet Of usurper: That Is no
United States. He a usurpert Why, sir, We
saw him, on the eastern portico Of this Capt.
tal, take the oath to support the Constitution
Of the United States. That was not the net
Of usurper, and all his acts are in keeping
With his oathin my Judgment
The gentleman also informs us that the
Republic is dying If it be dying, desire to
Of traitors in arms ut the South, and Of SYM
pathizers on this floor, and in the northern
pu1t Of the country, aTowed Democrats
He passed out Of hts Way to traduce one Of the
Generals Of the national army He calls him
" the monster Burnside" WHY has that Of
ficer drawn from his head the yials Of the gen
ueman's wrath. Is 1t because Gen. Burnside
was always in the front Of his army and was
ever ready to fight: A friend Of mine who
happened to have two sons In the army once
said to me that1 should not talk SO much
against Mcclellan, for" said he, 1" be is a
man that I love- asked him what he had
done. The reply Was, ''He is a friend of
mine have had two sons under him for
many months in the army, and they hare
come home without scratch, thank God"
That is the condition Of the General himself.
AS understand, he has never been in the
range Of musket-bal1 or cannon shot; and he
is worthy Of the gentleman's compliments
The gentleman from Indiana eulogizcs
Clement L. Va11andigham as Christian
statesman. Why, sir, did we not hear him
declare on this floor during the last session
Of Congress that he never llad voted, and that
he never would vote, q dollar to carry on this
war? And yet he Is landed here as a Chris
tian and a patriot He was placed in the
right position when he was cent among his
friends at the South, and perhaps he Is not
greatly ont of his right position now among
tie tories Of Canada.
He further asks, Has the Administration
given us domestic tranquility: will tell
the gentleman why We hayc not now lomes-
tic tranquility. II Is because the Government
has been engaged In fighting the armed enc
my at the South and at the same time fighting
the invidious enemy IN the rear at home. The
people understand this.
Tie gentleman from Indiana has alluded to
another pure-uinded patriot, as he calls him,
Mr, Alexander q. Stephens, the pure minded
patriot Of Georgia. grant you, sir, that Mr.
Stephens is noble Democrat after the gen
tleInan's pattern: and why. Alr. stephens
has declared that the foundations Of the
Southern Confederacy nre different from those
Of any other Republic, It's cornerstone rest
Ing on negro slavery ....-
The gentleman says that peace Wonld come
if the leaders on both sides would stand
aside. Do the loyal people of the country
ask tbatp Are twenty million people 10 bow
down before eight million In armE, upheld By
four million slayess And yet that is the test
the gentleman Invites, which allies his votes
given during this session Of Congress to
measures which in my Judgment afford the
highest qualification to the traitors' eonclave
at Richmond.
There is here, know, nomina1ly, 9 war
and peace wing to tho party in opposition,
and the excuses found for inacttou may be
represented by the plans of the camel bird OF
the desert, known as the ostrich. Ask It to
carry; No. I a1n bird. Bid 1t fly; No, Lam
a camel. Thus hes there been IN alienation
Of excuses here save on the question Of early
adjournment for dinner and lar1,c approprta-
tons Of money.
We asked for moro efficient army bill to at
once I'LL up our depleted regiments in tho
field and early bring the rebellion to close,
and you delayed It weeks by denounciny
the policy Of the var and the tyranny Of
drnff.
The confscation bill, with tender regard
lor Inc traitors, you pronounced nnconstitu-
uonsa and by your votes deliberately assert
"a INIT they who have got mp this " dance Of
Death Should not pay the piper, and that
thefe Is more Justice and statesmanship in
securing The estates Of rebel slaye-oWnsra to
their children than to put thcIr proceeds, as a