Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-03-02
Speech of a War Democrat.
Remarks of Hon. LEVI HtBBELL, OF Nil
waukee, made in the Wisconsin Assembly,
February 18th. 1864.

fl-1ilv of a soldier who shall marry or shall
have married, after being mustered into the
service of the United States. The ayes and
noes have been called, and we are notified by
the opposition, that responsibility Is to be
assumed Sir, as one Of the Union men of
this House. | am ready to 90 upon the record
/ see the opposition eager to take their
chances upon whichever course we pursue
If we vote for the measure, il viii be spread
abroad in their papers; it viii be proclaimed
At the hastings and upon the stump through
the coming political campaign, that the Union
party are eating ont the substance of the
people with taxes; that this unnecessary war
is loading them with overwhelming debt.
If we vote against the measure the soldiers
will be told g See how treacherous this Union
party i to your interests; you vote for the n,
and they vote against YOU you vote against
Us. but we vote for YOU" Be it So | have
no explanations 10 make. The gentleman
from Dane. who Is the leader Of the so-called
Democrats in the Assembly, spenta long time
the other day in defining his position in refer
ence to the army, the rebellion, and al that
/ trust he was successful, so far as to satisfy
himself, if not MS party. If he is correct,
ghey have suddenly turned about and taken
new tack. They are now going for the most
rigorous prosecution of the war, and ready
to rush, with the holdest, for taxation and
debt. They have left the narrew limits of
>
To fight the rebels only rtHti5S tie pate Of the
Constitution. The honorable member fairly
bantered ", and challenged Us, 10 follow his
lead in legaliZing debt and taxation, until the
war should be ended; intimating at the same
time, that 1t was not his war, and that as the
was being conducted, by the President, it
would never end
When the country is bleeding,at every pore
ii may he very natural for some persons to
~ no call cd I93g win
are uuwrung," But, that is not the position
81 the UNION PARTY Gf this State, and of this
House nor, is their position ike that Of the
Honorable member, in another respect They
have no need to define their position, here or
elsewhere Their record Is before the army
ana tie country. From the beginning of this
wicked attempt to destroy the constitution,
the Government, the Union, and all the
rights and liberties secured thereby, by arm
81 forces and war, the Ioval men of the cOun-
tly, have had but one thought, have known
bat one duty and that was, 70 make war up
an tire Rebellion; to give il blows,-with
pike and spear, sword and bayonet, musket
ana cannon, tongue, pen and type; to hit it
when they could, where they could, as they
could gripping it by every means recogniz-
eI In civilized warfare.
Nay more, they have endeavOred. every
where and always, to cheer, sustain and re-
lseve our gallant troops In the field. This Is
uhar Union men hare done; and il has been
seen and kuoSn Of all men. There are some
tu-- they have not done. When traitor
troops 90 the number one hundred thousand
war. marching into the heart of PENNSYLVANIA,
N#aa traitor-cannOn lined the banks of the
Mississippi, closing that great River to the
commerce. of the northwest; when the threats
attareiEu intervention seemed most immi-
.at, anna tire national heart grew puIseless
t4 anxiety. the Union men did not 20 about
ougiug,,. Iair1hq tgu- EuH.u,digta5i" aud
stirring up esyil strife, in our midst.
And when again the tocsin of victory rang
throughout the land: when the gallant Meade
#.i conquered at Gettysburg; the still uobler
l.raur had planted his victorious flag on the
a.-Iesr tower Of Nicks5urg, and the brave
Banks Laa marched His heroic troops into the
6srtreeses of Port Hudson, they did not then
tro#n the nations shout OF Triumph Boy hoarse
aanIn-z against the President OF the United
States Nor, sir, did they DO another thing.
Whom the maliEuity, perseverance and power
II tae rebellion. manifested through a year
-sl .N months Of bloody strife, satisfied the
oouminderin-Chiefo Of our armies, that il
order to save the Government he must Law
6- hand upon the corner stone of their Con
I.rtcy-wheu he touched the zone of bond
-- with the point of his pen, and caused it
IS dv asuuder, Union men did not 90 into
-.4-faz and CIV out constitution violated"
formed no part Of the Constitution Of
. utel States. Nor does il. There l.
..e word, ST. sentence, or article, in that
amaHtu Instrument that creates slavery, or
.t uII perish if slavery ceases to exist.
Ge great purposes are enumerated in the
a..a.alc, rs the objects of its creation and
urauu. The first is. "to form a more per
l#.o5e.' the last, TO preserve the blessings
lert4, to ourselves and our posteVity -
9th.
aracter 1t was not made TO preserve ''the
blessings of human bondage. ItreCoEuiZcd,
neutrality-suspicious. naming il, the exist
st slavery in the States: provided, that
States should not interfere with States IN re-
claiming tu-itiyes and gave To States where
Ha-at exist representation IN Congress,
sounded upon it, Beyond this, it ignored
institution That, as q part of the war
.HeE, the President or the Congress might
control 10, or sweep it away, was declared by
vs.. IF lis authors, the illustrjous MADISON,
u- tile first OF second Congress under the
institution His emphatic declarations to
.lt effect, VIII De found among the proceed
81 one IT the early Congresses.
G.t sir, Il required no provision of that in
.smeut comforting that power no declare
.l#H = It's author or eNpOuuder. 20 invest the
President Herewith. The President IS the
Institutional and executive head of the gov
'ss.u.eHt. When the life of the government
assaulted, it becomes the duty OF the execu-
uEe@aead thereof 10 call into exercise every
.EaE. aua all the means, of the body polite.
IEe clearcst right, and the first duty eg
-y ereated thing, Is sclfprcservation.
Isat i cannot be conceded or conceived
great, free ana intelligent people, in
eating for themselves aud their posterity'
government, lid not invest 1t with this first
5 .uahcualle right. Had all the slaves IL
rated by the Presidents proclamation been
property of loyal men. the national
.H.ergency might have justified the act; Just
property is thrown overheard, and lives
sacrificed, on a SINKING ship, to save the
Emo ao such plea can be made for the slave
nertv 81 the rebel states. As states. they
0Ilrully and reasonably seeded from
mon; organized a separate and indie
.ent government :; opened war of des-
s.=stau against the constitution and govern
at the UGited States and invited in
In and hostile nations 10 aid them In
.-eH aaRuable work. Those states, and the
n..".e ot those states, thus standing in open
so#e. mon, aud covering their borders with
Aoslils armies, could, 10y no possibility. have
= fsttS 1E..ts- tss constitution