Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-03-05


Slavery was theirs Slaves produced cot
ton, and cotton was king" In an evil hour,
they embarked in the project of giving cotton
an independents kingdom, and slavery broad
er area The results are before them: ruin
misunderstanding. The foundation of
their political edifiee has crumbled to dust /;
and, say again, il is use scork Of their oacn
hd'ads. They might have preserved slavery
The Constitution Of the United States stood
in the way of its destruction, by any free
state, or by any foreign power. But, when
| they seeded from the Union and made the
war upon the Constitution, the Constitution
destroyed slavery, as the sole means of pre-.
serving itself. 81
Mr.. Speaker, for one l have no tears to
she'd While the Southern States remained
loyal to the Constitution, was among those
who yielded everything for peace. AFRO
gance, obloquy, threats, party supremacy
all were submitted to, until the great Demo-
cratic party of the Northern States was brok-
en- down under the load of southern control.
Ii has had its day. The Confederacy will
have its day. Ii, and its dark foundations,
will be swept away, and the great temple of
the Republic will stand-every corner of it
upon the immoyable basis of constitutional
liberty. - Z
This war is to have a record-a proud and
glorious record. / would rather, were it pos
sible for SO humble an individual as myself,
that my name should go down in history, and
be read, as it will be read, = thousand years
hence, as having acted a prominent part in
suppressing this the greatest rebellion the
world ever saw, than to have stood at the
right hand of Washington and aided in throw
ing off the yoke of England, and establishing
our national Independence.
This war Ia tn ne fought throrloh
The gentleman from Dane says we can
never fight il out successfully, and therefore,
| infer, he is Tor piling up taxation. l think
otherwise. s. think the Confederacy is up
on its last legs" A little more union and
perseverance few more heavy blows, and
it must 90 down, with all its adherents, into
everlasting contempt.
But there is a resurrection for the Southern
States. Conquered they must be; conquered
into submission TO Tie Constitution of tie United
States. But when they come back, penitent
for their treason, and willing to yield obedi-
ence to that instrument, they will be well
coined again into the fold of the Union; aye,
sir, welcomed, only too generously, by all the
loyal people of all the States. They will
then help to sustain, instead of laboring to
destroy, the best Government the world ever
saw because it is the only Government ever
framed, by the people, for the people.
In the mean time every man has his
duties to perform. We have ours, in voting
upon this Bill. Let us be governed by pat
riotism and reason.
The rebellion must be crushed. What
ever is indispensable to that end, must be
killed. 1t will crush US, unless we crush it;
and, though it cost all our property and half
of our lives, we must save our Government.
With that Government rests life, property,
peace, to US and our posterity. Is the pro-
posed additional allowance 20 soldiers who
shall marry, Indispensable / think not.
The Government of the United States has
recently offered, three and four hundred dol
lars bounty, to soldiers enlisting, or re-enlist-
ing in the service. And besides this, coun-
ties, cities and towns are paying liberal boun-
ties. The man without a family, who now
goes into the army, is reasonably provided,
both for beginning the world, and maintain
ing a wife, if he has one. Other calls upon
the Treasury of the State, seem to me, more
pressing. The pockets of the people are
reached by 4 thousand demands. The really
poor, and the national taxes are upon them.
/ believe the soldiers will understand and
fully appreciate all this. They will appreciate
our action here. The late convention at
GAINESVILLE, representing the "Loyal Demoe-
racy'' of the State, declared that they honor
eu TIE pdiFlOllSiii, auulifcu the NdiOr, anu
held themselves bound to cherish the memory
and reward the services of our heroic SOL
diers The Union Convention, at Madison,
did substantially the same.
When the war is over, the army must and
will be provided for, as great, rich and re-
deemed nation ought to, and can do. Now,
while the conflict RACES, we must be prudent,
reasonable, just; net lavish, nor even gener-
Gus with the peoples money. Es
Mr. Speaker, am in favor of the propos-
ition, to strike out: that is my record.