Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-18
SPEECH
hon. ALEXANDER LONG, OF ONO.
Delivered In the House of Represent
atiyes. April 8, 1854.

on the state Of the Unon, in consideration of the
Presidents Message. Mr.. Long said:
Mr.. CHAIRnAs: speak to-day for the pre-
servation of the Government; and although for
the FIRST time within these walls. propose to in
dnlge in that freedom of speech and latitude Of
debate so freely exercised by other gentlemen for
the past four months, and which is admissible
under the rules in the present condition of the
House But for what may say. and the posi-
ton shall occupy upon this floor and before the
country alone will be responsible; and i'm the
Independence OF representative of the people, |
intend to proclaim the deliberate convictions of
my judgment in this fearful hopr of the country's
peril. Aud now, Mr.. Chairman, as we are in
Committee of the Whole on the state of the
Union, let US nquire how stands the Union to-
dayP --..
A little over three years ago the present occu-
pant OF the Presidential mansion, at the other
end o. the avenue. came into this city under
cover of night. disguised in plaid cloak and
Scotch cap, least as was feared by bis friends, he
might have received warmer greeting than
would have been agreeable on his way through
Baltimore, at the hands of the constituents of the
honorable gentleman from Maryland MIR Da-
Wis Ga the 4th of March he was inaugurated
and in his address deprecated civil war, using
tina: ever to be memorable language, Suppose
you 20 to war, YOU cannot fight always, and
when, after much loss on both sides, and no gain
on either, you cease fighting, the identical ques-
tons TO terms of intercourse are again upon
you" Seven States had up TO that time seeded
from the Union ALI believed that would
be ayerted At the conclusion of the address the
lamented Douglas, who had closely watched
every word as il escaped from the lips of the
President. turned to a friend, and with tears in
his eyes, thanked God that after all the election
of Abraham Lincoln would not involve the ma
ton in war" secret meeting OF the Govern
Ors of number OF States was soon after held in
this city. A scheme was devised and a vessel
sent under pretense Of furnishing provisions
| 20 the troops with Major Anderson in Fort Sum
] ter. Ga arriving in Charleston Harbor the PEG
pie of that city fred upon the tort. The tele-
| graph bore the news to this city, and ON its first
mention to the President, he exclaimed, II knew
1 they would do il, which to my mind is conclu-
siye that 1t was intended expressly FOR that pur-
| pose. Seyenty-hye thousand men we're immedi-
ately called for, war was inaugurated, twenty
days were given the insurgents to lay down their
arms; an additional five hundred thousand men
were soon called for, hostilites commenced.
/ The rebellion to be crushed inside of sixty
days; more troops were called for; the Union
was to he restored with all the rights, equality
and dignity OF the States unmpaired. No man
was permitted to question for moment the right
Of the Government to coerce the States back nio
the Union. To doubt the right question the
speedy suppression OF the rebellion and restora-
ton OF the Union, was to be denounced a
| traitor to tie Government and a sympsthiZer
with the South Thus. SIR. the inaugu-
rated ta
The first year passed away; the second came
and passed in like mariner. so for the third and
/ now, sir let me again inquire how stands the
/ Union to-dayT The brief period of three short
| years has produced fearful change in this free,
happy and prosperous government so free in its
restraints upon personal liberty. and so gentle in
its demands upon the resources of the people,
that the celebrated Humboldt, after travelling
| through the country his return to Europe.
said. a. The American people have government
which you can neither see nor feel. SO differ
ent il it now and great is the change, that the
inquiry might well be made to day, are we not in
! CoIistantnopIe in St Petersburg in Vienna in
Rome or in Paris? Military Governors and their
Provost Marshals override the laws. and the echo
of the armed heel rings forth clearly in
America as in France or in Austria, and the
President sits to day guarded by armed soldiery,
stationed at every approach leading to the Exec
utive Mansion.
So far from crushing the rebellion in sixty
days, three years have passed away. and from the
day the conflict began up to the present hour, the
| Confederate army has not been forced beyond
the sound of their guns from the dome OF the
| Capitol in which we are assembled The city of
| Washington 10 to-day, it has been for three
years, guarded by Federal troops in all the forts
and Notifications with which il is surrounded, 10
prevent an attack from the enemy, and as an ev-
idence of the dependency of the Administration,
and the unsuccessful opening of the spring cam,
paign Of the fourth year of the progress of the
war, the Morning Chronicle of this city, the
| Presidents organ, in an editorial few mornings
since, said: Charleston has not been taken;
| Lee maintains Il bold front on the X ipidan the
Florida expedition was failure; the Sherman
expedition has not been a success, and the rebels
have everywhere shown more vigOr than they
were supposed to possess" Although the same
paper. aud others in support OF the Admnstra-
| ton. have told the country from time to time
d uring the past winter that the rebellion was
crushed and slavery was dead; that the Confed
crates were deserving whole regiments at time,
coming within our lines, taking the oath, and de-
scribing the most horrible suffering and demoral
z4tion from want of food, clothing and ill-treat
menr, yet at the very time the people have been
so deceived and misled from day to day the Pres
ident calls for 500, 900 more troops, and in few
weeks follows it by call for 900 900 more. IN k
ing 760 900 since the first of January. am over
$500 900 since the commencement of the war.
out of 8, 500 600 who voted in the so called loyal
States at the last Presidential election when rs
900 militia we're TO end il in twenty days, or at
most sixty days.
Mr.. Chairman: / have thus made very brief
statement OF facts as to the condition of the
Union. to-day, and FOR doing which have no
doubt the usual charge OF encouragement for
the rebels. "the proongation of The war, 1.-THE
rebels are aided by their friends on this floor"
and the like charges, will be repeated again by
| gentlemen the opposite side of the house; and,
as | have heard such charges repeatedly for
the past four months, | say and here that
the real friends of the Confederates-those who
give them aid and encourag cement. and enable
them to carry on the war-are the opposite
side of the House and in the control of the Gov
eminent. Your confscation resolution. voted for
and passsd by the friends OF the Administration,
by which you propose to thrust your hands into
the coffin of the deceased father and take all he
may have left at his death to his widow. and in
nocent and unoffendng children, is worth
than fifty thousand men to the Confederate army
The order issued by the President TO Gen. Sax
ton, dividing up and parceling out the State of
South Carolina among the negroes and enterpris-
ing Yankees of Massachusetts,. gives courage,
energy and enthusiasm TO the men now in
in the Confederate States. The order Of the
President to his military commanders in Lousi-
ana and Arkansas, and the order issued in pursu-
ance thereof by General Banks to the people of
LOuisiana-in which bya sin lie dash Of his pen,
he strik es out Of existence the Constitution and
organic law of the State. and by virtue of the
power vested in him as a Major General, proceeds
to call aud hold election. and inaugurate State
officers. and set up State Government and the
legislation cousummated and proposed by Con-
gress. and speeches made upon this floor in sup
port of Ra.iicalism. is streng thening the war.
Herein, Sir, is where they fnd strength the true
friends OF the Confederacy in the North are radi-
cal Aboiitionists and the radical Press, goading
on the President to issue proclaDations and mill
tary orders which provide food, raiment, strength
and support tor the Confederacy
II Mr. Lincoln had made gift of millions of