The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-02-12


ever visit those spots madc sacred by the
blood of SO many thousand brave mon, and
SEQ our onemio5 holding tho fields and plow-
ing the graves Of our brethren, while the
sweat of slavos falls on tho sod which ought
TO DO forever sacred TO every American
cilizon.
Tho history Of opinion and its changes III
tho Army ia a very interesting one. Whom
tho war broke out, men spraug to arms ,
from all parties by common impulse of
generous patriotism, which l am glad to nc .
knowledge in tho presence ofthoso in whose .
hearts that impulse seems now 10 have
died.
remember to havo said to friend whom !
entered the Army, "YOu hato slavery 80 |
do l but | bate disunion more. Let US
drop tho slavery question and fight to sue |,
tain tho Union. When the supremacy of
the Government has boon re- established wo
will attend to tho other question" ! said
it in good faith.
| said to another. "You love slavery.
Do you love the Union more? If you do,
20 with me wo will lot slavery alone and
fight for tho Union. When that is saved
We will take up our old quarrel, if thero is
anything loft to quarrel about"
| started out with that position taken in
good faith. az did thousands of others, os all
parties. but the Army soon found, DO what
it would, the black phantom, met it every
where, m tho camp, in tho bivouac, on tho
battlefield aud at all timos. 1t twas ghost
that would not DO laid--slayory was both
tho strength and tho weakness of tho eBe-
my. His strength, for 1t titled tho fields
and fed tho legions its weakness, for in
the hearts of slaves dwet dim prophecies
that their delivorance from bondage would
90 tho outcome Of tho war.
MIR. Seward says, in an official dispatch
20 our minister at st. James, Mr.. Adams:
Everywhere the American General re-
ceives his most important Information
from the negro. who halls his coming as
the harbinger of freedom" These i'll
used men came from the cotton.Gelds,
they swan rivers, they climbed noun
tains, they came through jungies, in !he
darkness aud storms OF the night, 10 tell
US that the enemy was coming here or
going there. They were our true friends
in every case. There has hardly been q
battle, march, or any itnportan, event Of
the wsr, whero. the friend Of our cause,
the black man, haa rot been found truth
ful and helpful. and always devotedly
loyal. The practical truth forced itself
upon the mind OF every soldier that be.
hind the rebel army of soldiers the black
army Of iaborers was feeding and sustain
ing the rebellion, and there could be no
victory ill its main support were taken
away, ......-.
You take my house when you do take the PR
| That doth sustain my house."
The rebellion falls when you take away
its chic prop, slavery and landed estates,
Gentlemen ON the other side, you tell
me that this is an abolition war. II you
please to say so grant it. The rapid
war-current OF events has made the Army
Of the Republic an abolition Army.
can find you in the ranks a thousand men
who are in favor of sweeping away sla.
very TO every dozen that are in favor oI
sustaining it. They have been where
they have seen its malevolence, its bale
full effects upon the country and the I'm
ion, and they demand that it shall be
swept away. never expected to discuss
the dement's of slavery again for l deem
it unnecessary. The fat las gone forth
, and it is dead unless the body.suatcher;
/ on the other side of this House shall res
/ urrect il and give it galvanic life.
| Mr.. Chanler. Will the gentleman yielt
J, 10 me ?
Mr.. Garfield 1 must decline to yield
Mr. Chanler. You asked question O
!, this side of the House, and merely de
4 sired 10 answer you.
! MIR. Garfield. You may say TO me lha
d. slavery is divine institution; you maj
o prove to your own satisfaction from thu
y word OF God, perhaps, that slavery is
n beneGcent institution; will say to 20,
9 that all this may be entirely satisfac!or,
y 10 your mind, but your beloved friend
q slavery, is no more. This is world o
p bereavement and changes, and an
J. nounce TO you that your friend has de
o parted. Hang the Grapery of mourning
!. on lis bier! Go in long and solemn pro
y cession after lis hcnrse. il you please, AM
% shed your tears of sorrow over lis grave
but have no time 10 waste in lsenin.
II to your fearful eulogy over the deceased
K came now to consider another point i
10 this question. hold it as a settled trut
IT that lbe leaders Of this rebellion can ney
s. er live in peace in this Republic. l d
% not say it in any spirit of vindictivenes'
- but as matter of conviction. Ask ,h
~ men who have seen them and met !hel
,f IN the darkness Of battle and all the rig
as ors Of warfare; they will tell you it ca
n never be. l make, OF course an exceI
D. tion in favor OF that sad array Of me
i, who have been forced or cajoled by the
N leaders into the ranks and subordinai
Is offices in the rebel army. ] believe
;f truce could be struck to-day between III
It It rank and file Of the hostile armies. ! b.
At lieve they could meet and shake hand
IN together joyfully over returning peace
m respecting their mutual courage and mar
I'd hood. But for the wicked men VII
= brought on this rebellion, for the wicke
80 men who led them into the darknes
i 7 such a day can never come. Ask Il
n representatives OF Kentucky upon th
* floor who know what the rebellion hi
he been in their. State, who know the VII
no lence and devastation that has swept ov,
ee it, and they will tell you that all ov'
or thai State neighbor has been slau3htert
o. o. by neighbor, ieuds fierce as human ha
~, can make them, have sprung up, and
ak long as revenge has an arm to strike the
,is will never cease to strike il such M