East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-05-04
mir. LONGS spEECu.

NH l<ONO - OF Erstll. Il
We copy the concluding portion Of
Mr.. Longs speech, in which he sums
mp all that was doomed obnoxious in
it. Here is what he said
"The very idea upon which this war
is founded-coercio of States-leads
to despotism TO preserve q republic
can form of government under any
constitution, under the prevalence of
the doctrines now in vogue, is clearly
impossible. These convictions Of the
complete overthrow of onr govorn-
mont are as unwholesome and UNI
pleasant to me as they areto any nom
Der of the House. Would to God
the facts were such / could cherish
other convictions. / may be denounc-
cd as disloyal and unpatriotic for an
tertaming them, but it will only be by
shallow fools and arrant knaves who
do not know or will not admit the diff
ference between recognizing and Great
ing its existence. A man may not
desire to die, but nevertheless his be-
lief will not alter tho fact Of his NOR
tally. / shalfnot in those remarks, re-
vive the unpleasant and acrimonious
controversy of who is responsible for
the death and destruction of our re-
public. / do not see that any such
discussion now would be productive
of good. entertain clear and strong
convictions upon that point---convie-
tons that 1 have no doubt will be
shared by the impartial historian of
the future. PSI q aUi t.
For the present / am willing to lot
the rast, with all its rccollections, rest,
provided we can snatch from tho com
mon ruin some of our old relics of
Freedom. / do not share in the be-
lief entertained by many of my politi-
cal friends, on this floor and elsewhere,
that any peace is attainable upon the
basis of union and reconstruction. =
Ii the Democratic party were in pow
or to-day, L have no idea, and honesty
compcls me to declare it, that they
could restore the Union over thirty
four States. My mind has undergone
an entire change upon that subject. /
believe that there are but two alternat
tives, and these are: either the ac-
acknowledgements of the independence
of the South asan independent nation
or their complete subjugation and en-
termination as a people; and OF these
alternatives l prefer the former. ,s
Mr.. Chairman, Il take little or no i'm
terest in tho discussion of the ques-
ton which many of my political
friends would make an issue as to how
this war shall be prosecuted, its man
ner and object 1 regard that as
worse than trihing with the groa-
question. / do not believe there can
be any prosecution of the war against
a sovereign State under the Constitu-
ton, and / do not believe that war
carried on can be prosecuted SO as TO
render it proper, justifablo or expo
dent An unconstitutional war can
only be carried on in On unconstitu-
tional manner, and to prosecute it fur
Their under the idea of the gentleman
from Pennsylvania, (AIr. Stevens,) as
war waged against the Confederate
States as an Independent nation, for
the purpose of conquest and subjation
as he proposes, and the Administra-
ton is in truth and in fact doing, L am
equally opposed. ls a
will further say, Mr.. Chairman,
that If this war is to be still further
prosecuted, i prefer that it shall be
done under the auspices, of those who
now conduct its management, as L do
not wish the party with whom l am
connected to be in any degree respon-
siblo for its results, which cannot be
otherwise than disastrous and suicidal
--lot the responsibility remain where
it is until we can have change of
policy instead of men. if such thing
is possible. Nothing could be more
fatal for the Democratic party than to
seek to come into power pledged to a
continuance of war policy = such a
policy would be a libel upon its creed
in the past and the ideas that lie at
the basis of all free governments, and
would lead to its complete demoraliza-
ton and ruin. e r8n ae
/ believe the masses Of the Demo-
cratic party are for peace; that they
would DO placed in false position if
they should nominate u war candi-
date for the Presidency and seok TO
make the issue upon the narraw basis
of how the war should be prosecuted.
For my own part, as / have already
indicated, / fear our old government
cannot be preserved even under tho
best auspices, and under any policy
they may now be adopted yet de-
sire to see the Democratic party, with
which / have always been connected,
preserve its consistency and republi-
can character mistaken"
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