Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-22
Mr.. Long's speech.

The following i tbs coaclnding pos.
tion q this speech, which sams up most
that was obnoxioas n It,
The very idea upon which this war Is
fonndsd--coercion Of States. leads 70
despotisin, "a preserve q republicar
form Of government under Any consiifa-
ton, under the preyzlenee Of the doe
trines now in vogue, i clearly ippossi-
BILE. These convictions Of the complete
overthrow Of our Government are as ua.
wholesome and unplea saat 70 me rs they
are to any member of the House would
10 God the facts we're such could cher.
ish other convictions | may be de-
nounced as disloyal and uapairiotic 70;
entertaining them, bot il will only be by
shallow fools and arrant kuayes who do
not know, or will not admit the diEFer>
enee between recognizing TACT and cres
ating its existence A man may not de.
sire 20 die, bat nevertheless his belief
will not alter the fact Of bis mortality. |
shall not. in these remarks, revive che
uupleasaat and acrimonious contrpsassy
OF who is. responsible for the death and
destruction OF our RepBllic. do no !
see that auy such discussion nov wuuh
be productive Of good entertain clea,
aud strong convictions upon that point
convictions that i have 40 doubt viii be
shared by the impartial historian Of the
future. For the present | am willing to
let the past, with al It's recolIections,
rest provided we can saalch from the
common ruin some OF our old relics of
E 4 a - II knfr r
entertained By many Of my political
friends, on the toor and elsewhere, that
any peace is attainable upon the basis Of
union aud reconstruction. IL the Demo
cratic party we're in power TO dsy. IhAxe
no idea. and honesty eompels me TO de-
clare II, 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
alternatives. aud these are: either an ac-
knovledsment Of the Independence .of
the South as an independent nation,
or their complete sabiugatton and exter
mination ~ people aud Of these alter
natives prefer the former.
Mr. Chairman, take Little or no in
terest in ahe Discussion Of the question
which many Of my political friends
would make an Issue as to how this war
shall be prosecuted, It's manner and OBJ
I iect. | regard that as worse than triAing
With the great question ! do not believe
there can be any prosecution af the var
against sovereign State uader the Con
stitution, and do not believe that q war
so carried on can be prosecuted so as to
render itproper, iusti6abls or expedient.
/ An unconstitutional war can oaly be car
I ried on in an uneonsiitutional manner,
aud 10 prosecute 4 further under the
idea Of the gentleman from Pennsyl-
vania. (Mr. Steyens1 as 9 war waged
against the Confederate States as an in
dependent nation, for the purpose ofeon-
quest and snbjugation, as he proposes.
and the Administration Is in truth and
in fact doing, am equally opposed.
: Il will further say. Mr.. Chairman, that
if this war Is to he still further proseea-
ted, prefer that i shall be done under
the auspices Of those who now conduct
its management, as do not wish the
party with which / am connected 10 be
10 any degree responsible for its results.
which cannot be otherwise than disas-
trons and suicidsl--let the responsibility
remain where it is until we can have g
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 .
continuance of war .olicy-aueh q
policy woald be libel UPON Is creed in
The past, aud the ideas that lie at the
basiG Of sll free governments, and would
lead to its complete decentralization and
rlip.
81 believe the masses Of the Demo
cratic party are for peace, that they
woald be placed IN false position. i
J they should rominste war candidats
for the Presidency and sssk 10 make the