Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-03
Speech OF
Hon. JOSEPH X. EDGERTON,
UF INDIANA,
Delivered ia the House Of Representatives., Jan
nary %, 1864.


In the House OF Representatives, Mr. Wilson,
from the judiciary Committee on leave, intro
duced the following Joint resolution:
Joint resolution TO amend Joint resolution ex-
pIanstory Of IAN act TO suppress Instruction
To punish treason and rebellion. to seize and
confscate the property OF rebels. and for other
purposes" approved July II. 1862:
Resolved By the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives OF the United States of America in
Congress assembled, That the last clause Of a
Joint resolution explanatory of An act to sup
press instruction, to punish treason and rebel
lion 70 seize and coniscate the property OF reb-
els and for other purposes" approved July IL
1852 he and the same hereby is so amended as
10 read: NOR shall any punishment proceed
ing under said act be so construed as to work
forfeiture Of the estate of the offender except du-
ring his life +" This amendment being intended
TO limit the operation and effect Of the said resO
luton aud act, and the hereby limited
only 40 FAR "a to make them cealormable TO
ton three of article three OF the Constitution Of
the United States: Provided that no other pub
lie warning or proclamation under the act Of
July IL 1862. chapter ninety-hve, section six. is
or shall be, required than the proclamation Of the
President made and published by him on the
25th dsy OF July. 1862, which proclaim so
m ,de shall be received and held sufficient ia all
cases now pending or which may hereafter arise
under said act
Mr. Stevens gave notice thai at the proper
time he would submit the following as an amend
ment:
Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That the resolution
passed ON July L.. 1862, entitled joint resou
ton explanatory of an act to suppress insurrec
ton. ct cetera 1868. be. and the same is hereby
repealed.
January %. le64-The above joint resolution
being under consideration
Mr. Edgerton said:
Mr Speaker the speech Of the gentleman
from Peansylvania, Mr. Steyensl advocating
his proposed amendment to the JOINT resolution
now before the House. removes from my mind
all doubt, it any existed before, as TO the charac
ter aud objects of the act of Congress- of July IL,
1862. entitled IAN act to suppress Instruction.
to punish treason and rebellion. to seize and con
hscate the property of rebels, and for other pur
poses"
I listened To and have read the genteman's
speech with deep. and NAV say painful, interest
With the hand Of master. he has drawn in clear
and bold outline. sketch Of the character and
objects of the war now waged by the Federal
Executive. His propositions substantially
these:
I. That the existing between the United
States and the Confederate States is a civil war,
carrying with il the character of public war, IN
which the United States OH the one hand and the
Confederate States on the other belligerent
parties, and as to each other independent and
foreign nations. and the character OF alien enc
mics attaches to all. including women and child
rem. who in fact. by domicile, adhere to the
Confederate States.
2. That the war has abrogated the treaty or
compact called "a constitution" heretofore ex-
listing between the United States and the Con-
fedcrate States, their people. and neither can
claim "a against the other the aid of the consti-
tuition OF OF the laws passed under It,
3 That the territory of the Confederate
States covered by the Confederate dag, - = =.
eigp country whereof the lands 10 be confs
Gated and sold. and the slaves of the people
made free. and the States and their laws reorgan
lied.
4. That he who now wishes to re-establish
ss;he Union as il was. and to restore 1.-The Con-
stitution a. il is" cannot escape the guilt of at
tempting To euslave his fellow men he
Union as it was and the Constitution as II is Is
an atrocious idea: IL Is man stealing That all
the inhabitants of the Confederate States have
forfeited all rights under the constitution which
they have renowned, and that they are iOreye
eStopped from claiming 1.-THE Union rs it was
Sir. il is a question OF grave significance 10 the
people of the United States. and 70 the army of
the n,ed States, a part Of the people, whether
Stevens speaks by authority.
On this point he uses this language:
TO gentlemen who members OF The last
Congress this l. repetition. AZ the extra se>
son OF 1861 I advanced the same Suggestions
and have repeated them ou all occasions that |
deemed proper since They were not then quite
acceptable 20 either side of the House Bus
am glad To lind that the President, after careful
examination. has come 10 the same conclusion.
In details We may not quite agree; but his plan
of reconstruction assumes the same general
grounds. Ii proposes TO treat the rebel territory
"A conqueror alone would treat II. dis plan Is
wholly outside of and unknown to the COnSttu
ton But it is within the legitimite province of
the laws of war His legal mind has carefully
studied the law OF nations and reached Just con
clusion F"
10 not now allu6e 10 the speech OF the gen
tleman from Pennsylvania with view 10 make
il the chief themeof nv remarks ut this time. or
20 attempt an answer To- 10 nov: for even If felt
myself able To enter the field Of argumeu with a
gentleman OF his eminent ability aud great parla
mentsry experience. should deem il due TO my
cause and TO myself To devote 10 the speech more
OF time for Investigation and thought than have
We, been able TO give 20 IL
The speech il one that should be read aud
pOnderel well by every man who desires to re
store ..the Union Il under the Constitution
a. II is'-an expression. SIT. would here say. -
grossly misunderstood Il i grossly msrepre-
scented: aud TO the true friends of tie Union as
the Constitution made il the speech will suggest
the pregnant question. is this war for the
Union, Aud they may further ask: To what
good does the blood of our people n w like water
and tax alton lay IT. iron hand upon our labor aud
our estates. if the Union aud the Constitution be
no loager our cause and Justification MANY
men. YES. tens and hundreds of thousands Who
give the at sn earnest support. aud would still
support il Tori Just and constitutional purposes.
will inquire. IL the gentleman from PENNSYLVANIA
be the exponent OF our war policy whether IL is
not better 10 ssy TO the States and people now
composing the foreign country" 20 the South of
US. and once our sister States. Maynard sis
ters. 90 in peace" than TO attempt TO force
upon them, bv the power OF war, the iron
bonds which the iron policy Of the gentleman
from Pennsylvania Mr.. Stevensl would forge
for them.
IL - common. sir, for gentlemen on the other
side 20 denounce Us and the great Democratic
party Of the North. dsunionists. sympaihzers
with rebellion, secessionsts, disloyal men: ane
the word TRAITOR" almost fell from the lips OF
the gentleman from Ohio Mr. Spaldingl the
other day Ia his allusion 10 his Democratic col
league Mr. Cox Sir. il Jefferson Davis ever
gave usteranee 10 sentiments more dIsunion O,
disl0ysl. or ever indicated more fatal purpose
toward the Union and Constitution. than The gen
tiemsn from Pennsylvania has done in his speech
have yet 10 find the record Of such utierances
and ~ further. SIR and say that IL the President