Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-01-24

Mr.. Orr's speech I'm the Rebel
House ON Pence.
The following speech of Mr.. Orr, in the
Rebel House of Representatives, is signifi-
cant, as giving support to the hope that
Peace is practicable:
Especial dispatch to The N. Y. Tribune.l
WAsHINGroN, Thursday, Jan. 10, 1865.
NThe following are extracts from Rich
mond papers received at this Bureau:
From The Sentinel. Jan. Ill
Immediately after the opening of the
davis business in the House OF Representa-
tiyes, Mr.. Orr Of Mississippi rose TO per.
sonal explanation. He had the clerk read
an article from The Sentinel of the 18th inst,
headed Treason. He then said:
; Mr.. SPEAKER: The editor of this paper
Is the public and private printer OF this
House, and it is the commonly received Or
gan of the Executive. This is my apology
for noticing the slanderous article wnicn L
have had the clerk read. 1t is apparent 10
this House, and to those who are 1amlliar
with our proceedings, that the article ls ~
tended as criticism upon the report from
the committee upon Foreign Affairs, SUBJ
mitted to them on last Thursday. IL Is no
less than grave charge of treason against
that committee, and an implication OF like
import against the members OF this House,
who were coyniZant OF the substance OF the
report, and voted to receive it in secret ses-
sion. / trust that the reputation OF the
members composing the committee is sum-
cient to satisfy the country that tne artlcle
is false and slanderous. The deliberations
of the committee upon the report were pre-
sided over by the venerable, pure and dis
aI II,
Riyes, Would he have so presided from
week to week when treason was plotted! =
Would he have voted, as he did,
i'm open session, to go into secret
session to receive that report? Would MS
colleagues, Mr.. DE Jarnette, Gen. ATKINS ol
Tennessee, MIR. Witherspoon ofSeuth Caro-.
lima, Mr.. Turner of North Carolina, ana
Mr.. Smith of Alabama, have given their
sanction to a reasonable report! Are they
/ capable of treachery of the most Infamous
character? Are they traitorous Congress
men? Can it be that they have brought
forward disorderly, ruinous and fatal pro,
nosition. reprehensible and intolerable, and
having neither dignity, honor nor safety
I'm it? But of the Virginia delegations,
Messrs. Rives and De Jarnette were not
alone in voting to receive the report. MIR.
wickham, Mr.. Baldwin and Mr.. McMullln
voted with them, aware at the time OF It's
substance; and thus they, too: fall under
the rod of the power behind the throne of
The Sentinel. In refuting this calumny
against members of this House, it is un-
necessary to divulge the contents OF the re-
port, or the action of the House thereon,
although it is with me, as announced when
/ presented it, matter OF lndifierence
whether it should be considered in open or
secret session. If the writer OF the article
ever saw the resolutions, he has knowingly
falsified them; If he has not seen them, but
supposes them to be as he states, then, ac-
cording to his own report he betrays gross
ignorance in asserting that resolution to
open irregular negotiations through com,
missioners with lincoln for peace, would
constitute treason and greater crlmlnality
i'm presuming to arraign worthy and patri-
otic men for something of which he is ig-
norant Why should they be subjected to
this malignant criticism? For the sake of
the argument, let it be conceded that they
have proposed to send commissioners to
Washington to open irregular negotiations
Tor peace. These commissioners might be
sent with no other power than to confer and
consult with the authorities there on terms
of an honorable peace, with instructions to
report the results of such conference to the
President and to this House. Such negotia-
tions would be irregular, and yet they
might, think they would, If ratified by
the treaty making power. secure an honor
able and satisfactory peace. Who but
madman would denounce these means and
this result as treachery of the most infamous
character? From the supposed relationship
of this paper to men in power. it may have
been intended, in indulging in bitter de-
nunciation, to have the effect of intimidat-
ing the advocates of an honorable, peaceful
settlement of the war. If this was the de-
sign, allow me to assure you, Mr.. Speaker,
that q greater mistake was never made.
Denunciation will be met by defiance.
This movement is not in the hands OF timid
or time-serving men. Sustained as they
are by volume of sentiment In the coun-
try and in the army, and by their own
sense of duty, they are determined that in
some form the craftsmanship of the coun-
try shall be invoked in an honest effort to
end this carnival of death by negotiation.
The Sentinel thinks it foolish, reasonable,
and ruinous for this House to send Commits
sioners to Washington, with powers limited
as prescribed. This is to assume that no
terms could be obtained which would not
be ruinous. Is there any reason for this
assumption? That journal proposed few
days since to abolish slavery for foreign in
tervention. Who is authorized to say that
better terms cannot be obtained from the
United States? Who Is authorized to say
that terms could not be agreed upon with
them without abolition or reconstruction ?
We certainly could make it to their inter-
est to recognize us as an independent peo-
pie without involving either slavery or re-
construction; and nations usually follow
their interest. The question of reconstruc-
tion, however, does not arise in the propo-
sition to negotiate and / shall not, there
fore, discuss it. Nor is it foolish or treason
able; and will add that it is neither impol-
itic or unmanly, while we are gathering
up all our military strength to meet the
enemy, to resort to every laudable and
proper effort to give peace to bleeding
and distracted country by negotiation. On
the contrary, the statesman who would re-
fuse to do this is hideous moral deformity.