Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-12-21
A Sensible Speech by senator
Guthrie.


Hon. JAMES GUTHRIE, who represents, In
pRrt KnpthckY IN the Uuited States Senate.
Wlien SfEREsls. copcutrent Revoln Visionary
Resolution iwas inoer ccpslderatidn IN the
Senate mac p the following brlef, pertineni
aud, admiraOle sneech$ y ~, "
" "Mf. Guthrie-I Wish to ask the friends
of this resolution II it Is contemplated that
this committee shall take evidence and re-
port that evidence TO the two Houses. II
they are only to take what Is open to every
member OF the Senate; the iAct that the
rebellion has been suppressed; the fact that
the President of the United States has ap-
pointed officers to collect the taxes, and In
some Instances Judges and other officers,
that he has sent the postofce into all the
States, that there have been, found enough
Iindlviduals loyal ITO the country 10 accept
the offices the fact that tue President has
issued HIS proclamation to all these States
appointing provisional governors, that they
have all elected conventions, that the con-
lventions have rescinded the ordinances Of
secession, that most OF them have amended
their constitutions and abolished slavery,
and the legislatures Of some of them have
passed the amendment TO the Constitution
on the subject Of slavery,--if they are only
TO take these facts, which are open and clear
to us all, T can see no necessity for such COM
piittee. My principal objection to the reso-
luton is, that this committee can give us
no information which we do not now pos
sess, coupled with the fact that the loyal
conservative men LOf the United States
North. South, East and West, do most
earnestly desire that we shall so act that
there shall be no longer iloubt that we
are the United States Of America in full ac-
cord and harmony with each other. ! 'I IL
al know IL has been said that the Presi-
dent had no authority 70 do these things
i read the Constitution andthe laws OF this
country differently. He is to take care that
the laws be faithfully executed; he is TO
suppress insurreetlon and rebellion. The
power'is put In his hahts, and doC see why,
when he marches into rebel State, he has not
authority to put down a rebel Government
and put up Government that Is frienG-
/ ly TO the United States and In accordanee
with 1t; do not see why he cannot do that
while the war goes on, and 1 do not see why
he may not do 1t after the war Is over. The
people in those States lie at the mercy OF
the nation. ] see no.hsurpatiofi In what he
has done, and tf he tcoIk Is toeH done, I, for
one, am ready 20 accept 10. Are we to send
out commission TO see what the men whom
he has appointed have done? It's said that
they are not TO be relied on; that they have
been guilty OF treason, and we VIII not trust
them. hope that no such ideas will prel
vail here. think this will be a cold shock
10 the warm feelings of the nation for
restoration, for equal privileges aud
equal rights. They were in insur-
rection. We have suppressed that i'm
surrection. They are ho5 States Of the Mon; |;
and u they come here according 10 he td,oS
Of the States, they are entitled, in my
judgment, 20 Representation, and zoe hare no
right 10 refuse 10. They are in a minority,
aud they would be in a minority even IL
they meant now what they felt when they
raised their arms against the Government;
but they do not, and of those whom they
will send here TO represent them, nineteen
out oftwenty viii be Just as loval as any OF
us-eyen some of those who took up arms
against us. -i- .1a..a 'DiHNar,N0 fFI
H"I really hope to see some one move
modification of the test oath, 80 that those
who have repented of their disloyaIty NAV
not be excluded; for really believe that
great many of those who took up arms
honestly and wished TO carry out the doc
trine ofsecession, and who have succumbed
under the force of our arms and the great
force of public opinion, can be trusted a
great deal more than those who do not fight
at ALL ."1'lI' t.I.
ITO conclude, gentlemen, I see no great
harm in this resolution except the procras-
tinatiOn that will result from it, and that
will give us nothing but what we have be-
fore u.s." ' .' ".it