The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1865-11-21
Mr.. CoIGa1's speech at W0shinstOn
tG Saturday Night


f Saturday Night.
lowing to some difficulty at the tele-
graph office yesterday morning, the
sheets containing the speech of Hon.
Schuyler Colfnx, at Washington, did
not reach us until three O'Clock, and in
order to get into the early mails we
were compelled to so to press with only
a small portion of it iii print. Begin
ming where our report LEFT off, we sub
join the balance OF the distinguished
gentleman's remarks, as follows:I
Since the adjournment of the United
States Congress, not II single rebcllious
State voluntarily surrendered, not an
army laid down its weapons, not a reg
tment abandoned their failing cause,
but the Union armies CONQUERED n
peace, not by compromise, or voluntary
submission, but by the force of arms.
Some of these members of the sO-called
ContederIlte Congress, who, mt our nd
journment last March, were Struggling.
to blot this nation from the map Of the
world, propose, L understand, to enter
Congress on the opening day of its ses-
sion, next month, and resume their for
mer business of governing the country
they struggled SO earnestly to ruin.
They say that they have lost no rights.
OF our commerce on the ocean, starving
our prisoners, and raising armies to de-
stroy the nation, would impair some of
these rights, until their new govern-
msnts were recognized by Congress.
The Constitution, which seems tram-
ed for every emergency, gives to each
house the exclusive right to Judge of
the qualifications of the election returns
of its members; and npprehend they
will exercise that right. Congress haV-
ing passed no law on reconstruction.
President johnson prescribed certain
action for these States, which he deemed
indispensable to their restoration to
their former relations to the Govern
ment, which L think eminently wise
and patriotic. LIST. Tint their Conven-
tions should declare the various ortli-
nances of secession null and void-not
as some have done, merely reDealiny
them, Enthusiastically without any force
and effect. ID. Tint their Legislatures
should ratify the Constitutional Amend
nent abolishing slavery, that this cause
of dissension and rebellion might be
eGtirpRted. Sd. Thatthey shall formal
ly repudiate tho rebel debt-thougb. by
its terms, it will be a long while before
it falls due, as it was payable six
months after the recognition Of the con
federacy by the United States. [Cheers,l
This reminds me of an old friend in
Indiana, who said he liked to give his
notes payable ''ten days AFTER conyen-
ience;n Laughter, and cries of ''good,"
"good.''l
But there are other terms on which 1
think there is no division among the
loyal men of the Union. LIST. That the
Declaration of Independence must be
recognized as the law of the land. and
every man, alien and native, white md
6lack, protected in the inalienable and
God-given rights of "life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness" Mr.. Linz
coin, in that Emancipation Proclama-
ton, which is the proudest wreath in
his chaplet of fame, [cheers, not only
gave freedom to the slaves, but declnr-
ed that the Government would muin-
tain that freedom. [Applause.l
we cannot abandon them and leave
them defenseless at the mercy of their
former owners. They must be protects
ed in their rights and property, and
these freemen must have the right to
sue in courts of Justice for all inst
claims, and to testify also, so as to have
security against outrage and wrong.
cali That freemen not freedmen. The
last phrase might have answered before
their freedom was fully secured, but they
should be regarded now as freemen OF
cheers.1 ID. The amendments Of thei,
State Constitutions, which have been
adopted by many of their State Con.
ventions SO reluctantly, under the pres.
sure OF dispatches from the President
and the Secretary of State, should
pie.
| We all know that but n very small
portion of their voters participated I'm
the election of the delegates to these
\ conventions, and nearly If not all Tho
! conventions have declared them in force
I without foo L. Al.
| When the crisis has passed can they no
| turn around and say these weread 0Dtef
under duress, by delegates elected nv ,
neagre vote under provisional COVER
nors and military authorities, and new
/ er ratified by popular vote; and coult
they not turn over the anti-LecomptoT
argument against us, and insist as W,
did, that a constitution not ratified Inv
4 the people may have effect, but nc
/ moral effect whatever? Sd. The Presi
dent can, on all occasions. insist tha
they should elect Congressman VIII,
could take the oath prescribed by tn,
Act of 1862.
But in defiance of this, and insulting
the President and the country, theS
have, in a large majority of instances
voted down Union men who could taSC
the oath, electing those who boasteC
they could not, and would feel disgraceC
II they would. One gentleman, elected
~ A4aDhludJ ny IL lhTBe MAJORITY u0
clared in his address TO the people be,
forethe election, that the iron pen O
history would record the emancipation
act as the most mOnstrous deed of cru
city that ever darkened the annals q
any nationi and another one who ayoy,
ed he gave all possible aid and cOmfor-
to the rebellion, denounced the Conores,
of 1862 as guilty in enacting such an
oath: IA voice-''Put them on proba
tion."l arrT '''''
The South is filed with men who ca,
not take the oath which declares q
have not voluntarily taken part in tn
rebellion" Every conscript in IN
Southern army can take thai ontb IN
cause he was forced into the ranks b,
the consumption act, and every Tnai
who stayed at home and refused to M
cept civil or military Office could tax
that oath. But these were not the choic
Of the States lately in rebellion. All
While 1t must be expected a minoTit'
OF these States viii cherish, for wear
perhaps, their feelings of disioyalty
the country has a right to expect this
{ before fhefV.