The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-11-20

SpeuAcE OOttax xScfeu9deO-kMh u kSepiys
WASHINGTON, Nov. 1e.-This evening
large crowd of the friends of Speaker
Colfay repaired to his quarters and COM
plimeuted him with sernade In re-
SPONGE to earnest calls he appeared and
addressed them as follows:
My friends-I thank you for the Piles
ant serenade with which you welcome
me on my return to the sphere Of public
service Since left here i have travelled
as YOU are all aware, thousands OF miles
Ny thoughts turns this evening to the
auspicious condition of cur country now
as compared with the closing of the last
Congress. then an alien and hostile flag
waved over our cities and forts and camps
and regiments, and we were in Wash
ington to assist in raising more troops
called for by the President. There is
now peace over all the land and the flag
of the Republic waves unquestioned
over every acre of our national domain
(Cheers) our institutions united in the
hour OF their peril If we had failed
there would have been no resurrection
from the tomb of nations. But thanks
to our brave defenders, no Gibbon will
write the history of our decline and fall
(Cheers) shall hail the day when all
the States shall revolve i'll their apprO.
pirate orbits around the ccntral govern
ment, and hold them US distinct as the
pillows heave on the sea But we can
not forget history teaches us that it was
eight years before the surrender of York
town, in he revolutionary war, though
our fathers were of one mind, as to its ne
cessity before the constitution was adop-
ted and the Union thus established. 1t
is auspicious that the ablest Congress
that ever sat during my knowledge of
public affairs, meets next month to face
and settle the lnOmentous questions
which will be brought before it. 1t will
not be governed by any pirit ofrevenge,
but solely by duty to the country. |
have no right TO anticipate its action, nor
tlo confess myself to any inieXibie un-
alterah!c policy, but this idea occurs to
me, aud speak OF this with "a frankness
with which men should always express
their views. Last March, when Con
gress adjourned, the States lately in re-
bellion were represented In hostile
Congress and Cabinet, devising ways
and means for the destruction of the
country. Ii may not be geuerally known,
but it has been repeated To he, Oh the
testimony Of members of the so.called
Confederate Congress, that General Lee,
I'm. military head ot the rebellion, lie
Glazed last February, III his official char
acter that the contest vas utterly hope
less, but that the Congress and Cabl-
net determined to cOntlue the strug-
Gle and twenty thousand men fell
after that time on both sides lii
the battles around Petersburg and Rich
mond Since the adjournment OF the 23d
Congress, not n single State voluntarily
surrendered; not an army laid down It's
weapons; not Il regiment abandoned their
falling cause; but the Union forces con
uuered peace, not by compromise or
voluntary submission, but by the force
of arms Since them members OF the so
called Confederate Congress, who ut our
adjournment last March were struggling
to blot ont the nation from the map of
the world, propose, understand, to ELI
ter Congress on the opening day oil It's
session, next month, and assume their
former business of governing the coun-
trv they struggled so earnestly to ruin.
They say they have lost no rights 1T
seems as if the burning of the ships OF
our commerce on the ocean, starving our
prisoners of war, raising armies to de-
stroy the nation, would impair some of
their rights. Until these new Govern
ments are recognised by Congress. the
Constitution, which seems formed Tor
any emergency, gives to each House the
exclusive right to Judge Ofthe qnalitica-
tion OF the election returns ofeach State,
and apprehend they will exercise that
right, Congress having passed no law
on reconstruction, President Johnson
presented certain action for those States
which he deemed Indispensable to their
restoration to their former relations to
the government, which think eminent
ly wise aud patriotic. Filst, that the
Convention should declare the various or
dinances Of secession null and void, not
as some have done, resist repeating them,
but absolutely without any force and ct
feet. Second, that their Legislatures
should ratify the constitutional amend
ment abolishing slavery that the cause
of dissention aud rebellion might be ut
tsrlv ex;irpated Third, that they shall
formally repudiate the rebel debt, though
by the way, it will be long while be
fore it falls due, as it was payable six
months after the recognition of the Con-
federaCy by the Uuited States. Cheers }
This reminds me of an old friend in indi-
ana who said he liked to give bis note
payable ten days after convenience.
daughter and cries of good good). But
there are other things in which ] think
there is no division among the loyal men
of the Union. First. that the declaration
of independence would be recognized as
the law OF the landaud every man, alien
and native, white and black be protected
in the nalienable and tiod-given rights Of
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
MI Lincoln in that Emancipation Pro-
clamation which is the proudest Treath
in his chaplet of fame Cheers } not only
gave freedom to the slave, but declared
that the Government would maintain
that freedom. (ApplauSc.) We cannot
abandon them and leave them defence
less at the mercy OF their former drivers
they must be protected in their rights of
person and property. and these treemen
mUet have the right to put i'll courts OF
Justice FOR all Just claims. aud TO testify
also. SO Us to have security against out
rage aud wrong. | call them freemen.
not freedmen the last phrase might have