The Columbia daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1865, 1865-06-22

their example; that the new Govern
ment hal been formed in Montgomery
and put IN actual operation; that For,
Sumter ha,l been attacked; that a
bloody ccnt1:ct os arms had occurred
III the streets of St. Louis; and that
President Linccln's proclamation call
my Tor $4,000 soldiers had been sent
forth, before any considerable number
OF the. Tennessee people We're found
willing to take up arms in defence of
the South. To the last mrmeut, we
refused toseccdc; and, in point Of fact,
We never did formally adopt an ordi-
nance OF secession. 1t is true, that we
agreed to 90 into the war, and did go
INTO 1t zeaiousIy aud valiantly. And
here. sir, | vii make . frank adms-
sion. Had been able at that time to
read the lamcuable Lincoln's inaugu-
ia. address by the light of subsequent
events, | never should have consented
to lake up arms IN opposition to the
Federal Government. will 60 far
ther, and say thai, had | anticipated
such astounding abuses of power as
have been STAGE ncrpetrate,l by the
Confederate Government, never
should have consented to assume q
nosNion Of hostility to The Govern
m"nt established by our fathers. And
when | thus declare for myself, ana
sure that ! could make a similar decla-
ration in bHhal: OF niuc .,cntLs or the
people OF Tennessee. and OF tue South
generally. After Tennessee had con
cn'cd 10 Assume. y warlike attitude.
under the painful conviction that this
had become indispensable alike to her
safety and her honor I consented to
occupy Il scat in thr Confederate Com
:.rr,> as one OF her Representatives.
/! am neither ashamed nor afraid TO
avow AL that did and sail In Rich
mon'l during tie dolct'l three years
That struggled there to prevent the
establishment Of military despo'ism
to suppress corruption. to bring 70
P'''io"'iG't tiC ftlt oClouS ABUSES "
entrusted power, and to bring about
as early as possible an honorable
peace. | did not vote for a single
measure calculated unGulv to proIonc
hoS';'i:ics or 20 lc;ghen in the least
degree the ;.sperities OF the contest.
voted and spoke in opposition to con.
scripton, conii-calion, iorc;bIc impress
neN', the suspension of the writ of
EabcaS corpus, the suhjcc;ion of meu
to punishment for the entertainment Of
CnIon sentiments, tie inprcssment OF
clt!zens tor what.waS popularly called
anciH'sn, and | inter!ercl actively, and
at much personal responsibility, to
prevent the starvation and genera! ill.,
Treatment Of Unan prisoners Of war.
l. WAS constantly insisting upon
sending commissioners with peace pro
positions to Washington City; and
when | found that the state Of things
was such that the two Governments
wouM never be abe to mold diplomatic
Intercourse with each other, for the
purpose of agreeing upon the terms OF
paclii@alon, and when plainly saw in
addition that before the month of Nav
great military ca,anitics would occur
which woald render it almos: impossi-
Die to obtain for the South terms of
settlement consistent with those prin-
ciples Of equality and right upon
which tie Federal Union itself had
been established, came forth from the
c 'ntederate States in open defiance Of
the l;ichn,ond authorities, to PROFOUND
a plan Of paciication to President
Lincoln and MS Cabinet, which, had it
been acceded to by them, would have
been almost unanimous y ratified in
the SOuth, IN accordance with which