The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-04-19

our position, was simply false. But
the resolution of the Senator from Wash.
ington has unearthed you. 1t has stir
red up a fearful commotion amongst
the ranks Of the faithful. You gnash
your teeth in impotent rage, and are
swollen up with undischarged bile, You
rave and fume and swcat-all to no
purpose, gentlemen. We intend to ex-
pose your duplicity, and we have done
it. Hence those tears. advise you
to cover your intentions in some more
skilIul way, or | shall again draw aside
the fimsy veil which shields you from
open contempt.
PAY THE PRIVATE SOLDIER.
But, sir, what will be the effect OF
the resolution should Congress enact
law in accordance with its spirit? Will
it not be precisely what you gentlemen
forced us to vote against, when you at
tempted usurpation? ? The soldier will
be paid in coin or its equivalent that
is to say, his wages will be increased by
the difference between gold and green
backs. If gold at the end Of any month
is sixty per cent. above greenbacks, the
common soldier will receive twenty dol
lars and eighty cents, instead of thirteen
dollars, for his months services. If
you were honest in your proposition to
increase his pay, how can you object ?
When he entered the service, his pay
was thirteen dollars per month in gold,
FOR then gold was not above par. The
resolution simply proposes to keep our
plighted faith with the most meritori-
Gus of all pnblic servants with him who
defends our homes and iiresides. Tell
me, gentlemen, were you honest or dis.
honest in your proposition? You shall
not evade an answer by calling me dis
loyal. The word has no terrors for me.
Three years ago you paid the foreign
minister and the private soldier in gold.
Why, to-day, do you continue to pay
him who is basking and revelling in the
smiles of royalty, and refuse it to him
who, amid the roar of cannon and a
storm of bullets, is battling in your de-
fence ? Answer me if you dare. Ho
will not be deferred from making the
inquiry by threats Or denunciations.
We on this side of the chamber claim
for ourselves as much interest in and
devotion to the Government founded
upon the Constitution as you claim to
possess. We do not impugn your mo
tives you shall not ours. We are not
to be cajole6 or intimidatcd here or
elsewhere. We are your peers and
equals here and every place. IVe know
our rights and will maintain them. We
will stand by the Constitution and I'm.
ion of these States, and we tell you, aye,
we charge it upon you, that you are the
only men who would destroy both.
Charges are constantly made against
US of want of fidelity to the Govern
ment, of sympathy with treason, and of
aiding the rebellion. We defy you to
make them good. This matter had
better be understood and settled here
and now. 1t is true, we are not the
slaves ofany administration. You shall
not set the blacks free and enslave white
men, We know no Government which
is not based upon the Constitution, and
We will neither obey nor be "loyaL" to
any other. Is my language sufficiently
precise ? is it clear? do not wish to
be misunderstood. Lam not "loyal" "
to any administration l ain ever SO to
true government, founded upon and
acting in accordance with the Constitu-
ton, Of which it is the mere creature
and exponent. More than this, you
nor any living man can not demand OF
any one. To do so is to make yourselves
masters and those of whom you make
the demand slaUeS. We wish you to
fully understand that you shall never
exercise any such power over us. The
history of the past should teach you
that the race to which we belong may
possibly be exterminated, but ncver en-.
stared.
Senator Clymer and every other Dem
ocrat voted for this resolution, and the
Disunion Senators voted to kill it by
amending it, and having majority, eff
fected its amendment, and thus defeat
ed the original proposition.
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