The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-01-30

Il
out concealment. 1t was never very DIM
cult for the senator to understand exactly
where was. believe, however, that may
say that, in advance OF him, was the first
man to say upon this floor that, in going
down south to suppress the rebellion, it was
perfectly proper that we shonld treat the ne
gro precisely as any other man-f he was |
an enemy, shoot him if he was friend,
use him and that was as far as l intended
to 60.
But the senator asserts here, in the face OF
the senate, and in the face of the American
people, that he and his compeers, forsooth,
the anti-slavery society, have destroyed siav-
cry that it is the result OF their 20 years OF
toll and struggle; that it is the result OF their
agitation, and their speechifying, and their
extensive knowledge of the negro and the ne
gro character, and he relates some incidents
| am not very much in the habit OF relating
incidents, but will state one for the benefit
| of the honorable senator. Somebody was
| talking about him and his society the other
day, and stated that they had negro ON the
brain" Some one who was by said, "Weil,
that may be; but they have not much brain
| on the negro, laughter aud that, L think,
Mr.. President, is about the truth OF 1t.
! Who destroyed slavery, Mr.. President 2
| Had the auti slavery society any agency IN
it? Did the ant-slayery society or its re-
1
this war declare that they were going to des-
| troy slavery? No, sir, but, crouchlng be-
| hind their shields at that time, they resolved
| unanimously here that they were not gong
| to destroy slavery, that they were going to
make war TO support the constitution and the
| laws. How long ago was that? Two days
after the battle of Bull Run, and the starch
| was all out OF the anti slavery society. 1t
had not boast: it had not a threat; but, as
| said before, creeping down behind Its
shield, it said to the country, along with US
| who were honest in eur atterances IN that
| resolution that 1t made war for the constitu-
| ton and the laws.
! ask YOU, MIR. President, if the secession.
| lists Of the south only akin to the northern
| rage, it's antipodes, had not made war upon
| the government of the United States, would
| slavery have been destroyed? Would all the
battles of the anti slavery society and all its
tracts and ali its preachings and all its serm-
oniziugs in the world have ever achieved that
great result if it had not been for the folly
and madness OF the secessIonIsts OF the south
| who went 10 war? Let the honorable senator
stand square up and look that fact IN the face.
| He had war at his elbow Who fought the
war? Does the anti-slsvery society say that
If the army Of the United States had not ach
| ieved victory, had not suppressed the rebel
lion, slavery would have been abolished
gentlemen who talked or the gentlemen who
acted? The senators who welded tongue and
pea. or tho hard headed and hard-handed
soldiers who welded the sabre and bayonet?
| Let the cOunsry answer. | would ike our
| honorable senator 10 go out and tell our war
| worn soldiers no won this victory.
And 4. word aow as to his course and mien
upon tbs floor tell him to-day that he
aud his ses were really DO not say they
IL IL, 1t. Ill
| were Its main support ond strength and,
when Jefferson Davis comes TO make his dy
| ing confession, if | should chance to De at
his elbow, l should want him, in that last
moment, when the truth comes to be told, to
tell who 1t was that gathered the W mol south
TO q man around the standard of rebellion !;
vino 1t " as that down there Infused the bit
terness into that fight which characterized it
from end 10 end TO end: who it was that ena-
bled that weak people to make such 8 trem-
| endous struggle as that the world never saw
the like of it. and | will tell you who he will
say it Was lie will tell you that, when he
started, he had not half the people about him;
! he will tell you that the secessioDists of the
| south who went into that rebellion were not
half Of the people. Who then drove the other
half TO him? The selt-same anti-slayery
ciety that, when We had the cannon roaring
and tbs sabre FLASHING and the bayonet
thrusting. and the work going on, could not
keep it's tongue, and must be making the
people of the south believe that the war, in
stead G. being fer the constitution and the
laws, WAS to abolish slavery. What then !?
j We had friends the outstart of the strug
gle. we lost them then.
Now, Mr.. President, l ask again, who
fought this battle? / tell him that ii was
the army of the United States that killed the
Percy. 1t was the army of tho United States
that met this Hotspur Of the rebellion, while
the Gnti-slayery society was down upon the
field of battle looking out from under its
shield and claiming its constitution and the
Laws. But now sir, now, after the victory is
achieved, after the battle won, you will
never meet a member of the anti slavery So
ciety who has not this dead Hotspur upon
bis back, carrying him out and pretending
that he killed him Laughter And al
/, most every Que OF them Is saying, "lf your
father will do me any honor, so if not. let
, him kill the next Percy himself / look TO
be either earl or duke. can assure you"-
. That IL the language of this party after the
battle is over and the victory won. BY the
by, they do not give US the same assurance
that fat John did, for said he, at do grow
great I'll grow less for I'll purge, and
leave sack. and live cleanly as nobleman
should do" But, Dir. President, instead of
, when growing great, growing less, they are
! swollen TO suoh enormous dimensions under
the pressure of this thing which they suppose
they have achieved that they are now we'll.
nigh to bursting. The honorable senator
says they are goiug on yes. and let every
body get out of the road. That may do for
people who can be frightened; but that par
ty has never been given TO frightening any
body heretofore, that am aware of. 1t is
exceedingly fertile 10 abuse; it never under
takes to meet mans argument except by
ridIcule and sneers, aud by all that kind of
| machinery which o weak man aIWazs uses