The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-03-08
MILITARY GOVERNMENT.
SPEECH OF HON. c. II. BucKALEw,

IN the Senate of TIC United States, Feb
rttdry 18Th, 1867, upon the Blu from
the House of Representatives. for the
establishment Of Military Government
in tie Southern States.
Mr.. PRESIDENT, my vote has been |
solicited for the present amendment by |
gentlemen in whose judgments | have
very much confidence and in one re-
spect the adoption of the amendment
would be quite proper, perhaps benet-
cial. In so far as it places a limit upon
this enormous, novel, and portentious
military power the bill intends to es-
stablish, it may be vindicated by sound
reasoning and considerations of public
policy. Any limitation whatever will
be better than the absence of all limita-
tions in the proposition as introduced
before us.
But, sir, there are two reasons which
will induce me to vote against this
amendment. In the first place, | am
opposed to the proposition which it CON
tains upOn a consideration of the merits
of the proposition itself. / am averse,
from thorough conviction, to the intro
duction of any State into this Union, or
to her rehabilitation with all her former
political powers, upon the condition
; that she shall make suffrage within her
limits universal and unlimited among
the male Inhabitants over twcnty-one
. years of age. | need not go over the
argument upon that point. l have sta
ted it upon II former occasion.
In the next place, / know perfectly
well that q vote for this amendment,
: although given under circumstances
which do not commit me to the propo-
sition as final one, will be misunder-
, stood and perverted. 1t will be said
{ throughout the country of each of those
; who stand in the position in which
l stand, that we have departed to some
1 extent at least from that position which
:, we have hitherto maintained, and main-
l tanned against all the influences of the
time, against the pressure of circum-
.. stances which have swept many from
our sides and carried them into the large
/, and swollen camp of the majority. Sir,
for one am ambitious of being known
/; as one among that number of men who
) have kept their faith who have follow
ed their convictions; who have obeycd
{ the dictation of duty in the worst of
u times who did not bend when the
: storm beat hardest and strongest against
e them, but kept their honor unsullied,
y their faith intact, their self-respect un-
l. broken and entire.
l | shall not vote to degrade suffrage
e / shall not vote to pollutc and corrupt
&c the foundations of political power in
this country, either in my own State OF
It in any other. | shall resist it every.
!. where and at all times. If ovcrbornc
t, if contrary and opposing. opinions pre-
>. vail, | shall simply submit to the ncces'
20 sity which | cannot resist, leaving tC
Ic Just men and to future times the vindi
)t cation Of my conduct.
y The consideration of this amcndmen
l. does not involve debate upon the bill
te itself; it is quite distinct from it, or a
is least it may be considered distinctly.
g am of opinion that the debates of tht
e. Senate would he greatly improved i
l. that course were taken ordinarily o.
10 uniformly which has been suggested il
N the discussion of this bill, to wit, tina
t. when an amendment is pending dcbat
is shall be confined to it according to tn
strict rules of order, and that debat
in upon the principal proposition upon tn
&c original bill itself shall stand over AM
is be deferred until the amendments ar
us disposed of. But, sir, my experience il
We the Senate has instructed me. | hav
upon several occasions delayed speakin
he upon Il measure until amendments OF
r. fcrcd to it should be disposed of, an
found myself at the end of debate al
or tempting to speak to an exhausted an
ne impatient Senate and when my oW
IL freshness of feeling and physical encrg
rd had departed.
IL Dming this week those of us who ar
,c- not endowed by nature with Vigorot
he physical constitutions have been sui
ge iected to severe strain by constar
i'll sessions day and night, besides otht
NC duties very numerous, harassing, an
exhaustive outside of the Chambe
ill And now, sir, nearly at the end of I'll
&c week, ut an additional night session o
IN, dered with special reference to tn
to measure, we are called upon to considC
ci- it, and to consider it finally. We al
he told that if it be within the power {
those who give direction to the actiC
lit of the Senate to force final vote upt
at the bill tonight, that vote shall be o
tanned, the giving of ii shall be coerce
ro- And when did this bill come to III
ion Within about twenty-four hours, l b
he lieve. | found myself able to give
ref only Il hurried reading before 1t was ca
led upon for debate. Is it not a lit
- remarkable that bill in which Il
;,,o social and political condition of eight
INC IN" ten million American people is involV'
ce' should be driven through one branch
'u' Congress under the previous questio
ny; without opportunity for any. extend
e. debate, and should then be driy
". ". through the Senate under the discipli
NJ of an organization confined to n porti
~. ~, only of the members of our body, WI
no ui- some twenty-four or forty-eight hot
hce only of consideration, amid the pressu
'i.ll n of other duties that crowd upon Us, a
Nv. ne when our own oVcrtasked physical po
~ ~ crs scarcely enable Us to give the subj
WI WI even that attention which Is necessu
',u to vote upon it intelligently, much !
olc to examine and discuss it properl
~ What Judgment will be formed OF
7Ju, who are charged with the legislat
H np powers of this Government, by
Mllu' M countrymen and by the men Of Otl
had ,'hn,, ,,,o,l,ros Of iii. "roI Iitv mao
~ tudc, importance to millions OF peol
s,l' interesting to our whole population,
ns553; to be acted upon in this manner, to
". determined under these circumStant
-na' adverse to correct and proper reiiecti
Nv which have described?
un- Now, sir, what is this measure
III shall he anxious in all that | say tC
'iVu, ~ brief and to speak only on points wi
llE' are material. Sir, this bill IS prcpa
Pll- and introduced to confer upon five !
II, Vi itary officers of the United States
power to fine, to imprison, and to
h to American citizens in Onc-thim OF
'ut ! territory of the United States with
evil any restraints or limitations such as
mate written in the most solemn manno
hda- every fundamental law in the I'm
lal III States, both that of the Federal GoV
lence ment and those of all the StateSj ay,
we ofcvcry Territory, too, o,whltherourh hi
itiOn pioneers have gone and established
ssed, publican governments, 1ashlnneu