Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-12-25
THE sENATORSIGIP.

t"S1 tHC uottSS WHu dTIesl lue atteuliOl
of thinking men.
A careful reading Of the Minority Re-
port there published. cannot fail but i'm
press every fair minded man with the con-
viction that in that time of peril and
alarm, Gen. WAsHBTRN evinced the
highest qualities of craftsmanship, com
Jiniug rare sagacity and unfinching
courage.
To grasp the granduer of his posi-
tiun-to measure the greatness of his
achievement, it is necessary to keep clear
~ in mind the extraordinary circumstan
ces under v hich he was called on to act.
The whole country trembled with apprs
heusiOn of coming danger, and Congress
seemed to have been seized with sudden
panic. and terrified, bewildered, irreso-
Lutte, cowed by the defiant manner aud
angry menace of the conspirators, in its
eagerness to avert the coming catastro
phe, it offered TO surrender to the plot
ting rebels the fruit of the victory just
won. and vainly sought to purchase
peace by the sacrifice of principle.
Senators and Representatives seemed
to vie with each other in displaying their
affect humiliation. AMI the majority of
the Committee Of Thirty Three on the
state of the country reported in favor Of
measures of CANCELLATION, so cringing and
infamous IS almost TO tax the creduity
of those who read them now-measuFe.
whose cowardice and disgrace were only
equalled by their impotence to secure
the peace desired.
But ont of this Babel Of discord and
dismay, there came one clear, strong, DO
tcniial voico-a voice that rang out fear
less and undismayed, Ike the bugle blast
Of Clan Alpine. and called back the
strength 10 failing nerves snd the blood
into faces that had pslei with fear.
GIN. c. G. WAsHBUgS and MAsoS
W. TAPPAN made Report which elsc-
tr:fied the country by its holiness
AMI truth. Exposing with mastery
skill the degradation and the uselessaess
of the measures which had beea pro-
posed to pacify the South, they boldly
declared that the union OF these States
is necessity, and will be preserved long
after the misguided men who seek it,
overthrow are deal and forgotten, or, if
not forgotten, only remembered ss the
attempted destroyers of the fairest fabric
erected for the preservation of human
liberty that the world ever saw.
1t is not 10 be preserved BY compro
n1;ses or sacrifices Of priHciDis."
Describing all the noslrums prescribed
by political q.acks,-sweeping away oil
futile concessions to unreasonable De
mands-lhe weak devices of frightened
patriots, they proposed the following
healthy tonic as cure for the country's
ills:
RssOfrsd, THAT TIE PROVISIONS or THE Coxsrf-
TUITION AMPLE FOR THz PRrsERv srIoN oF rHE
CNIoN, AND THE PROTECTION OF AL THE MATERIAL
ISTEEESTs OF THE COUNTRY THAT 7 NEEps TO BE
OBEh ED RATHER THAN AMENDED AND orr EITeI-
EFFUETS To PRESERVE AND poorer TBt Vr-R-
LIE PROPERTY AM E.tTORGE THE III MS
RATHER THAS N MN GUARANTEES FoR PARTICULAR
lNrkkEsTs, o. COMPROMISES Or CONFESSIONS To IN
kEAsoSADLE DEMANDS.
To have thus stood dauntIess and erect
in that trial t:me-to have thus pointed
out the only path of deivercnce to a
troubled.couniry, as Moses pointed troub-
led Israel over the Red Sea, this is an
honor greater than position can give.
Gen. WAsHBvRN's character as n saga.
cious Statesmen and safe political guide
rest, On r solid basis. The Senatorship
ca1 co: fer no aide! greatness upon him,
but 10 net the R'pubIicans of Wisconsin
owe 1t to themselves TO place the seal of
their appreciation on his record, and Sc
cure the continued service of his proven
ability, by placing him in the highest
and most responsible position within their
gift
There are other cogent reasons why
Gen. WAsHBURN should be elected SEN
a;or. Without disparagement Of others,
he may be said to be the distinctive Re
publican Of tdis Safe. His early attach.
ment 40 the party, being one of those
who formed i, instead of one of those
who joined it, and his subsequent promi-
nenee in pubic LIE, justly entities him to
this distinction. Now it is undeniahy
true that State acquiring power aud
prominence in the general Government,
by keeping its faithful servants in official
station. Thus trained statesmen are
produced. with that superiority in the
exercise of legislative skill. WHICH only
use can give. 1t was thus that the Souslh
so long controlled our National legisla
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