Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-12-25
THE j. S. SENATORSH|P.
Gen. C. C. Washburn.
His Position and Action i'm 1861
LeE the People be True 10 THEN
True Hen

EpIroRs JOURNAL Your article, some
weeks since, upon the subject of the next U.
). Senator in the place of Mr.. DooLIrTLE,
attracted my serious attention, and led me to
a train of thought upon what qualities shorld
be possessed by the incoming Senator, partic-
ularly i'm view of the circumstances now sur.
rounding the nation While at all times and
under all circumstances great care should be
exercised in the selection of proper men TO
i'll so responsible a position as Senator, the
situation of the country at this iuncture,
makes the duty just now more emphatic. We
have Just emerged from terrible war, with a
debt accumulated by it enumerated by bill
lions. TO be provided for a portion of the
rebel States not yet reconstructed, and the
part that is not yet working in harmony with
the government; questions of Finance. of JUS
uce and Right in all their various shapes, will
be presenting themselves constantly for sOlu-
ton, as never before, and our Senator must be
equal TO the task of meeting them. The quail
ity of great craftsmanship is determined by
action under extraordinary circumstances
Common ability and common courage are adj
equate to the requirements of common occa-
sions. 1t is only in exceptional crises
that great political sagacity is shown and
great courage displayed. Is it not apparent
that such statesmen are peculiarly needed
now =? And is it not equally true that we
possess such an one in the person of Gen. @.
C. WAsHBURN ?
Your article, before alluded TO, occasioned
my hunting up his minority report and
speech sustaining it. And ] am so well sat-
isfied that they sustain me in the conclusion
to which arrived above, that | shall ask of
You the favor to publish some extracts from
the latter and print the former entire.
In order to proper appreciation of the
grandeur of WAsHBURN's effort, both in the
report and speech sustaining it. we must re-
collect the condition of the country at the
time The slave states believing in the irwin
cibilty of their great staple cotton, and feel
ing through its controlling power they could
withdraw from the Union and establish a
government, the corner stone of which would
be slavery; had deliberately determined upon
withdrawal, peaceably ii they could, violent
ly if they must. The consequences of such
a threatened determination thrilled the whole
country with excitement and alarm. Con-
gresS then in session, participated in a still
greater degree. in the feeling of apprehension
for the safety of the national government
Never before in the history of the coun.
try was destruction so threatening, so appal-
ling. Lifelong anti.slavery republicans in
c, nyress gave way in the face OF the danger
that surrounded US. and we've willing, taking
counse, of their fears. by one weak act, to
contradict the priHciples they had advocated
for life time. 1t was at this iuncture a COM
mittee of thirty -three-one from each State
was appointed, to which was referred the i'm
portant task of originating and repeating
measures that would satisfy the demands of
the south and prevent the threatened catas-
trophe, Gen WAsHBURS was member of
that committee Among other things which
the majority of that committee reported
was the following proposed amendment to the
Constitution:
ARTICLE MI ~ % amendment Oh llllS CbH-
stitution having for its object any interior
ence within the states with the relation be-
tween their citizens and those described in Sec
ton second of the first article of the COnsti-
tuition as Eall other persons" shall originate
with any State that does not recognize that
relation within its own limits or shall be val
III without the assent of every one of the
States comprising the Union"
Looking back from our stand point of to-
day, does it not seem Incredible that Con-
gress should have adopted the joint resolution
proposing this amendment, and all that pre-
vented its submission to the States for their
adoption was The inauguration of the war:
and yet, notifying though it seems, such is
the truth of history.
The Representative of The 9th Wisconsin
Congressional dis t, firm in the conviction of
the truth of the principles which he had ever
advocated. -unblanched by fear. and stand
ing almost alone-resisted the majority report
of the committee in minority report and in
a statesmanlike and able speech sustained his
report before Congress. In that speech. know
ing the reliance placed by the south on their
great staple cotton ,he gave utterance upon that
subject to the following sagaciOus remarks,
which subsequent events have proven correct.
Mr.. Speaker we may well dispel that deu-
sion first last. If cotton has been king, il is
king no longer. Great Britain is not willing that
her destinies shall depend upon the uncertain sup
ply of cotton that depends ON the culture of slaves.
She has been exploring the cotton fields of the
world in which she may raise her own supply, and
in that enterprise this very movement at the South
is going TO set her ahead fifty years in the matter of
the production of her own cotton. Her attempts
at opening new cotton fields in the Hast few years
have been eminently successful. She is now
ceiving nearly one million bales annually from In
dia, though the development of that country for
the growth of cotton has just commenced. With
aview of bringing the cotton regions of India into
connection with the ports of the sea- she has large
ly lent her aid 10 railroad companies. which are
penetrating the interior and within few months
some eleven hundred miles of railway will be open
ed TO the best cotton growing regions of that cOun
try But Great Britain does not contine herself to
India and the United States. DIR. Livingston,
der the patronage of the British Government, with
his steam-launch, is now exploring Africa, and
ports the finest cotton growing fields ia the world.
where that staple of the finest quality can be grown
Tor one or two pence per pound. Yes, gentlemen
OF the SOUTH Won will one day wake up and find
tbat instead Of Great Britain being dependent up
on yon for cotton the dependence will be altogeth-
er in another direction Besides. the ingenuity of
the North Is at work, and You win find that there
are textiles in that region which will be made to
answer the purpose of substitute for cotton, and
you will find that the North is not so dependent
upon You as you suppose.
But the closing DaraoraDh of that snpech