The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-03-30
S. g.
Tuesday Morning, March 80. 1869
The Speech OF Senator spragae.

on Friday, cast great flood of light upoi
the dark, and, we might almost say
bloody" ground of Radical arbitrarness
persecution and proscriptiveness in Con
gress in late years. How could anything o
go cd proceed from such pestlential sourc,
in politics? Can there be change for the
better, even now, when there has been al
Infusion of new elements, through mer
fresh from the people? Is there to be nc
other thought in politics but ''rebel,' ere
bel and the constant devising by dema
gogues of new forms of chains and slavery
upon the people Of the South? No sooner
does that people seek to mollify radical hate
end rage, by accepting, at great sacrifice of
feeling, some harsh condition imposed upon
them. than new and still more gross one
Is invented in the seething cauldron of ''fa-
natical hell-broth, boil and bubble!" The
~hoop and yell of Hrebel," by malignant,
empty and venal partisans, drown all
thought about ameliorating the condition of
the people by .devising methods of relieving
the laboring masses from the grinding bur-
dens of taxation that we have so often re-
congressman. though they seem to be cold
Ily and cruelty Indifferent to them. Touch
ing the spirit of party malevolence that has
existed, Mr.. Spraguo held the following re-
markable language:
"He is bold man who attempts to assert
himself, on this floor, ut any time, contrary
TO the prejudices or the general opinion of
the majority, or preponderating proper
tion of this body
'AVhen listened to the arguments that
were urged upon this body by the Senator
from Michigan, (Mr. Howard,) when he
made use of the expression, where thrift
may follow fawning, it made an impression
on my mind that stands with me to-day.
If TINS body needs such correction as
these words admit. it is q body that ought
not to have the charge of the distribution
of the honors, the emoluments, and the
prerogatives of Office X
81, for one, in looking back upon the
past history of this country-and the peo-
pie, whatever philosophers may say, will
come to the same conclusion-have come to
bolieve that your war has not been won for
the liberties of any class of people; your
war that you have just partially concluded
has had no high, virtuous principle at the
bottom of it. It has had simple conten-
tions for power, for place. and for occupa-
tion, commencing here in this pouy, ana
permeating through the country.
s'For six years, for myself, Iwould rather
have stormed triple line of presented bay
onets, or park of artillery in full play,
than to have stood on this floor and advo-
Gated any ideas that might have had. In
fact, advocating those ideas, commencing at
the beginning, should have lost them,
from the Indifference from the inattontion,
and from the contempt received by one not
educated to familiarity with debate and the
confidence of the floor. It is not only in
my own person that have witnessed this
inquisitorial policy. There are those around
me who have not yet recovered from the
stings of the influence of the majority of
this body, for standing up, as they were de-
terlnined to do. for their duty as they I'M
derstood it."
What is said by Governor Sprague rs to
peril i'll battles comes with no bad grace,
because, the National AtteAigencer says, he
went to Manassas to fight, and did fight,
while others in Congress, that are the most
relentless foes Of the South, and who went
to the point in question to witness the flight
OF the rebels, not only turned their backs
upon the banquet that was spread for them,
but stopped not in the order of their going,
and rode pell-mell over everybody and
everything in their stampede for Washing
ton. The last sentence above quoted un-
doubtedly refers to the party prescription
Of such Senators as Messrs. Fessenden,
Trumbull and Grimes, for their course upon
the impeachment infamy. For that, these
gentlemen are prescribed at party beck
from Cabinet positions, that they would
nonor for their ability and public purity.