The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1872-08-30

Now, gentlemen, this gross and indc'
cent accusation, proceeding from thc
recognized head of the organization
opposed to US, justihes completely what
propose to do tonight, and what, un'
der other circumstances, might be sup
posed TO be indellcate, or in some man
ner questionable. | propose to speak
Tonight, and TO speak frankly, concern
ing myself, my views and position
carly in the war, and during its pro.
gress Observe, and beg you to carry
this thought in your minds-opserVc,
| do not propose to speak because L
conceive it to be necessary, to me as an
individual, that j should defend my
self against this accusation, nor because
I suppose an answer from me i5 neces.
sary to any result in this election. But
| do this for the satisfaction of friends,
especially of many gentlemen who have
not hitherto acted with me in political
affairs, but who are disposed this year
to vote for me upon the issue which
has been made up by my nomination.
Applause [ propose to show them,
and to enable them to show others,
and If necessary, to fling it in the face
of every caumniator, that the candi-
date nominated at Reading, and sup.
ported, as | believe, by the honest sen.
timent of q majority OF the freemen OF
this State, was patriotic during the war,
(cheers) and upright and true upon all
questions relating thereto. (ReneWeu
cheering.)
came home from q foreign country
in the latter part of the Summer of 1861,
some months after the war began. A
little over year subsequent to my re.
turn, | was chosen to the Senate OF
the United States by the Legislature at
Harrisburg, by majority OF one vote,
an event of which doubtless you heard
at the time, because there wore circum-
stances connected with the event calcu-
lated to fix it upon mems recollections.
DECLARATIONS OF POSITION.
Tho war ended ia April, 1865, little
more than two years aftorward. Short
ly after my election, In July, 1868, L
prepared an essay upon the existing
political situation in this country, and
especially with reference to the war,
which was then pending, and 1t was
published extensively in Philadelphia
and in my own and adjoining counties,
and was distributed in the form of
slip sheet under my name. / will read
what L said then:
"That rebellion was against the laws
of the United States, aud put the whole
body of them at defiance. Although II
asserted for itself legal ground OF JUS
| tification, it is most manifest that it was
| lawless and unauthorized. The COM
pact of Union being without limitation
of time, must be held, as intended by
its authors, to be perpetual; and the
provision contained in it for its own
amendment provides the only lawful
mode by which its obligation can be
limited or changed. Considering seces.
sion as breach Of the public law, and
in view of the immense Interests put
in peril by it, this State concurred in
measures of hostility against the South.
But this was done to Uildicdte the broken
la,O, and to secure the objects for which
the government of the United States
was originally founded, and for no pur.
pose of conquest or oppression. Upon
this ground we may justify our conduct,
and submit it, without apprehension
of ccnsurc to the judgment of future
times"
That was the substantial and solid
ground upon which carly after my
election to the Senate, placed the war
upon our side before the people OF the
State.
| will proceed next to read passage
from a speech delivered by me aftel
the war ended. In speech delivered
in the Senate on the 2lst of July, 1866
| said:
WReturnino from n foreipu country
after Tho cnmmencement Of the war
whom if was in fnil nropress. and Wher
no human mower coiIld avert the storm
which fell nnnn us. found myself. a!
did most of the citizens of our country
absolutely controlled by the circum
stances which surrounded us and WhicI
nressed rs forward upon a course O
rondnct which we could not avoid.
tbnught thnn and 7 think now. tha
there was hnt one thing to do. w,
: We're engaged in contest when was
of life and death. and there was moth
f ing to be done EXCEPT to fight it out, t,
, firht on. TO promote or assist the col
J lision of forces which were then arraye,
3 against each other until some ultimat
result should be reached.
GAS member of the minority in thi
g chamber. | gave nv vote for thos
l measures of the majority which directl,
0 nointed TO the use of the force of thi
y Government to subiugate the insurrec
a tion which raised its head against Us
r T was opposed to the political policy @
'. that minority, and have continued t
0 entertain and eyince that oppOsitio
t down to this time in a respectful an
t prOper manner. But upon the uuestio
J, of nrosecutinp the war to a conclusion
!. I never had any difficulty; | neve
I had anv hesitation. Upon an exam
d nation of NV record-and humble as
l. NAV he. even it NAV by some person
j. at some time be examined--it will |
found that from the time / assumed til
seat to which my State had assigned II