Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-03-14
Senator Withers' Speech.

Senator Withers' Speech.
The following speech was made 10 the U. s.
Senate last Thursday by Mr.. Withers, of
TirSina:
Mr.. Wthers. Mr.. President, my only pur
nn,e ia saying a word to-day is to vinuicate
my.elf and my people from imputations that
have been cast upon Them by TWO cf the Sena-
ror> who have addressed you. do Lot pro-
pose TO Indulge in elimination and recrimina-
ion do not propose to 60 back aud rake up
the ashes OF the past and see if | cannot re-
SindIe again little of the sectional feeling
which has brought so much ruin upon this
cuunlry but | cannot sit IN my seat quietly
wien il is iutmated by Senators on this floor
that because | belong TO a section OF country
which was engaged 10 the late war, therefore
|. or those who coma from the same section,
cannot be permitted to allude in any way TO
frauds which have been perpetrated aud cor
ruption which has been developed, or IN any
degree to crltlcise the action Of the Admins
tration.
When We are tauned with being hero simp-
ly by the clemeucy of the Repubcao party,
whrn We are told that We are here living mon
uInents oil their magnauimiy, feel it l0cum
beut upon me to deny the fact, and TO state
that | stand here the peer OF the Senator from
OHIO, of the Senator from Indiana, or OF any
other Senator on this h)ur; that stand here
With equal right to protect, nalotaln and de-
teDd the interests of tue State Of Virginia, aud
that that State is as much a part OF this Gov
erumcnt IS if she had never seeded, entitled
TO all its rghts, all it's benefits, and all it's priv
ileges.
1t boots not now for US to 60 back
and inquire whether Democracy or Repub.
Iicanism was most respous BILE for the iae
W.T. through which We have passed. :
When the student Of history hereafter, l
anime the question 10 the light OF all
aueccdeDt history, be will say that it was
not the D IN cratic party as party which pre-
cpt;ted his war upon the country, but that
it was the result Of teachings which wero rath-
er sectional than political that one section OF
this country had been educated 10 the belief
that certain rights iuhered in the States, sover.
sipu rights which they had never divested
themselves Of; that another section was edu
Gated 10 the belief that the NalioDal Govern
meut was supreme and sovereign, aud cou'd
WELD its powers without reterence to the re-
served rights of the States; and that these TWO
,cons:arisut opinions were carried on and en-
forced rather by persons OF respective sections
than by parties, and at last eliminated iD the
Iamentab!e War through which We have lately
passed. | say that because know it to be
true that throug b the Southern States neo
who had never 10 their lives cast Democratic
vote, men who had never permitted themselves
10 bo called Democrats, men who bad always
opposed that party, aud srme OF whom Tor
generations had been arrayed 10 hostility to 1t,
when this question of anlagonlsm was brought
down to the last sharp issue, iolDed with their
own seo,ioo 10 the maintenance Of the doctrine
lu which they we're cducuted. aud determined
to dcteud it to The sword. All parties South,
with Individual exceptions only. adhered to the
doctrine of State rights and while thousands
and uudreds OF thousands Of people in the
South opposed the policy of SECESSION, few, very
tew questioned the right.
That is As much as propose to say with ret:
cr,nce to the responsibility tor this war; but
would romind Senators who are fond OF taunt
ug US with the position We then occupied, and
OF reminding us that VIC are here simply on
sufcrauce, aud by the clemeucy and magma
unity of the Republican party, that 1t ls held
10 ethla.; ;aus iu morals that benefit conferred
when the beneficiary is constantly tauuted with
it, ceases TO be beueft. Ii they desire US to
respect them as gentle mn, who, With mag
uaulmty unparalleled, have given us
right to raise our voices in this Chamber, 1t Is
possible the claim might be recognized 10 some
extent il they did not talk about II; but l say
here trarkly that to a certain ex'eot only can
be recogu ztd, aud that is viewing the Question
from the Northern stand point, and not from
the Southern. | believe that We were permit
ted to comc back here TO carry out the theory
upon which the Republican party fought the
war, that secession was lmpractlcable, that 1t
Was not authorized aud that the unity OF this
Government had never been mpared by the
secession Of the Southern States. They did
not wish to present themselves 10 the world 10
the attltud of claiming that secession had never
been cous mated by the acts OF those States,
aud yet exc ldng all those States from tulther
Participation iu the Cover nmcnt. They kne"
that it would he pol tica absurdiy to suppose
that this Governm ut could be carried ou With
neary one half OF ts Constituent members de
MED representation in Congress-, denied the
privilege to hold Office, denied all the rights
which were euj)yed bysth other half, and still
sttup the claim that the Uuion had never been
severed, aud that it had always remained ln-
tact
a. to the dishonest practices which have
grown up uudcr the administration of both the
Democratic aud 4 publican parties, am free
to admit, which do here very frankly, that the
Democraticparty is by no means free from blame
IN this particular. The history Of that party
would demonstrate that corruption aud fraud
have been practlced while it administered this
Gevernment. The speech of my friend from
Georgia, as regarded it aud construed it, ex
plcl'ly admitted the fact. and stated tina. the
r,euedy winch he wished to provide (which |
90 uot now propose to maiotan, defend,
or dsuy) was predicated upon the dis
tiuct proposition that so long as Offices
We're conferred for party service aud from par
y consideration exclusively. without regard to
The hness of the recipient, so long would these
abuses exist. am not forgetfnl of the fact
tha the Democratic party was the first party
IL the history of this Government to proclaim
The doctriue that 'tc the vicors belong the
SPOTS. As understand my freud from
u.orgla, he proposes this as a remedy for the
esElI, but without 10 aoy degree asserting that
nts owu party is nos as obnoxious to the charge
ol corruption growing up under its practices as
any other party.