Year: 1864

1 nc Will llkt up our OIu II duOuls


started out with that position taken


in good faith, and did thousands of Others


of all parties, but the Army soon found,
do what it would. the black phantom met


it everywhere, in the camp, in the bivouac


ON the battle field, and at all times. 1t


was ghost that would not be laid-slave-


ry was both the strength and the weak
ness of the enemy. His strength, for 1t


titled the fields and fed the legions; its


weakness, for in the hearts Of slaves dwelt


dim prophecies that their deliyerance


from bondage would be the outcome of
the war.


Mr.. Seward says, in an official dispatch


to our minister ct st. James, Mr.. Adams:
Everywhere the American General re-
oeiyes his most important information


from the negro, who halls his coming as
the iarbinger of freedom" These illused
mes came from the cotton fields, they
swan I.gers, they climbed mountains,
they came through jungles, in the dark
ness and storms of the night, to tell US
that the enemy was coming here or 60
ing there. They were our true friends in
every case. There has hardly been bat


tie, march, or any important event OF
the war, where the friend of our cause,
the black man, has not been found truth
ful and helpful, and always devotedly 10y
al. Tho practical truth forced itself up
on the mind of every soldier that behind
the rebel army of soldiers the black army
of laborers was feeding and sustaining
the rebellion, and there could be no VIC
tory till its main support were taken
away.


You take my house when you do take the prop
| That doth sustain my house..


The rebellion falls when you take away
its chief prop, slavery and landed es-
tates.


Gentlemen on the other side, you tell
me that this is an abolition war. If you
please to say 1 grant it. The rapid war
current of events has made the Army of
the Republic an abolition Army. | can
find you in the ranks a thousand men
who are in favor of sweeping away sla-
very TO every dozen that are in favor of
sustaining it. They have been where they
have seen its malevolence its baleful ef-
fects upon the country and the Union,
and they demand that it shall be swept
away. / never expected to discuss the
dement's of slavery again, for | deem it
unnecessary The fat has gone forth, and
| it is dead unless the body-snatchers on
tue OlutI sluC VI A1OuoC shaAA AN1hA-
rect it and give it galvsnic life.


M. Chanler Will the gentleman yield
to ne?


Mr.. Garfield. must decline TO yield.


Mr. Chanler. You asked question of
this side of the House, and l merely de-
sired to answer you.


Mr.. Garfield. You may say to me that
slavery is a divine institution; you may
prove to your own satisfaction from the
word of God, perhaps, that slavery is
benefcent institution; / will say to you
that all this may be entirely satisfactory
to your mind, but your beloved friend,
slavery, Is no more This is a world of be-
reayement and changes, and annoouce
to you that your friend has departed
Hang the drapery of mourning on its bier!
Go in long and solemn procession after its
hearse, if you please. and shed your tears
of sorrow over its grave, but l have no
time to waste in listening to your fearful
eulogy over the deceased.


come now to consider another point
in this question. 1 hold it as settled
truth thai the leaders of this rebellion
can nevef i've IN peace-in this Republic.
| do not say it in any spirit of vindictive-
ness, but as matter of conviction. Ask
the men who have seen them and met
them in the darkness of battle and all the
rigors of warfare; they will tell you it can
never be. / make, of course, an excep-
ton in favor of that sad array of men
who have been forced or cajoled by their
leaders into the ranks and subordinate Of
fees in the rebel army. believe atruce
could be struck to-day between the rank
and file of the hostile armies. | believe
they could meet and shake hands togeth-
er joyfully over returning peace, respect
ing their mutual courage and manhood.
But for the wicked men who brought on
this rebellion, for the wicked men who
led them into the darkness, such a day
can never come. Ask the representatives.
of Kentucky upon this floor who know
what the rebellion has been in their State,
who know the violence and devastation
that has swept over it, and they will tell
you that all over that State neighbor has
been slaughtered by neighbor, feuds fierce
as human hate can make them have
sprung up, and so long as revenge has an
arm to strike they will never cease TO
strike if such men come back to dwell in
their midst. This is true of every State
over which the desolating tide of war has
swept. If you would not inaugurate an
exterminating warfare, to continue while
you and l and our children and children's
children live, set it down at once that the
leaders of this rebellion must be executed
OF banished from the Republic. They
must follow the fate of the Tories of the
Revolution.


/ believe, Mr.. Speaker, that the Army Is
q unit on these great questions; and l
must here be permitted to quote from one
of natures noblemen, a man from Virgin
ia with the pride of the old Dominion in
his blood, but who could not be seduced
from his patriotism-one who, amid the
storm of war that surged against him at
Chickamauga, stood firm as rock in the
sea-George II. Thomas. That man wrote
a communication to the Secretary of War
nearly year ago, saying, in substance,
for quote from memory, 81 send you
the inclosed paper from a subordinate Of
fer; ] endorse its sentiments; and | will
add, that we can never make solid prog
ress against the rebellion until we take
more sweeping and severe measures; we
must make these people feel the rigors OF
war, subsists our Army upon them, and
leave their country so there will be little
in it for them TO DESIRE" Thus spoke q
man who is very far from being what gen.
tlemen upon the other side of the House
are pleased to call an abolitionist, or q
northern fanatic; and in saying this he
apoke the voice of the Army.


Mr.. Speaker, l am surprised and amaz-
ed beyond measure at what have seen
in this House. Having been SO long with
men who had but one thonght upon these
great themes, it is passing strange to me
to hear men talking of the old issues and
discussions of few years ago. They for
get that we live in actions and not in
years. They forget that sometimes ma
ton may live a generation in a single
year, and the experience of the last three
years has been greater than that of cen
turies of quiet and peace. There are men
who do not seem to realize that this IS
struggle for existence; a terrible fight OF
flint with flint, bayonet with bayonet,
blood for blood They still retain some
L III 4r.N