Year: 1864

something in It. At present / regard il as myth.
having no existence anywhere but in the wild
and crazy imaginings of fanatics. who think more
Of their party than they do Of their Government,
and who are more anxious to retain power than
they are to restore the Government. ~


Mr.. Hnderson: Is not Thomas A. Hendricks
leader of your party; and did he not say. at the
9Th of January Convention, 1862. that he was in
favor of Northwestern Confederacyf


Mr. Buskirk: Mr.. Hendricks is one OF our
leading men, and has the confidence of the De-
mocracy of Indiana; but do not understand his
speech the gentleman from st. Joseph does.
As | understand it, indorse il. Mr.. Hendricks
endeavored to prove that the commercial and
manufacturing interests of New England were in
conflict with the agricultural interest Of the
Northwest; and that W estern members of Con
gress, when they got to Washington surrendered
the interest of their sectoD aud voted with their
political friends from New England for unjust
and oppressive tariff laws, which enriched the
manufacturers and impoverished the farmers of
the West He was in favor of massing public
sentiment in the West upon that subject. to the
end that our Congressman will dare not betray
our interests. | am for the same thing; but
desire to obtain a redress of these grievances
under the Constitution. inside of the Union.
and in conformity with the forms of legislation.


Mr. Moves: IL the tariff is continued, by legal
and constitutional means, will the time ever come
when you can secedef


Mr.. Buskirk: have always believed that there
was great wisdom in the Spanish proverb Ito
hasten slowly" have never been in favor of
climbing hill before / reached it, for fear
would exhaust my strength before commenced
the ascent But | will answer the gentleman
more definitely l have alreadv said | denied
the right of secession. and that in my judgment
the traitors Of the South had 10 just cause to
break up the Government. But there ia a right,
not derived from the Constitution. but it is
above, independent Of and superior TO all con
stitutiOns. all laws, and all governments, and
that is the right Of revolution Ii the people of
the Northwest should be unable to obtain a re-
peal OF those laws, and should conclude that
they were so unjust. so oppressive, and so de-
structve of their material interests that they
could not longer submit TO them, they may de
termine to obtain redress of grievances by the
last and derner resort of an oppressed people;
but il is not for me at this time to saw what they
ought or will do. We will meet and determine
the question when il Is forced upon US.


We endorse, and have no doubt that the De
mocracy of the whole Northwest will endorse
the views and opinions expressed by Mr. Bus
KIRK There was no Democratic member of
the House who arose in his place and dissent
ed from these views. No Democratic Senator
or Representative during the whole session de
clared that they were in favor Of North west
ern Confederacy. No resolution, joint resolu-
ton or bill was introduced into either branch of
the Legislature, in favor of or tending in the
slightest degree to result in the formation of
Northeastern Confederacy. The truth about
this whole matter is, that after the elections of
1862 resulted in the success Of the Democrats
ic party, the leaders Of the Republican party
falsely and wickedly slandered the Democratic
party. and attributed to it purposes and designs
that no member of the party ever entertained
and they are mad because the Democratic Leg
isIature did not do attempt to do any of the
wicked and wrong things that the abolition
leaders charge them with the design of doing.
and thereby proved them to be false prophets,
sanderers, and liars.