Year: 1864




is strange that the Southern Confederacy, where


it is recognized should hold together through


such bloody pressure as we have applied it
for the last three years; it is strange rope OF


sand that endures all that.


But to return, Mr.. Chairman. As viii be
judged perhaps, by the tenor of these remarks,


| am reluctantly and despondingly forced to the
conclusion that the Union is lost. never to be
stored. / regard all dreams of the restoration
of the Union, which was the pride of my life
and to restore which even now, | would pour
out my hearts blood, as worse than idle. / see
neither North or South any sentiment on which
it is possible to build a Union--those elements
of Union which Mr.. Adams decri5ed have by
the process of time been destroyed, Worse,
yea worse than that, Mr.. Chairman, am re-
luctantly forced to the conclusion that in attemp-
ting to preserve our jurisdiction over the South
ern States we have lost constitutional form
of government over the northern. What has
| been predicted by our wisest and most eminent
statesmen has come to pass In grasping at the
shadow we have lost the substance; in striving
to remain the casket of liberty in which our
Jewels were confined, we have lost those pre-
cious monuments Of freedom. Our Governments
as all know, is not anything resembling what 1t
was three years ago; there is moi one single ves-
tige OF the Constitution remaining every clause
and every letter of it has been violated and
have no idea myself that it will ever again be
respected. Revolutions never 90 backward to
the point at which they started. There has al
ways been large party in this country favora-
bic to a strong or monarchical government, and /.
they have now all The elements upon which 10
establish one They have vast army, an i'm
mense public debt, and irresponsible Execu-
tive. Ambitious to retain power, he is a candi-
date for reelection, and Commander-in Chief,


it is charged whether true or false, / shall not
undertake to decide), that he has already used
the army in the Florida expedition to advance
his chances of success. One of the Generals
he has decapitated Gen. Fremont(, has entered
the field to oppose his claim to continuance in
power, and if The Chronicle of this city, the
Presidents organ. is correct in its construction
of the suggestions OF The New York Herald,
speaking of Lieutenant Gen. Grant, the question
Is already mooted whether he, in certain con-
tingencies, at the head of the army would not
beiusliticd il assuming the reips Of government.


The very idea upon which this war is found
cd-coercion of States, leads to despotism; to
preserve republican form of Government
der any Constitution, under the prevalence of
the doctrines now in vogue, is clearly impossible.
These convictions of the complete overthrow of
our Governments are as unwelcomc and unpleas-
ant 20 me as they to any member of the
House Would to God the facts such
could cherish other convictions. | may be de-
nounced as diSioyal aud unpatriotic for enter
tanning them, but 1t will only be by shallow fools
and aIrant knayes who do not know or will not
admit the difference between recognizing a fact
and creating It's existence. a man may not de-
sire to die, but nevertheless his belief viii not
alter the fact OF his mortality. i shall not in
these remarks revive the unpleasant and acri-
monious controversy of who Is responsible for
the death and destruction of our Republic. /
do not that any such discussion now would
be productive OF good. | entertain clear and
strong convictions upon that point, convictions
that 1 have no doubt will be shared ia by the


impartial historian OF the future. For the pres
ent | am willing to let the past with all its re-
collections rest, provided we can snatch from
the common ruin some of our old relics of free
dom. l do not share in the belief entertained
by n,;sny of my political friends on this floor and
elsewhere that any peace is attainable upon the
basis of Union and reconstruction. Ii the Dem
oeratic party were in power to-day have no i
dea, and honesty compels me to declare ii, that
they could restore the Union over tlrty-four
States My mind has undergone an entire
(
are bat two alternatives, and these are; either
an Acknowledgements of the independence of the
South as an independent nation, Or their COM
plete subjugation and determination as q peo-
pie; and of these alternatives prefer the for
mer.


Mr.. Chairman, take little or no interest in
the discussion of the question which many of
my political friends would make issue as to
how this war shall be prosecuted, Its manner
and object. / regard that as worse than trifing
with the great question. / do not believe there
can be any prosecution of the war against
sovereign State under the Constitution, and 7
do not believe that war so carried on can be
prosecuted so as to render it proper, justifabls
or expedient. An unconstitutional war can on
" be carried on in an unconstitutional manner,
and TO prosecute it further under the idea of
the gentleman from Pennsylvania iaIr, Steyens),
as war waged against the Confederate States
as an independent nation, for the purpose of
conquest and subiugation, as he proposes, as
the Administration is in truth and in fact doing,
am equally opposed
will say further, Mr. Chairman, that if this
war is to be still further prosecuted, prefer
that il shall be done under the auspices OF those
who now conduct its management, as LIDO not
wish the party with which / am connected TO
be in any degree responsible for its results, which
cannot be otherwise than disastrous and suici-
dal-lct the responsibility remain where il is
unit, we can have change OF policy instead OF
men, if such a thing Is possible. Nothing could
| be more fatal for the Democratic party than To
! seek IL come into por,er pledged TO continu-
lorca of n wgF. p0cv-such a policy would la y