Year: 1863

OF no Democrat in tins Legislature, or IN the
State, who is in favor of attaching any Govern
ment which may be formed here. 20 the Southern
Confederacy Ifit is disloyal and reasonable to
express the belief that the recognition of the
Southern Confederacy would result in the forma
ton of a Northwestern Government, the mem
bers of the Administration party had better clear
their skirts before they undertake to lecture US,
for many Of their leading and influential men
have sad the same thing. Gov. Morton, in a
speech delivered in Washington City, gave. as
reason why he was in favor of vigorous and
successful prosecution of the war, that the re-
cognition of the independence of the seeded
States would result in the formation of a North
western Government. Administration journals
and orators have talked ten times as much about
a Northwestern Confederacy as Democrats have,
and if they do not stop il, they will convince the
people there is something in it. At present re-
gard it 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 Govern
ment.


Mr.. Andersen: Is not Thomas A. Hendricks
leader of your party; and did he not say, at the
9Th of January Convention 1852, that he was in
favor Of a Northwestern Confederacy2


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 as the gentleman from st. Joseph does
As understand it, indOrse If. 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 Western members of Con-
gress, when they got to Washington surrendered
the interests of their sectOn and 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 Consressmen will dare not betray
our interests. | am for the same thing: but /
desire TO obtain a redress of these grievances un
der the Constitution. inside of the Union, and in
conformity with the forms of legislation


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


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 l will answer the gentleman
more definitely. / have already said denied the
right of secession, and that in nv judgment the
traitors of the South had no Just cause to break
up the Government. But there is right, not
derived from the Constitution but it is above,
independent of and superior to all Constitutions,
all laws and all Governments, ami that is the
right of revolution. If the people of the North.
west should be unable to obtain a repeal of those
laws, and should conclude that they were so un-
Just. so oppressive and so destructive of their
material interests, that they could not longer
submit to them, they may determine to obtain
redress of their grievances by the last and dernier
resort Of an oppressed people, but it is not for
me ut this time to say what they ought or will
do. We will meet and determine the question
when it is forced upon US.


The gentleman from ST. Joseph has labored 20
prove that the Democratic party is in favor of an
armistice. By what authority does he make this
Has any Democratic Senator or
Representative said upon the floor of the Senate
or this House, that be was in favor Of il p? Has
there been any action or vote in either branch of
the Legislature, that would indicate we are in
favor of an armistce? | would advise the gen
tlemen Of the opposition to wait until we get
ready to express our opinion on that subject, and
can assure them that when we do speak, we
will speak as one man. / would advise them to
let our affairS alone, and attend to some OF the
leaders OF their own party. The news from Wash
ington indicates that the abolition element of the
Administration party is in favor not only of an
armistee, but the recognition of the Southern





declare ourselves in favor of an arnstice. il will
not be for the purpose of recognizing the South
ern Confederacy, but it will be in the hope and
for the purpose of reconstructing the Government
restoring the Union, preserving the Federal
Constitution, and re establishing the brotherly
feeling and friendly relations TO our distracted.
divided and bleeding country that existed before
the present fanatica, one-idea aud sectional
party came into existence.


Mr.. Van Buskirk: / understand the gentleman
TO say that when the majority speak out on the
subject of an armistice, they would do it ms one
man, but that he does not know how they will
speak How does he know that they will speak
as one man 7


Mr.. Buskirk: The votes taken in this House
completely answer the question of my friend
We are Il band of brothers. We think together
we act together; we vote together; we have done
so since the cOmmencem ent of the session, and
we expect to do SO until the close of it. If ma
jonty OF nv party decide in favor OF measure,
which do not altogether approve, will still go
with my party in preference to voting with the
opposition.


Mr. Leeds: If YOU knew that your party was
going wrong would you go with them?


Mr.. Buskirk: If the support of the measure
involved the question of loyalty to my party or
to my government, would sustain my country
in preference to my party. But / have never
been placed in that position. and hope that may
never be. | honestly and fl mly believe | can
best support my country inside of my party and
in concert with it. The history OF the Democratic
party down to the incoming of the present Ad-
mnstration. contains the history of my country
If my country is ever restored to peace and pros
petity, it will be done through the agency and
influence of the Democratic party. The men,
bers of the Opposition seem to have serious ap-
prehensions about Military Board. While
am not prepared to say what our action will be
on that subject, will say that whatever we may
do will be in strict conformity with the Constitu-
ton of the State of Indiana. We will not at
tempt to divest the Governor OF any power which
is vested in him by the Constitution.


The gentleman from ST. Joseph says that an
armistice entered into the other day by the
members of this House, and proceeds to charge
the majority with its yiolaton7 What are the
factsI We we're proceeding with the ordinary
legislation of the country when the gentleman
from Jefferson made violent, inaammatory,
threatening, and raDcorous speech, in which he
charged some Of the members of the majority
with treason. What did you expect US to do?
Did you suppose we would cowardly and meanly
submit to such false and unfounded accusation7
If you did you have already discovered your
mistake. and hope you will profit by your ex-
perience.


ne members OF the ADMINISTRATION party upon
this floor complain bitterly of the introduction of
resolutions that contain sentiments that they do
not approve, and they attempt to hold the major
ity responsible for such resolutions. AS soon as
a resolution is introduced, the reporters, CORES
pondents and editors of their journals say, BE
hold the action of the Indiana Legislaturei" and
in a few days we have letters from the army de-
nouncing the disloyal Democracy of Indiana.
Why is il that this party that possesses so much
loyalty and devotion to the country. labors so
hard to convince the Rebels that we are against
the Government and for them? l can conceive
of no reason but that they think more of their