Year: 1862

would be arranged. But while, with the {


stinaey Of blind fanatic, and the instinct Of


brutal gladiator, the first object is to promulga


party creed, and the second to crush an opp


nens and wear the badge of victory. I see


falTer prospect than at some distant periO


reached through seas of blood and heaps of ca
mage, the forced submission Of g crushed and q
vastated section, and the equally unhappy spe


tacle OF government triumphant, but exhaus


ed by its triumph, dstested by moiety Of tho
| soYereignties that gave it birth, and gazing wit


horror and remorse upon the desolation It hl


wrought


! Sir, It is not my purpose to vent reproache


even where believe them best deserved. / hay


risen to enter my protest against the diseussio
IN this chamber, of any anti-slsvery schem
Whatever at this crisis, and to offer an earnes
appeal to this Congress that its legislation sha


embrace every means of securing an immediat


peace. If, as the government claims, the Con


federate cause is hopeless, the leaders of the Sc


cesslon movement cannot beignorant Of the fact


and knowing il, they viii be naturally incline,


TO lend willing ear to whatever proper over


lures this government may present. At som


period OF this struggle there must be negotiation


1t must be resorted to sooner or later why no


newl


Is it because pride forbids that we should b,


the tirst to outstretch the hand of Cancellation


Heaven fOrfend that thousands of human livei
and country's welfare should depend upon 81
false principle. Is it because the South has no


been sufficiently punished-humbled and sub
dued Then let Us confess that chastisemeni
anu vaHgeanee are the objects of this war Isit


because the anti slavery movement has not yel
received sufficient impetus If so, 20 tell Il
to the armies that have won your victories
Make abolition the war cry. Place banner
with that device in the YanWard and lure those
armies on to conquest with it-if you can.
Your soldiers would rend the trsacherous ensign
into shTeds, and would march to their homes
with the same alaerity that they pushed on with
it to the battle field.


What, then, is the cause that withholds nero-
tiation? You will not parley with armed lrea-
son. But you have parleyed with armed treason.
II that be the word parleyed for the mere con
Venience Of an exchange Of prisoners, and other
purposes to mitigate the grievances Of war. It
was your duty to do 50. And shall you not do
so to accomplish all that your troops are fighting
tor-the reconstruction Of the UniOn7


Let us suppose that the South is anxious to
embrace an opportunity of return, and is with
held from making advances by doubts as to the
intentions of the North Is it not right that we
should confer with them, that those doubts nav
be removed


What do the people care for such miserable
BNLNt4A4Oo III bllo LOtI OL q udtlon'S aQOnV Sir
an honorable peace is within the grasp of this
Congress without further bloodshed. This Con
gress knows that it is so, and when the peoule
shall realize that it is only the infamous design
to strengthen the antislaYery movement that
prevents an effort to obtain that peace, woe to
the chiefs Of the abolition party IN the land.


But enough of them Words ars thrown away
upon their stubborn fanaticism. I sppeal with
better hope to the lofter feelings that should
peryade humanity, and especially pervade this
august assemblage, that should, by the nature
of its sacred functions, be far removed from the
ambition of reducing section Of our
common country to the extreme, and therefore
dangerous, condition of despair.


Sir, there may be fascinations in the cory
of war. There may be craving
for martial glories in the hearts Of men, and an
instinct of contention which we share in common
with the brute creation. But if ever there can
be a time when more Christian impulse should
possess our souls, it is now; now, when the til
umph and CONSCIOUSLY sss of strength give Us the
noble privilege of extending the hand Of recon
cihstiOn without fear of degradation, or seIf-re-
prOach for coWardice. If sdYersity has been our
excuse for sternness let success be our plea for
Providence has placed within
the reach Of the North a greater triumph than
countless armed legions could conquer; the tn
anPh of suhdning brave enemy with a gen-
srous and merciful policy, that WIN diSarm re-
sentiment and rekindle the old brotherly fame
hat perhaps is not yet totally extinct For,
alter ALL they are brothers, sir; and some soften
ng of the stern Roman vigOr which our rulers
assumed is due to that brotherhood, which by
lntimely severity, may be cancelled now for
sYer. There are gentlemen who will say that
he South must be subdued; that every armed
5OutherneT must throw down his weapons and
ue for mercy.


Should freeman ask so much Of his brother
Would they be worthy of compan-
onship in our fraternity, being reclaimed at such
sacrifice Of manly feeling What would you
nave them dol Would you have them crouch
md cringe, and streW their heads with ashes,
md kneel at your gates for readmissiOn? They
re Americans, sir, and viii not do it No,
hough Roanoke and Fort Henry, and Fort Don
,lson should be re-enaeted from day to day,
trough the lapse of bloody years, they will not
10 It Give them some chance for an honora-
de return, or you will wipe out every chance, |
md the two sections will be twain forever. |
Yes, sir, you may link them together with chains,
md pin their destinies together with bayonets, |
)ut at heart they will be twain forever. They |
re children of the same heroic stock, the Joint
nheritors with ourselves of the precious lsgs- |
y of freedom and it seems a sscrilege and an |
insult to the memories of the past, that so many,
ir, should sit in your presence here to-day to |
road them on to desperate resistance, and so
ew-alas so very few-to mediate and restrain. |


OF those few, thank my God that am one. |


am proud to proclaim it here beneath the dome |
# the capitol. 1 shall proclaim it here and eve
ywhere, until the wings Of peace shall be once
more folded over the bleeding bosom Of my |
country shall proclaim it honestly, although |
0 do so would make me the next victim Of this !
Iuel strife.


Sir, it may be said that speak Of peace, while |
IS attainment without further recourse to arms |
emains impossible. But do not believe it i'm
,ossible What effort has been made What
Ioor has been opened through which the passion
md ill-feelings Of the contestants might pass
ut and reason enter None. The single idea
las been forced upon the people that the sword,
md the sword alone, must decide the issue. 1t
las been pronounced treason to hold an opposite
opinion. Sir if to have but little faith in the
ficacy of the sword for joining severed friend |
hips, if to earnestly desire peace and to depre-
ate the horrors Of war, be treason, then l am q
raitor and am prouder Of such treason than
,thers have the right to be Of their vindictive,
tanning and pTetentiOus patriotism.


] cOnJure Congress, In the name Of our suffer
ng eountTy-in the name of wives that may be !
widows, of children that may be orphans, in the
names of gallant men, now strong in health,
and who tomorrow may be stretched IN death
upon the CORY ground or writhing, MANNED and
iisfgured, with tormenting wounds-in the
name of humanity, that sickens at the daily
record of this terrible strife-I coDjure this Con-
yress to seize at the merest chance that may ex-
st of a present termination of this tragedy.
Let something be attempted in the spirit of me-
1iation Sir, the people will respond toit. They
viii bless this Congress for any measure that
breathes of the spirit of reconciliation. They
are weary Of this war-weary in despite Of the
excitement of present victory. They will
awaken soon to the consciousness that such vic
tories are being purchased at a sacrifice that is
terrible to contemplate; that national debt is
being crested which, in its rapid accumulation,
Is appalling debt which, If ever paid, viii
press like an incubus upon future generations,
stunting the growth and paralyzing the vigor Of
our young republic, or, if repudiated, resting
blot upon our annals.


And while at home we are groaning with dis


r L