Year: 1863

Speech of N Republican ON the Com


script Bill.


Hon. B. F. THOMAS, of Massachusetts,. a con
servative Republican. one Of the ablest members
of the last House, whose term of service has ex-
year by Republicans, in speech upon the con-
scription bill said, among other things:


Mr.. Speaker, this ID a terrible bill; terrible in
the powers it confers upon the Executive, terri
sle in the duty and burden il imposes upon the
and cogent. and that is that the exigency is ter
rible one. and calls for all the powers with which
the Government is invested.


Some of the features of the bill my judgment
condemns. uEhesitntngy condemns.


The period Tor which the service is required is
unreasonably long. L think the enrolment should
not include Judges CT the State Courts or minis
tiers of the gospel of peace. or members of Con
gress of either branch, though the inclusion of
members of Congress would be, | think, simply
void. earnestly object, also, to the provision OF
the bill for the Of civilians by the military
power, but ! understand the gentlemen upon my
right will consent TO amendment which shall
strike that feature from the bill. But excepting
these objections, l think the bill is within the
scope of the Constitution, aad necessary


do not rest the power OF Congress 20 pass this





relation to the militia. put il upon the simple
and clear provision which gives to Congress the
"power to raise and support armies" and upon
the absence OF any provision OF the Constitution
which limits or restricts that power In the ma
ture of things, there can be no limitation. The
powers of Congress, within the scope of the Con
sttution, are supreme and strike directly to the
subject and hold him in its firm, its iron grasp. |
repeat that at an early day / asserted upon this
floor. that there is not q human being within the
territory Of the United StAres, black or white
bond or free, whom this Government is not capa
BILE of taking in its right hand and using for It's
military service whenever the defense of the
country requires. and of this Congress alone must
judge. The question of use j, question of pol
icy only.


Having the power 70 raise and support armies
and the exigency existing in which the OF that
power is necessary, the question arises whether
the powers given to Congress with respect TO the
militia qualify aud restrain the power 10 raise and
support armies. Very clearly not, Mr.. Speaker
The militia is branch of service well under
stood in mother country aid our own 10 be
called forth ''to execute the laws, suppress nsur
rections and repel invasions" 1t not de-
signed for permanent service. bat to meet special
exigences and for brief periods of time.


But the exigency never before arose when it
was necessary TO conscript into army.
The exigency does not confer new powers, but
evUkes them into service at this moment the
question whether shall use this power is not
one of policy, not what is best. Ii is in effect
question TO this nation of lie or DEATH We lite
rally have no choice. Gentlemen upon my right
tthe Republican side Of the House, know that il
is my conviction that all the vaunted panaceas for
troubles have falei, utterly failed. ex-
pected them TO fail ] attempted in vain to sat
isfy the House that it was leaning upon reeds
shaken 10y the wind. Ny earnest. repeated sug
gestions of course unheeded. But the re
suits are too palpable TO be overlooked or
mistaken. and is slowly reascending
the steps of its throne. Pray God it may not
be too late


The policy inaugurated on the lst of Decem-
Der, 1861. has been fruitless of good 1t has
changed the ostensible If not the real issue Of the
war The policy and the want OF persistent
yigor in our military counsels render any further
reliance uDon voluntary enlistments futile. The
nostrums have all failed Confscaton, emanc-
patton by Congress, emancipation by the procla
nation of the President compensated emancipa
ton. arbitrary arrests paper made legal tender.
negro armies. will not do the mighty work.
Nothing will save but victories in the field
and on the sea; and then-tle profier of the olive
branch. with the most liberal terms of reconcile
alton and reunion. We get armies in no other
way but by measures substantially those in the
bill before us, unless the Administration will re-





ton, for US the strait and harrow way which
leads unto life At any rate. the war on paper is
at an end the people have. for a time, been
deluded by IT, That deluson exists no longer.
Ii sou are to suppress the rebellion, all instru-
mentalities will fail you but the power of your
own right arm. MIR Speiker. the measures
and policy heretofore pursued have not been
merely fruitless of good; they have been fruitful
of evil They have made or largely contributed
/ to make united South: they have made for
YOU divided North they have alienated from
the Administration the confidence and affection
of large portions of the people; they have
paralyzed your arm. and divided your counses.
Gentlemen fiatter themselves this alienation aud
disafieciion are the work Of the Democrats; that
the people have been mi-ied and deceived By
their wiles Sir. the people otthis country read and
keep their eyes open, and comprehend, and the
plain fact is. you cannot unite them upon the
policy you pursue They do not believe in
destroying the Union and the Constitution in the
hope of building up better by force of arms You
may unite men on the issue of maintaining the
Union and the Government at every price and
cost, but upon no Other.