Year: 1864


February


The consideration of the bill to estab sh Bureau OF
Freedmen's Affairs resumed


Mr.. DAWSON of Pennsy lvaua, delivered speech 10
opposition to the BILL in which he reviewed at length The
general condition of the country


1t he about eight since left these halls
The country then in the enjoyment of t uninterrupted
of prosperity 1t seemed though at length the
problem Of had been solved and that human
wisdom had produced system which resting upon basis
of Just and equal laws for individuals consulted with the
happest for the rights and interests of the pot
cal communities which composed the federation.


Nearly three years of civil war have now discharged
their relentless fury upon unhappy country and
yet apparently remote from satisfactory adjust
ment of our differences as when we first flew to arms
These unucky have many of the peaceful pur
suits Of the country broken up its vast wasted
in unfruitfu conflict and the members of almost every
household arrayed in the sable habments of grief And
still the contest RACES This judged rebellion still inter
pose its huge and fearful proportions between the present
and the return Of prosperity to country The all
important and practical question which have to deter
mine s ,ohat IS the policy Dhch The eIgency demands?
In order wise consultation upon this subject it is
cessary to look to the past well the future What
IS this Government whose existence now IN such fear
full peril and for the maintenance of which the country
is yielding avshly of its blood and its treasurer lam
convinced that it is from loose aud incorrect ideas OF the
nature of Government from allowing the heats of
party strife to withdraw attention frOuL its true char
acter, and to confuse of the duties which we
it, that have flowed the evils from which the country
is suffering Upon subject Of such transce Ddent import
u
tation concea'ment would, in my judgment be alike
criminal shall speak therefore, under those deep
vctions of duty which the times inspire, and with that
unreserved freedom and bodness which the bthght
of an American citizen


After discussing the character of the Government,
the proceedings of the Convention OF 1877 which
formed the Constitution the speaker proceeded follows


The South has been consistent since 1898 in adhenDg
to the doctrine Of State rights When the Constitution


first went into operation the doctrine that the Constitution
was compact between political societies or sovereignties
nF manU pf tha ataatan nd hpgf
minds of the North. 1t asserted distinctly and
emphatcally by Norris by Sherman Johnson and Oliver
Ellsworth afterwards Chief Justice of the United States
Of the North, it by Madison and Jefferson Nor
did the doctrine rest merely constitutional history and


TACT abstract theory with the North Repeatedly before
this done by any part of the South the theory Of
State rights resorted to by New England justification
for breaking up the Union The first OF these during
the administration of Washington, when the New England
Representatives declared that those States would secede
unless the debts Of the States should be assumed By the
General Government The second upon the occasion
of the embargo act, passed December 3d. 1907,
talatory to meet the Berlin and Milan DEGREES of
Napoleon and the British orders in counc The embargo
being in the view OF the Eastern States designed a
blow at their for the benefit of other sections
of the counr open resistance was threatened in case the
embargo was enforced The violence Of this outcry
cured the repeal of the embargo in 1909 slmilar dis
position manifested in New England again on the
purchase Of Louisiana. The proposition of measure
which has added intellectually to the greatness and
perty Of the country met with similar threats of dis
solv ng the Union


But fourth time, and with still louder and more IN.
satisd camor did New England threaten rebellion to the
Government and throw herself upon the doctrine of State
sovereignty authorizing dissolution Of the unian This
during the Administration of Mr. Madison and from
disc with it's the last of which the
declaration of war ip 1872 Slavery then as now was
he up odium the rotten part Of the Constitution"
which must be amputated 1t lsttcred not then. as it
has not in recent .,es, that it part af the
Constitution Ta opposition took organized form of
e3presson in the Hartford Convention Of December l5
1914 in which Massachusetts, represented by twelve
delegates Connecticut by seven Rhode Island four New
Hampshire by three, and Vermont by A dissolution
of the Union and formation Of confederacy was the
remedy to which that convention looked unless their terms
should be complied with and ulterGr measures for an
actual separation of the States to be taken by sub
sequent conyelton 70 be held in June following. Like


oah Carolina before the fna Of separation the States
Of Massachusetts, and Connecticut sent soners to
Washington to present ther demands to the Adminstra
tln Among these was the high name of Harrison Gray
Otis The simultaneous arrival in Washington Of the news
of the pace Of Client doubt alone saved New England
the honor OF anticipating the Southern States 10 separating
from the Union.


1t thus appears that 10 the heresy Of secession and null
lcaton as constitutional remedies for real imaginary
grievances, the North aud the South alike partc
pants. While have expressed my disapprobaon of
the consequences deducrd from those doctiues it m
possible TO deny that their full justification found in the
teachings and practice of the North. In my judgment
hoth wrong Allegiance iu both instances equal
due to the General Government within the sphere of
granted to the States within the reserved and
do not thk that in either The grievance aoient
to justify revolution.


The speaker proceeded to iscuss the policy of tho Ad
IN nistraton IN s conduct Of the war s pledges its
legislative measures its disregard of the haheas corpus
it's arbitrary arrests it's suppression Of Journals 60 He
continued as follows


Mr Speaker have thus endeavored TO state the origin
ard true theory of the Government and to assign with
Rdelt the causes Of the present troubles have also
noticed the measures with which the Administration has
undertaken to meet the extraordinary emergency and
have pointed out their unconstitutional aud pernicous
character, and their utter deficiency in true policy.
Since we have thus far failed in reducing TIE rebellion
With the unconstitutional weapons Of restraints upon the


bely OF the person of speech and Of the pressDf
tal law emancipation proclamations and con6scation
aots IL 10 fitting for TO inquire whether the armory
Of Government does not furnish others Of potant
energy and efficiency There indeed be no permanent
peace upon those principles The oopete conquest and
subjugaton Of intelligent aud high spirited people his
tory amply demonstrates to be work of long duration
aud uncertain result Superior resources and physical
power may be sufficient to scatter military organ zations
but quite different thing 70 conquer and to subu
gate The history of the Saxon is full Of illus
Eratons Of this truth The Normans conquered that race
battle Of Hastings in 1865 but after struggle of
six hundred years the Saxon element had reassered .
and the English constitution restored was before
ths Conquest great statdiag army would ha neces
say to keep the South in subjectioH, and she would
occupy position to the rest Of he Union such Ireland
and India occupy to England Hungary to Austria and
80 poland to Russia.


This war was iDaugurated 10 put down military usurpa
ton lhe calm, lust, and patriotic Judgment of a
c0nfdng people approved and cheered il on ia s pro-
gress ~ was not Intended to be a against commun
ties individuals or their property and rights, but