Year: 1862

the law. Our States are in the enjoyment
of that right. We do not feel called on to
defend the institution, or to affirm it is one
which ought to be cherished perhaps, ii
we were to make the attempt, we might
find that we differ even among ourselves
1t is enongh for our purpose to know that
it is right and, SO knowing, we did not
see why we should now be expected to
yield it. We had contributed our full
share to relieve the country at this terrible
crisis; we had done as much as had been
required of others in like circumstances !;
and we did not see why sacrifices should
be expected of us from which others, no
more loyal, we're exempt. Nor could W
sec what good the nation would derive
from it. Such q sacrifice, submitted to by
us, would not have strengthened the arm of
this Government or weakened that of the
enemy. 1t was not necessary as a pledge
of our loyalty, for that had been manifest
ed beyond the reasonable doubt, in every
form and at every place possible. There
was not the remotest probability that the
States we represent would join in the re-
bellion, nor is there now of their elect.
ing to 20 with the Southern section in the
event of recognition of the independence
of any part Of the disafected region. Our
States are fixed unalterably in their reso-
luton to adhere to and support the Union;
they see no safety for themselves and no
hope for constitutional liberty but by its
preservation. They will, under no cir.
cumstances, consent to its dissolution
and we do them no IN ore than justice when
we assure you that while the war is con-
Quoted to prevent that deplorable catastro.
phe they will sustain it as long as they can
muster man or command a dollar Nor
will they ever consent, in any event, to
unite with the Southern Confederacy. The
bitter fruits of the peculiar doctrines Of
that region will forever prevent them from
placing their security and happiness in the
custody of an association which has incor-
poratcd in its organic law the seeds of its
own destruction.


We cannot admit, Mr.. President, that il
we had voted for the resolution in the
emancipation message of March last, the
war would now be substantially ended
We are unable to see how our action in
this particular has given, or could give,
encouragement to the rebellion. The res
olution has passed and if there be virtue
in it, it will be quite as cfficacious as if we
had voted for it. We have no power to
bind our States in this respectby our votes
here; and whether we had voted the one
way or the other, they are in the same con.
dition of freedom to accept or reject its
provisions. No, sir; the war has not boon
prolonged or hindered by our action on
this or any other measure. We must look
for other causes of that lamented fact
We think there is not much difficulty, not
much uncertainty in pointing out other;
far more probable and poteutin their agen
cics to that end.


The rebellion derives its strength from
the union Of all classes in the insurgcn
States, and while that Uuion lasts the wal
will never end until they are utterly ex'
hausted. We know that at the inception
of these troubles Southern society was di
vided, and that large portion, perhaps
a majority, were opposed to Secession
Now the great mass of Southern peop'c
are united. To discover why they are SC
we must glance at Southern society, and
notice the classes into which it has beer
divided, and which still distinguish it
They are in arms, but not for the same
objects they are moved to common end
but by different and even inconsistent rca
sons. The leaders, who comprehend
what was previously known as the State
Rights party, as is mnch the lesser class
seek to break down national independence
and set up State domination. With them
it is war against nationality. The other
class is fighting, as it supposes, to main
tain and preserve its rights of property
and domestic safety, which it has been
made to believe are assailed by this Gov.
ernment. The latter class are not disu.
uniouists per sc, they are so only because
they have been made to believe that thi
Administration is inimical to their rights
and is making war on their domeitic inst-
tutions. AS long as these two classes ac
together they will nsyer assent to peace
The policy then to be pursued is obvious
The former class will never be reconcied
but the latter may be, Remove their ap-
prehensions satisfy them that no harm il
intended to them and their institutions
that this Government is not making wal
on their rights of property but is simply
defending its legitimate authority, anC
they will gladly return to their allegiance
as soon as the pressure of military domin-
ion imposed by the Confederate authority
| is rnmounl from thp,n


Twelve months ago both Houses of Con
gress, adopting the spirit of your message
then but recently in, declared, with
singular unanmity, the objects of the war
and the country instantly bounded to your
side to assist you in carrying it on. II the
spirit of that resolution had been adhered
to, we are confident that We should before
now have seen the end of this deplorablC
conflict. But what have we seen? In bott
Houses of Congress We have heard doc
trines subversivc of the principles of the
Constitution, and seen measure after mea
sure founded in snbstnnce after f. ose doc