Year: 1864

halls his coming rs the harbinger OF
freedom" These ill-used men came
from the cotten-fcld they swan riv.
ers, they climbed mountains, they
came through junglcs, in the dark.
ness and storms of the night, to tell
us that the enemy was coming hero
or going there. They were our true
friends in every case. There has
hardly been u battle, march, or any
important event of the war, where the
friend of our cause, the black man
has not been found truthful and help
ful, and always dcvotedly loyal. The
practical truth forced itself upon the
mind of every soldier that behind the
rebel army OF soldiers the black army
of laborers was feeding and sustain
ing the rebellion, and there could be
no victory till its main support were
taken away.


"You lake my house whenyou d. TAX my'


lrop


That d3th sustain my house"


The rebellion falls when You take
away its chief prop, slavery and Ian
ded estates.


Gentlemen on the other side, YOU
tell me that this is an abolition war
If you please to say / grant it. The
rapid war current of events has made
the Army of the Republic an aboli.
ton Army. l can find you in the
ranks thousand men who are in IA
vor of sweeping away slavery to ev-
cry dozen that are in favor of sus-
tanning it. They have been where
they have seen its malevolence, its
baleful effects upon the country and
the Union, and they demand that it
shall be swept away. Inever expec-
ted TO discuss the dement's of sla.
very again, forI deem it unnecessary q.
The fiat has gone forth, and it is
dead unless the body -snatchers on
the other side Of this House shall res
urrect it and give it galvanic life.


You may say TO me that slavery is
a divine institution; you may prove
TO your own satisfaction from the
word of God, perhaps, that slavery is
a bcnencent institution; | will say to
you that all this may be entirely sat
isfactory to your mind, but your be.
loved friend, slavery, is no more. -
This is a world OF bercavements and
changes, and announce to YOU that
your friend has departed. Hang the
drapery Of mourning on its bier. Go
in long and solemn procession after
its hcarsc, if you please, and shed
your tears of sorrow over its grave,
but ] have no time to waste in listen.
ing TO your fearful eulogy over the
ueCvasra.


| come Hvu-.. ,,.,siJvI .----4t
another point in this question. j
hold it rs settled truth that the lea
dcrs of this rebellion can never live
in peace in this Republic. l do NOT
say it in any spirit of vindictiveness
but as n matter Of conviction. Ask
the men who have seen them and met
them in the darkness OF battle and
all the rieors of warfare; they will
tell you it can never he. nal e, Of
course, an exception in favor OF that
sad array Of men who have been for
ocd or cajoled by their leaders into
the ranks and subordinate Offices in
the rebel army. ] believe Il truce
could be struck today between the
rank and file of the hostile armies.
] believe they could meet and shake
hands together joyiully over return
ing peace, respecting their mutual
courage and manhood. But for tho
wicked men who led them into the
darkness, such n day can never come
Ask the representatives of Kentucky
upon this floor who know what the
rebellion has been in their State, who
know the violence and devastation
that has swept over it, and they vii
tell you that all over that State neigh
Dor has been slaughtered by neighbor
feuds fierce as human hate can max,
them have sprung up, and so long as
revenge has an arm to strike tho
will never cease to strike ifsuch mcr
come back to dwell in their midst. --
This is true Of every State over whicl
the dcsolating tide Of war has swept
If you would not inaugurate an exter
miuating warfare, 10 continue whil(
you and ! and our children and chill
drcn's children live, set it down al
once that he leaders of this rebellion
must be executed or Danish from The
Republic. They must follow the fate
OF the Tories Of the Revolution.


l believe, Mr. Speaker, that th,
Army is unit on these great ques
tions; and | must here be permitted
to quote from one of natures noble
blemen, a man from Virginia with tho
pride OF the old Dominion in hi,
blood, but who could noe be seducec
from his patriotism--one who, annie
the storm of war that surged agains
him at Chickamauga, stood firm as {
rock in the sea--George III. Thomas
That man wrote n communication Il
the Secretary Of War, nearly a yeal
ago, saying, in substance. for quot
from memory, 81 send yeu the inclos
ed paper from subordinate officer
/ endorsed its sentiments; and / will
add, that we can never make soli,
progress against the rebellion unit
we take more sweeping and sever
measures; we must make these peopl


feel the rigors of war, subsist our Ar


my upon them, and leave their coun


try so there will be little in it for ther


TO desire" Thus spoke man VIII