Year: 1863

llOHS WHICH mas mulllplIeO flnOse graves
all over the land 10 which the gentleman
refers with so much tenderness, and so
much regret for those who 6lI them;
fallen as he Gays, by reason of this, Jun.
constitutional war. The gentleman
could moi find 1t in his heart to denounce
the rebellion as Unconstitutional, but
only the war on the part OF the Govern
ment for the suppression Of that rebellion
is unconstitutional. ''" '@,


This is the last phase Of that De-
mocracy which has brought this ruin
upon the country. LIDO not say that
everybody Of the party to which the
gentleman belongs was Of his mind; but
| do say, and l challenge contradiction
in saying it, that but for the aid and
comfort which that gentleman and his
party has given to.this rebellion from
its inception to this hour, this ruin, to
which he points so Significantly to-day,
wrought by this terrible conflict of arms,
and which has reached almost every
hearthstone in the land, never had been.
In my Judgment, the gentleman, and
those of his party who have agreed and
co-operated with him, are not clear of
the blood shed in this war. am as
tolerant of conflicting opinions as the
gentleman or any other man; but | can
not be expected to be tolerant of the
charge made by the gentleman this day,
that those who stand by the country and
by the Constitution, by reason oftheir
fidelity TO duty, violate the Constitution;
nor can ! be tolerant Of the demand that
the only means by which the Govern.
ment can be maintained shall be with>
drawn from its support, and the country
left naked to its enemies. That is the
point | make with the gentleman to-day.
He seems TO assume that there is no
difficulty in the way to a restoration, a
speedy restoration of peace and of the
Union, if your armies are disbanded, if
the war for the Union only ceases, and
ceases at once. There is not a word OF
denunciation from the gentIeman's lips
against this rebellion, and he assumes
and takes it Cor granted that secession
is constitutional right; and by way Of
clarifying these internal architects OF
our country's ruin, inquiries, were not
our fathers rebels like unto them! |
think, sir, am not mistaken in saying
that the gentleman's expressed opinion
is that this rebellion is right and cons
stitu,ional, and justified by the great
example of the fathers of the Republic.
| thank him for his candor in so plainly
announcing his opinion, though con.
strained TO differ with him in his opinions
and his conclusions. My colleague,
who talks day about the Union as it
was, is the same gentleman who intro-
duced, in February, 1861, in aid of this
rebellion, the proposition 10 "divide the
United States into four sections" and
to arm, by an amendment to the Con-
sttution, the rebellious section of the
countryside fifteen slave States--with
the power to legalize secession, in utter
disregard of every free State in the
Union, and without the consent of any
of them. do not think that a gentle
man OCCUPYING that position upon the
records of the country has a right to de.
nounce anybody as opponents of the
Constitution and the Union; much less
do suppose it becomes him to assume
that he is the special guardian of the
"Constitution as it is and the Union as
it was"


The gentleman was very correct in
remarking that it would be a most
singular spectacle, indeed, to have two
separate governments within the limit.
Of territory which God and nature hac
designed should be under one Govern.
ment, and to be the common heritage o
ore people. agree with him; and ye
the gentleman managed and contrived
device by which the American people
if they had accepted the proposition
would have consented that that yer,
result might be accomplished. ..


1t is not for me to declare the motive


Of the gentleman beyond what he him


self has declared; but it is for me to as
sumo that he meant the legal conse
quences and effects of his own acts; an


| stand here to-day to assert in hi


presence that the proposition which h


made in February, 1861, in this House


was proposition TO legalize- secessiO


by the consent simply Of the Legislature


of the sections in which it was proposed
casting aside the authority ofthe Who'll


people of the Republic outside, of tia


section; saying to the States Of Ne,


England, ifSouth Carolina should pro


poseito secede, "be silent; you have n


voice in this matter;p saying TO the gres


Empire State of New York. if Missis


sippi proposes to secede, 'tbe still; yo


have no voice in this natter" saying t


the Keystone State of Pennsylvania


Alabama proposes to secede, "be silent


you have no voice in this matter;' say
Ing to The free West, which the gentle


man and myself with our colleagues, il


part represent, if Georgia, and ever!


other slave State should propose Il


seCede, and break up the common


heritage which God intended should be


long to one people, "be silent; you hay


no right to interfere;'' because i'll i


written in the Constitution, as amended


by the suggestion Of my colleague him


sell, that every slave State may seced


from the Union simply upon the con
I,dition that the several State Legislature


OF the section Of the South consent Il
it.* And yet the gentleman is 70


#Joint resolution Of Mr.. Vallandigham
A L. naan