Year: 1866

stituent members of this Union. let hin


cay so there is a tribunal to which tina


can be referred. IF he wishes to TAX


issue with the President on these points


let the issue be made fairly and squarely


and it will be met. Thank God, in thi
Government, not like that of Russia which


he has culogized, there is power above


us all there is power to whose arbitra


ment and award we can appeal. and who


will settle the thing conclusively.


Now. Mr.. President I am for reconcilia
ton. 1 want to have this union restored


and a Union means Union BY consent


not by force | would like to make friends
of all people with whom We have been al
enmty heretofore. / do not want the
contest to go on any longer, But are we


to make friends with them. and are they
to be reconciled to us. and are they to
behave better by such speeches as have
been made by the honorable Senator here
to-day? livery much doubt it. l do not
think that he will improve the condition
of the Southern heart. or the condition of
the Southern mind, by thus parading these



country, and stimulating and exciting their
angry passion. more than they are now
against this unfortunate people-unfortu-
nate in every respect; unfortunate on ac-
count Of their errors; unfortunate on
account of the penalty which has followed
those errors, and which they have suffer-
ed.


Mr. President, let us look at this testi-
mony. The honorable Senator, as I said
before. reads from anonymous letter-wri-
ters. from cotton agents, and people of that
kind. Now, it does SO happen that we
have some testimony on the subject we
have the testimony Of the President of
the United States, not q summer soldier or
sunshine patriot.


Mr. Sumner-I have not read anono-
nous letters.


Mr. Cowan-They are anonymous so far
as we are concerned; and l commend the
Senator'S prudence in keeping the names
of the writer's from the public, because, |
have no doubt that if their names were
known they would not be considered of
much Importance. [ very much doubt
whether there is a single man among them
who has ever welded any thing more than
pen during the rebellion But I say
that we have the testimony of men OF unex-
ccptional veracity I'VE have the testimony
of the President Of the United States, who
was 4 Union man, al 4 time and place
where there was some merit in it. do
not suppnsq kere was any great merit in
being q Union nam in Massachusetts. [
suspect man would have been very likely
to get a lamp post il he had been ANYTHING
else there but the President Of The Uni>
ted States was Union man in the very
thick and storm Of the battle. lie was
waylaid hither in order to attend to his
official duties in this body. lie has stood
by the Constitution, by the Union, all the
way through, steadily and firmly and, as
a compliment to him, the great party to
which l belong aud to which he did not
belong, and never pretended to belong,
conferred upon him the Office Which, in
the providence Of God, has MADE him the
President of the United States.


Now, sir, you are told here that this
man, in fs official communication
Of the UnHed States, whitewashes the
condition of things down below. Yes, sir,
"whitewash" is the word. The honorable
Senator says that he will not accept the
definition Of 'whitewash" given by the
Senator from Connecticut or the Senator
from Wisconsin, but he has not told us
what he means by the word ''whitewash."


1t is not nccessry that he should say
what he means by that word. Everybody
it. | suppose even his color
ed friends in iyhom he takes SO much in
tercst, would know what the meaning of
the word "whitewash' was TLaughtcr.
lie says that this man, who stood firm
when every body else faltered, this man
who stood almost alone in the midst of an
cnraged population, and in the very storm
and strife Of the worst civil war perhaps
the world ever saw, comes here to "white>
wash" What does he mean except that
the President Of the United States, in an
official communication to this body comes
here to lie that is the plain English of it;
comes here either to suppress the truth or
to suggest a falsehsod.


What does the President say? | will
read what he says as slicient answer to
what all these people down South report of
the state of affairs there, and / do not end
it necessary to deny thousands of instances
Exceedingly hcretical talk that may have
taken place, and of reasonable talk if YOU
please; and9 have no doubt that in state
of things unparellelcdin the history of the
world heretofore wrongs and outrages in
Vulnerable happen there; but that is not
the question. The question is what is the
Of the mass of the people in the
South, what is their disposition and tens
to love the North, not to love
the Honorable Senator from NIaasachu
sett? because ! very much fear that that
will not be brought about soon unless there
is a change in the temper of both parties
not to have hearts overfowing with love
and gratitude to those who tney think
and hunt them in their sub mis-.
sion, vino kick and strike at them after
they are down, after they have cried
enough, but the question is what is
their disposition to obey the laws? Wha,
10 we care about their heart or dispositions
f they are obedient to the laws, and sub
nit to the laws? Now they have submitted