286 



CONGRESS, U. S. 



clearly not, Mr. Speaker. They are distinct, 

 independent powers. The militia is a branch 

 of service well understood in the mother coun- 

 try and our own, to be called forth ' to execute 

 the laws, to suppress insurrections, and repel 

 invasions.' It was not designed for permanent 

 service, but to meet special exigencies, and for 

 brief periods of time. 



" Now, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. 

 Wickliffe) says that the army is made up, and 

 has been made up, by volunteer enlistments, 

 and that you never have ' conscripted ' men 

 into the army. Doubtless such has heretofore 

 been the practice. But the exigency never be- 

 fore arose when it was necessary to conscript 

 men into an army. The exigency does not 

 confer new powers, but invokes them into ser- 

 vice. At this moment the question whether we 

 shall use this power, is not one of policy, not 

 what is best. It is in effect a question to this na- 

 tion of life or death. "We literally have no choice. 

 Gentlemen upon my right (the Republican 

 side of the House) know that it is my convic- 

 tion that the vaunted panaceas for our troubles 

 have failed, utterly failed. I expected them to 

 fail. I attempted in vain to satisfy the House 

 that it was leaning upon reeds shaken by the 

 wind. My earnest, repeated suggestions were 

 of course unheeded. But the results are too 

 palpable to be overlooked or mistaken, and 

 reason is slowly reascending the steps of its 

 throne. Pray God it may not be too late. 



" The policy inaugurated on the 1st of De- 

 cember, 1861, has been fruitless of good. It 

 has changed the ostensible, if not real issue of 

 the war. That policy and the want of persist- 

 ent vigor in our military counsels render any 

 further reliance upon voluntary enlistments 

 futile. The nostrums have all failed. Con- 

 fiscation, emancipation by Congress, emancipa- 

 tion by the proclamation of the President, 

 compensated emancipation, arbitrary arrests, 

 paper made legal tender, negro armies, will not 

 do the mighty work. Nothing will save us 

 now but victories in the field and on the 

 sea ; and then the proffer of the olive branch, 

 with the most liberal terms of reconciliation 

 and reunion. We can get armies in no other 

 way but by measures substantially those in the 

 bill before us, unless the Administration will 

 retrace its steps, and return to the way of the 

 Constitution for us the strait and narrow way 

 which leads unto life. At any rate, the war 

 on paper is at an end. The people have, for a 

 time, been deluded by it. That delusion exists 

 no longer. If you are to suppress this rebel- 

 lion, all instrumentalities will fail you but the 

 power of your own right arm. Mr. Speaker, 

 the measures and policy heretofore pursued 

 hare not been merely fruitless of good ; they 

 have been fruitful of evil. They have made, 

 or largely contributed to make, a united South ; 

 they have made for you a divided North ; they 

 have alienated from the Administration the 

 confidence and affection of largo portions of tho 

 people ; they have paralyzed your arm, and di- 



vided your counsels. Gentlemen flatter them- 

 selves this alienation and disaffection are the 

 work of Democrats ; that the people have been 

 misled and deceived by their wiles. Sir, the 

 people of this country read, and keep their eyes 

 open, and comprehend, and the plain fact is, 

 you cannot unite them upon the policy you 

 now pursue. They do not believe in destroying 

 the Union and the Constitution in the hope of 

 building up better by force of arms. You may 

 unite them on the issue of maintaining the 

 Union and the Government at every price and 

 cost ; but upon no other. 



" Having distracted the public mind, having 

 alienated to a great degree the affection and 

 confidence of the country, what is left to you ? 

 To resort to those constitutional powers vested 

 in you for the preservation of the Government 

 which you have in trust, and which you must 

 use or be false to that trust. Gentlemen say 

 the people will not bear this measure. I will 

 not believe it. I believe the people of this coun- 

 try are ready to do and to endure every tiling 

 for the preservation of their unity, their na- 

 tional life, and, through that unity and that na- 

 tional life, all that makes life precious to men. 

 They will submit to it. In view of the infinite 

 interests at stake in this great controversy ; in 

 the solemn conviction that there is to-day no 

 hope of peace except in disintegration ; that &s 

 a nation we must conquer in arms or perish, 

 they will meet and respond to this imperative 

 call of duty. Such is my hope and trust. 



"But, Mr. Speaker, suppose they hesitate; 

 suppose they do not submit ; you can but try ; 

 you have no other hope ; the negro will not 

 save you, paper money will not save you, youi 

 infractions of personal liberty will not save you. 

 If persisted in in the peaceful and loyal States, 

 they will ruin you. Go firmly to the people, 

 and present to them the issue. They will un- 

 derstand the terrible exigency in which the 

 country is placed, and they will be true to that 

 country if you show clearly to their compre- 

 hension the length and breadth and height and 

 depth of that exigency. Mr. Speaker, the issue 

 must be met at all hazards. If the people will 

 not support you, if they will not do this highest; 

 act of duty, the days of this republic are num- 

 bered, and the end is nigh. Satisfy them that 

 you mean to be true to the Constitution and 

 the Union, and they will be true to you. 



" The issue, I repeat, must be met. You dio 

 without this measure ; you can do no more with 

 it, except you die as cowards die many times. 

 I go, therefore, for appealing from these pana- 

 ceas and makeshifts and paper bullets, to thin 

 highest, most solemn and imperative duty of 

 the citizen to protect the life of the state, and 

 I believe that appeal will be answered." 



Mr. Crittenden of Kentucky, followed, and 

 stated his views at much length : " The meas- 

 ure, it seems to me, is but the natural result of 

 the course of policy which this Congress ha* 

 pursued from the commencement, or very near 

 the commencement of this war. 



