The Political History of the United States of America, During the Great Rebellion: Including a Classified Summary of the Legislation of the Second Session of the Thirty-sixth Congress, the Three Sessions of the Thirty-seventh Congress, the First Session of the Thirty-eighth Congress, with the Votes Thereon, and the Important Executive, Judicial, and Politico-military Facts of that Eventful Period; Together with the Organization, Legislation, and General Proceedings of the Rebel Administration; and an Appendix Containing the Principal Political Facts of the Campaign of 1864, a Chapter on the Church and the Rebellion, and the Proceedings of the Second Session of the Thirty-eighth Congress |
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Allen Alley Ambrose W amendment Amos Myers Ancona army arrest Asahel W Ashley authority Baldwin Beaman Benjamin F bill Blair Brown Chandler Charles Charles O'Neill citizens Clark Collamer Committee Confederate Congress Conkling Constitution Court Davis Dawes declared district Dixon Doolittle draft duty Edgerton Eliot enrolled Executive Eyck Federal Fessenden follows Francis Francis W fugitive Gooch Government Grider Grimes habeas habeas corpus Hale Harris Henry Winter Davis Holman House insurrection James John Johnson Kellogg labor Lane of Kansas Legislature Leonard Myers Lovejoy Mallory ment Messrs military Moorhead Morrill Myers nays NAYS-Messrs O'Neill officers Orlando Kellogg peace Pendleton persons Philip Johnson Pomeroy Powell President proclamation rebellion rebels resolution Rice Rollins Roscoe Conkling Samuel Secretary Senate Sherman slavery slaves South Carolina Stevens Sumner territory thereof Thomas tion Trumbull Union United Valkenburgh vote Washburne William G Wilson Windom writ yeas YEAS-Messrs
Popular passages
Page 222 - We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility. In giving freedom to the slave we assure freedom to the free — honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. We shall nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope of earth. Other means may succeed; this could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just — a way which if followed the world will forever applaud and God must forever bless.
Page 257 - That the maintenance inviolate of the rights of the States, and especially the right of each State to order and control its own domestic institutions according to its own judgment exclusively...
Page 106 - Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world?
Page 105 - Plainly, the central idea of secession is the essence of anarchy. A majority held in restraint by constitutional checks and limitations, and always changing easily with deliberate changes of popular opinions and sentiments, is the only true sovereign of a free people. Whoever rejects it does, of necessity, fly to anarchy or to despotism.
Page 104 - It was matured and continued by the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It was further matured, and the faith of all the then thirteen States expressly plighted and engaged that it should be perpetual, by the Articles of Confederation in 1778. And finally, in 1787, one of the declared objects for ordaining and establishing the Constitution was " to form a more perfect Union.
Page 105 - Suppose you go to war, you cannot fight always; and when, after much loss on both sides, and no gain on either, you cease fighting, the identical old questions as to terms of intercourse are again upon you.
Page 103 - I have no purpose directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so ; and I have no inclination to do so.
Page 134 - The prudent, penniless beginner in the world labors for wages awhile, saves a surplus with which to buy tools or land for himself, then labors on his own account another while, and at length hires another new beginner to help him. This is the just and generous and prosperous system which opens the way to all, gives hope to all, and consequent energy and progress and improvement of condition to all.
Page 105 - At the same time, the candid citizen must confess that if the policy of the government, upon vital questions affecting the whole people, is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court the instant they are made in ordinary litigation between parties in personal actions the people will have ceased to be their own rulers, having to that extent practically resigned their government into the hands of that eminent tribunal.
Page 106 - In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in Heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to " preserve, protect, and defend it.