ADMISSION OF THE VIRGINIA SENATORS.

499

responsibility, as political governments, Tennessee, Trumbull of Illinois, Collamer

of going out of this Union. I am not of Vermont, Powell of Kentucky, and willing to pass judgment of expulsion Hale of New Hampshire. Bayard obupon the individuals founded upon that." jected to acting on the credentials, as Latham of California, took a similar involving the recognition of an irreguview of this matter, and moved that the lar State government in Virginia, and word "expelled" be omitted from the moved that they be referred to the Comresolution. "Expulsion," said he, "im-mittee on the Judiciary. Saulsbury plies turpitude. It is a reflection upon raised a question of consistency. The the personal character of the individual; credentials declared the election of the it is a stain. Now I know myself that new senators to be made on the 9th of some Senators-two in particular- July, to fill vacancies, and the Senate, on named in that resolution, did not in- the 11th, had expelled the old members; dorse the right of secession. They dis- therefore the vacancies, as stated, did approved of it; they never sanctioned not exist. Johnson of Tennessee advoit; and they did not think they could cated the prompt admission of the new occupy a seat on this floor after their members. Saulsbury again insisted on their State had seceded." McDougall, the irregularity. Trumbull said "he the fellow-Senator of the last speaker was not for sticking in the bark about from California, differed from the views this matter. Let us take the condition of his colleague. "The expulsion," said of things as it is. Here is the State of he, "is for personal cause. It is, that Virginia in rebellion. If you are going they have espoused the controversy outside to inquire after the fact, you will made against the Republic. There may ascertain that a portion of the people of be no turpitude in the act. Treason was that State have risen in arms against the always a gentlemanly crime, and in Government; another portion of the ancient times a man who committed it people of that State are loyal to the was entitled to the axe instead of the Union; and the loyal men of Virginia halter. However, it is no more the less have elected a legislature and seek rea crime, and the greatest; and espousing presentation in the Congress of the a cause against the Republic, if it be not United States. They are entitled to treason, is akin to that crime. I am representation here, and the enemies of prepared to vote for the resolution of the country are not." expulsion." The resolution was then adopted by a vote of 32 to 10. Johnson of Tennessee, voting with the minority.

The admission of the new senators, Messrs. Willey and Carlile, from Western Virginia, on the 13th of July, was preceded by an animated debate, in which the question of the regularity of the proceeding was discussed by Bayard and Saulsbury of Delaware, Johnson of

"I

Hale of New Hampshire, while vindicating the admission of the senators, was roused to an emphatic declaration of his views of the position of the country. hope," said he, "that the Senate will not hesitate. Sir, this is no question of form, no question of ceremony; it is a question of life or death with this Republic and with this Government. The men that are in arms against you, are in arms against your very existence. The idea

of your national life a day after you yield the field of battle, and everywhere, you to their position is absurd and inconsistent. Sir, this Government had borne and forborne until your forbearance was construed into pusilanimity; and during the last session of Congress the most insulting language that ever fell from human lips was uttered in reference to this very general Government; and the gentlemen for whom so much regard is now felt and expressed, sat by, counseled and advised with the man who told us that we had been smitten a staggering blow in the face that we dared not resent. Yes, sir, that is exactly the way this Government has been treated; and it has come to the very last point, where it must either vindicate its existence by all the force that it commands, or it must go out in national disgrace forever. This is the day; this is the hour; this is the time; this is the experiment. Sir, it is the culmination of the great contest that has been going on through all time between despotism on the one side, and constitutional government and liberty on the other. That is the issue; and we are fighting the battle of all past ages and all coming generations. They all culminate in the experiment that we are making to-day. Sir, this war has been forced upon the country. Things went on until the last question that was left to it was to submit ignominiously, or, with all the energy that it could command, send its thrilling voice out to the millions that were subject to its control, and that -in their folly, I had almost said-believed they had a Government to defend them. And, sir, they have rallied as never a people rallied before; and I tell you, Senators, if you hesitate to meet the issue, to meet it in all its aspects, in all its contingencies, here on this floor, on

are unworthy of the day and the hour in which God Almighty has permitted you to enact the part that He has assigned you in the great chapter of human destiny. I am glad I was born about the time I was, so that my lines fall here today. I am glad that my destiny is linked in the great contest that has been coming, and coming, and coming with every successive generation, and every successive experiment that the world has ever made in all the past. I feel to-day that the blood which has been shed on every battle-field is at issue in the contest that we are now carrying on. I feel that the blood of every patriot who has poured out his life on the scaffold, the worth of it and the effect of it are all in issue; and I feel, sir, if we are faithful to the hour, faithful to the crisis, faithful to the duty, God will pour out on this nation the blessings that have been evoked by the prayers of the pious in all times past. It is no holiday contest in which we are engaged. It is not the time to hunt up justices of the peace records to find precedents of form as to how we shall go along. We must accept the contest as it has come, anomalous in its character, destitute of any precedents in the past, but, I trust, in God, destined to shed infinite light on the future. And, sir, at such a time, at such a day, and in such a contest, the only question I ask of any man is, 'Is your heart right; if it be, give me your hand; join with us in this great struggle;' and if there are loyal men in Virginia that are determined to stand by the cause of civil liberty in this hour of her peril, let them rally; let them form a constitutional government as they best may; and let this Federal Government pour them out

POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

When the vote was taken, five only

501

men and money, if necessary, to sustain formation of a new State out of Westthem in their contest.' ern Virginia is an original, independent act of revolution. I do not deny the Messrs. Bayard, Bright, Polk, Powell power of revolution (I do not call it and Saulsbury—were in favor of refer- right-for it is never prescribed, it exrefer-rightring the credentials; so the Senators ists in force only, and has and can have were admitted to take the oath of office. no law but the will of the revolutionists). The ground taken by Congress and the Any attempt to carry it out involves a Government in this Virginia question in plain breach of both the Constitutionsreference to the position of the Western of Virginia and the nation. And hence, portion of the State, which there was a it is plain you cannot take that course strong disposition at one time to separ- without weakening, if not destroying, ate from the rest as a new and distinct your claims upon the sympathy and commonwealth, was well set forth in a support of the General Government; letter addressed on the 12th of the fol- and without disconcerting the plan allowing month by the Attorney-General ready adopted both by Virginia and the of the United States, Mr. Bates, to Mr. General Government, for the reorganizaA. F. Ritchie, a member of the Virginia tion of the revolted States, and the resConvention, then sitting at Wheeling. toration of the integrity of the Union. "I have thought," wrote this high offi- That plan I understand to be this: cer of the Government, "a great deal When a State, by its perverted functionupon the question of dividing the State aries, has declared itself out of the Union, of Virginia into two States; and since I we avail ourselves of the sound and loyal came here as a member of the Govern- elements of the State-all who owned ment, I have conversed with a good allegiance to, and claimed protection of, many, and corresponded with some, of the Constitution, to form a State governthe good men of Western Virginia, in ment, as nearly as may be, upon the regard to that matter. In all this inter- former model, and claiming to be the course, my constant and earnest effort very State which has been, in part, overhas been to impress upon the minds of thrown by the successful rebellion. In those gentlemen the vast importance this way we establish a constitutional not to say necessity-in the terrible cri- nucleus around which all the shattered sis of our national affairs, to abstain from elements of the commonwealth may meet the introduction of any new elements of and combine, and thus restore the old revolution, to avoid, as far as possible, State in its original integrity. This, I all new and original theories of Govern- verily thought, was the plan adopted at ment; but, on the contrary, in all the Wheeling, and recognized and acted insurgent commonwealths to adhere, as upon by the General Government here. closely as circumstances will allow, to Your convention annulled the revoluthe old constitutional standard of prin- tionary proceedings at Richmond, both ciple, and to the traditional habits and in the Convention and General Assemthoughts of the people. And I still bly, and your new Governor formally think that course is dictated by the demanded of the President the fulfilplainest teachings of prudence. The ment of the constitutional guarantee in

incumbent in a time of public calamity and rebellion, humbly and devoutly to acknowledge our dependence on Almighty God, and to implore his aid and protection: Therefore Resolved, That a joint committee of both Houses wait upon the President of the United States and request that he recommend a day of public humiliation, prayer and fasting to be observed by the people of the United States with religious solemnity, and the offering of fervent supplications to Almighty God for the safety and welfare of these States, His blessings on their arms, and a speedy restoration of peace."

CHAPTER XXXII.

THE BATTLE OF CARTHAGE, Mo., JULY 5, 1861.

through the western counties in the direction of Springfield.

GENERAL LYON having, as we have the beginning of July, making his way seen in a previous chapter, summarily put the disloyal Governor of Missouri and his forces to flight at Booneville, He had hardly departed, however, prepared to follow them in their retreat before the enemy whom he sought were to the southern portion of the State, successfully encountered in a remote where, supporting themselves at the ex- part of the State by a young officer of pense of the inhabitants, they were add- foreign birth, whose skill, displayed on ing to their numbers, and gathering fresh more than one occasion, gained him the nutriment in the cause of the rebellion. highest honors of the campaign. This General Price, with other insurgent was Colonel Franz Sigel, who, born at leaders, it was understood was in arms Baden in 1821, had been educated at the in the southwest, and there were rumors military school of Carlsruhe, held high of the presence in the same quarter rank in the Prussian army, and on the of the redoubtable Texas ranger, Ben breaking out of the Revolution in 1848, McCulloch, who had lately left the vicin- joined the liberals and become a leader ity of the Potomac, and been seen in of their revolutionary army. Arkansas. To meet these and whatever achieved considerable military distinction other enemies there might be abroad, in this command, on the pacification of General Lyon set out from Booneville at the country he came to America, where

Having