Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 May 1879 — SENATOR CHANDLER’S SPEECH. [ARTICLE]

SENATOR CHANDLER’S SPEECH.

No event of the closing night of thn late session of Congress could compare iti absorbing Interest with the ten-ininute speech made by the Hon Zachanah Chandfer in the Senate. It was a quarter to 3 o’clock in the morning. The hour and the events which immediately preceded it—the man and the prominent part he had played in the most stirring episodes in our National history—served to give tothe words he uttered a significance out of all comparison with the ordinary course of political debate. He said : /" Mr. President: Twenty years ago I. in company with Mr. Jefferson Davis, stood np in this chamber, and, with him, swore by Almighty God that I would support the Constitution of the United States. Jefferson Davis cauie from the Cabiuet of franklin Pierce into the Semite ot the United States' and

took the oqtii with mo to bo faithful to this Government. During four years I sat iu this body with Jefferson Davis and saw the meparations going on from day to day for the overthrow of this Government. With treason in biH heart and pcrjnry upon his lips, he took the oath to sustain the Government that he meant to overthrow. Sir, there was method in this madness. He, in cooperation with other men from his section, and in the Cabinet of Mr. Buchanan, made careful preparation for the event that was to follow. Your armies were scattered all over this broad land, where they could not be used in an emergency. Your fleets were scattered wherever the winds blew and water was found to float them, where they could not be used to put down a rebellion. Your Treasury was depleted uutil your bonds bearing 0 per cent interest, payable in coin, were sold for 88 cents on the dollar for current expenses and no buyers were found. Preparations were carefully made. Your arms were sold under an apparently innocent clause »n an Army bill providing tuatthe Secretary of War might iu his discretion sell such arms as he deemed fit for the Government to sell. Sir, eighteen years ago last month I sat in this hall and listened tp Jefferson Davis delivering his farewell address, informing us what our constitutional duties to this Government were, and then he left and entered into a rebellion to overthrow the Government that he had sworn to serve, I remained here, sir, during the whojpof that terrible rebellion. I saw onr brave soldiers by thousands—l might almost say millions—as they passed on to the theatre of the war. I saw their shattered ranks returning. I saw steamboat after steamboat arid railroad train after railroad train bringing back the wounded. I was with my friend (pointing to General Burnside) when he commanded the Array of the Potomac, and saw piles of legs and arms that would make humauity shudder. Isaw the widows and orphans made by this wav. Mr. President, 1 little thought at that time that I should live to hear in the Senate of the United States eulogies upon Jefferson Davis living—a living rebel—on the floor of the Senate of the Uuited States. Sir, lam amazed to hear it, and I can tell the gentlemen on the other side that they little know the spirit of the North when they come here at this day with bravado on their lips, uttering eulogies upon him whom every man, woman and child in the North believes to have been a doubledyed traitor. No man ventured to interrupt; none felt insulted. It was simply crushing. — ———-—- -