dare to rise in his place and tell me that Jeff.
Davis and the Southern traitors have not
violated the constitution? With all their
earnest advocacy of States' rights upon this
floor, not one of those gentlemen has ever
dared to say he was in favor of secession
outright. They have argued that point
right down. They have taken the premises.
They have argued too the conclusion. But
when they have got right up to the conclu-
sion they have turned round and many of
them have said, We are not in favor of se-
cession or the conduct of the secessionists of
the Southern States. I believe that one gen-
tleman from Prince George's and another
gentleman from Somerset, if they did not
say so right out, agreed with them in their
wild theories before they went that length,
and I believe the gentleman from Somerset
(Mr. Jones) claims the merit of consistency,
having been in favor of them from 1832 or '33
up to the present time. We cannot claim
consistency. We have heard today a great
deal thrown at the majority of this house
about changes. Gentlemen in the minority
pride themselves upon their never having
changed, some gentlemen especially.
I think I recollect, and the gentleman from
Somerset will pardon me for referring to it,
that some years ago in a political campaign
the gentleman in a public speech—it was in
the know-nothing days—said upon this very
matter of his vote here in favor of secession,
that he was pretty strongly heat at the time,
and that it was one of the follies of his youth,
and he hoped it would be passed over and
forgotten.
Mr. JONES, of Somerset. The gentleman
is mistaken. I have maintained these views
at all times and upon all occasions. Bull
have never seen the time when I have advo-
cated the application of them.
Mr DANIEL. That is my recollection. Mr.
Langford replied to the speech at the time.
Mr. JONES, of Somerset. Mr, Langford
agreed with me perfectly at the time on that
subject.
Mr. DANIEL. You said in that speech that
that vote was one of the follies of your
youth and you hoped it would be forgotten.
Mr. JONES, of Somerset. The gentleman
is entirely mistaken. I never said any such
thing.
Mr. DANIEL. Well, sir, that is not very
important. I am sorry while I am upon this
point that the other gentleman from Somerset
(Mr. Dennis) is not here at this time, who
spoke in such wild and extravagant terms of
the administration of this government. He
is not one of the gentlemen claiming that
they have never changed. I believe he is an
exception, and admits that he has made some
changes. Although at one time he was of
the school of Webster, be claims to have come
to see the folly of it, and denounces it, and
has taken the other track. I will say with |
reference to that gentleman, that I have been
in campaigns with him and heard him urge
these very doctrines. I know no man who
admired, according to his public statements,
more than the gentlemen himself, Webster
and the principles which Webster enunciated.
Even after the breaking out of this revolu-
tion, that gentleman was in Somerset county
one of the strongest and most violent Union
men who rose upon the platform to address
the audiences. That gentleman was elected
to the legislature as a Union man; and after
he took his seat in the legislature, resolutions
came from South Carolina to ask this State
to co-operate with her, and no man made
such a flaming Union speech against that as
the gentleman himself.
To-day the gentleman is a convert to State's
rights. I have to say further that that gen-
tleman was a prominent candidate for Con-
gress on the Union side, while he was in this
very rebel legislature, if I may so call it; bat
he did not get the nomination. I will not
say that it had any effect upon the gentleman
at all, but I know that from that lime the
gentleman has favored and acted with those
who have favored Jeff. Davis; went for peace
on any terms, and signed documents which
contained that proposition. It is from that
time the gentleman has been a convert.
Now I say, that when gentlemen get up
here and talk about changes, and denounce
the administration, they ought to look at their
own lives, and show as some reason which
has caused these changes in their own lives.
Besides, I was really very much surprised to
hear that gentleman, as he has upon former
occasions, denounce in violent and virulent
terms the administration of this government,
when, if any man has reason to thank this
government for its clemency that gentleman
has; because, if I recollect right that very
gentleman was arrested, and it was only
through the effort of friends that he was re-
leased upon his own oath, and is here to-day
proclaiming those sentiments through the
leniency of the very government be stands
up here and denounces. I say that some of
these gentlemen ought to look at the facts of
their own history, at their own record, be-
fore they go into such violent denunciations
of the government.
1 do not wish to be placed in a wrong po-
sition on this point. I urge that those who
defend the administration and support the
administration are the friends of the consti-
tution, and by the very oath we propose to
put in here, we want them to swear to
support and defend that constitution which
we all live under and to which we owe alle-
giance, as well as the government of the land
under which we live.
What is the duty of the President of the
United States? What does he swear to do,
in the very oath of office which he takes?
"1 do solemnly swear (or affirm) that 1 |
