I have only to say in reply to my friend that
if there were soldiers here from anywhere else
who voted for McClellan, I am very glad they
are gone. And if those who are here came
from Maine, voting as they hive voted on
this occasion, I am very glad they are here ;
and I hope they will stay here long enough
to make good Union people out of some other
people that are here. As to the merits of
these two gentlemen—the candidiates for the
presidency of the United States—they are be-
fore the world. As to General McClellan, all
I have to say of him is this, that I feel toward
him as a simple lad felt about a sheep on a
certain occasion. The father died, leaving
two sons. In his estate, to be divided, was a
flock of sheep. One of the brothers was
sharp-witted and the other was dull; and the
latter was particularly attached to Billy, his
pet lamb.
Mr. MILLER (in his seat.) We have heard
that story before.
Mr. SANDS. It may do you "good to hear
it again, and if it is not a new story, it is a
new application of an old story.
The sharp brother went to work: and di-
vided the sheep into two lots, putting all the
best into one lot, and all the good-for-noth-
ing and scabby ones into the other, and then
put Billy, the pet lamb among the scabby
sheep, confident that his silly brother would
choose the flock to which Billy belonged.
The half-witted young man came to the pen
and looked at his favorite, " Billy, I love
you. I have always liked you, Billy. I
like you still, Billy. I would like to keep
you, Billy, but I can't do it; you are in bad
company, and I must quit you."
That is exactly the way I feel toward Gen-
eral McClellan. He has got into company I
cannot possibly keep, and if I quit him it is
his fault and not mine. He is now the can-
didate of the peace democracy, who illus-
trated their peace principles out at Chicago
the other day by a fight upon the floor of
their convention. He is the gentleman of
whom my friend from St. Mary's (Mr. Har-
ris,) following Mr. Long, said: "For
Heaven's sake, don't put such a weight .is
this upon a weak platform. The platform is
bad enough, but put this man on it and he
will crush you."
I would not have said anything that I sym-
pathize with the class of men who voted
more than I do with the peace advocates upon
this floor. They are men who have risked
their lives in the cause of the country. They
have left home and all that is dear to them
and spent their time for years and their blood
in oceans for the land of my birth, and :
love them. I am sure that the vote placed
upon our record here to-night is only a fain
indication of that which is going to be
placed in the ballot-box in November next
for I am sure that the brother soldiers of
those who voted for McClellan have since ex |
pressed themselves ashamed of the act. 1
trust that whatever may be the result of these
little indications, in hospitals, railway cars,
and steamers, the people mean to press on-
ward to the great end to be accomplished in.
the next four years—the preservation of their
country from disruption and destruction,
which is the object every true patriot has at
heart. It is not the question of any little
party power, which may result in placing
McClellan, or anybody else, in high position,
but of such action as is going to result in
the re-establishment of this Union in all its
integrity and power. The people have made
up their minds to this, and even if they have
to war four years longer, and wade through
a deeper sea of blood, they are going to that
end. God speed them to it. It is your sal-
vation and mine to war on this side of the
Potomac with those who are now striving to
divide the country in order to get you and
me by the throat to become their victims. 1
trust in God first to preserve my country, and
then I trust in the brave men who are battling
for it this day.
Mr. BELT. I desire simply to say that the
magnificent and characteristic reply of the
gentleman from Baltimore city (Mr. Daniel)
did not come upon us more like a thunder-
bolt than the appearance of the gentleman
from Howard (Mr. Sands.) If anybody had
known he was in the house-there would not
have been a word said. If lie had been here
the remarks of my colleague would unques-
tionably never have .been uttered. The gen-
tleman left here with an open, public decla-
ration, that he had gone home to attend
court, and did not intend to come back any
more,
Mr. SANDS. The gentleman is as wide from
the facts there as with regard to the soldiers
voting. I expected to be back last night but
was kept away by important business.
Mr. BELT. With reference to any hopes that
the remarks of any person here will now
change any one's politics, I am astonished
that after four months of tri-weekly war-
speeches, harangues in support of the
administration, and demonstrations against
the peace party, the gentleman should
ever have supposed that those who had
proved refractory under that infliction,
or that administration of physic, I may
say, would ever be capable of being cured
by the application of anything of a sterner
sort.
There is only one remark more I have to
make to close this matter up, so far as I am
concerned, and that is that I do not want my
coming to the support of this cause to be
taken in the widest sense, as an entire in-
dorsement of the action of the democratic
party. That may require some considera-
tion. Although being very practical in my
' political course, I think it quite probable that
1 may agree to the present arrangements. |
