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![handle is hein.slavery/cfpslvreb0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
CONFISCATE TIE PROPERTY AND FREE THE SLAVES OF REBELS.
SPEECH
OF
HON. . N. ARNOLD, OF ILL.,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
MxY 23, 1862.
-o
The Houise having under consideration the bills to confiscate the property and free from
.servitude the slaves of rebels-
Mr. ARNOLD said: Mr. SPIEAK F, I listened on yesterday with great
respect to the eloquent argument of the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. GRI-
Dun] ngninst this bill. He made an affecting appeal to the forbearance and
magnanimity of this House in behalf of traitors whose hands are red with
the blood of the brave and patriotic soldiers of Illinois and Kentucky, killed
in this raost wicked war. He appealed to us in behalf of those who drop
poison in the cup which they hand to the famishing soldier; who treacherously
hide torpedoes in abandoned fortifications to murder the brave men whom they
dare not mneet in'open, honorable warfare. Towards such men, treacherous,
cruel, reckless, restrained by no law, human or divine, seeking to kill, mur-
der, and destroy every loyal man, and to take the life of the nation, we
are asked to extend magnanimity and forbearance. Sir, we have all along,
since the beginning of this rebellion, been too magnanimous and forbearing,
until our very kindness and forbearance to the rebels and traitors has been
regarded by them as an indication of our weakness and cowardice. They
must be made to'feel our power. They must be made to respect the majesty
of that justice which punishes crime. It will be time to be magnanimous and
forgiving when they throw down their arms and appeal to the mercy of that
Government they have failed to destroy.
SLAVERY, DEFEATED AT THE BALLOT-BOX, APPEAIED TO THE SWORD AND BROUGOHT ON THIS
WAR.
In the face of the stupendous events transpiring in our midst, the slavery
question cannot be ignored. It is idle to seek to ignore it. It will not down
at the bidding of any. We must grapple and meet it. The skilful physician
might as well ignore the existence of a terrible disease threatening the death
of his struggling patient, as the statesman seek to ignore or disregard the dis-
ease of slavery, now threatening the life of the nation. No man has spoken
more wisely, cautiously, philosophically, on this subject than the President of
the United States. Listen to the words of Abraham Lnicoin, spoken at
Springfield in 1858. He said :
A house divided anfzinst itself cannot stand. I believe that this Government cannot en-
dure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the house to fall. T do not expect
the Union to dissolve, but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one
thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further Siread of it and
place it where the public mind will rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate ex-](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.slavery/cfpslvreb0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)