and by the love of the people; that that Union, resting
upon compromise and concession, resting upon the doctrine of equality
to all sections of the country; that that Union which brought us so
much greatness and power in the three-quarters of a century of our
life; that that Union that had brought us so much prosperity and
greatness, until we were the mightiest and proudest nation on God's
footstool; that that grand Union was not worth preserving unless we
had some blood-letting!"

Mr. Chandler, of Michigan, replied: "The Senator from Indiana has
arraigned me upon an old indictment for having written a certain
letter in 1861. It is not the first time that I have been arraigned on
that indictment of 'blood-letting.' I was first arraigned for it upon
this floor by the traitor John C. Breckinridge; and I answered the
traitor John C. Breckinridge; and after I gave him his answer, he went
out into the rebel ranks and fought against our flag. I was arraigned
by another Senator from Kentucky and by other traitors upon this
floor. I expect to be arraigned again. I wrote the letter, and I stand
by the letter; and what was in it? What was the position of the
country when that letter was written? The Democratic party, as an
organization, had arrayed itself against this Government--a Democratic
traitor in the presidential chair, and a Democratic traitor in every
department of this Government; Democratic traitors preaching treason
upon this floor, and preaching treason in the hall of the other house;
Democratic traitors in your army and in your navy; Democratic traitors
controlling every branch of this Government. Your flag was fired upon,
and there was no response. The Democratic party had ordained that this
Government should be overthrown; and I, a Senator from the State of
Michigan, wrote to the Governor of that State, 'Unless you are
prepared to shed blood for the preservation of this great Government,
the Government is overthrown.' That is all there was to that letter.
That I said, and that I say again; and I tell that Senator if he is
prepared to go down in history with the Democratic traitors who then
cooeperated with him, I am prepared to go down on that 'blood-letting'
letter, and I stand by the record as then made." [Applause in the
galleries.]

On the 19th of February, Mr. Howard, of Michigan, offered an amendment
providing that the right of suffrage should be enjoyed by all persons
of African descent belonging to the