Mr. HARDING, of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I have been a somewhat attentive observer of all that has transpired in this House for some 6 years past. o: the war there were many gloomy periods when the friends of the Union seemed to despair. There were certain men who predicted that war never could restore this Union. I was one who thought otherwise. I did hope and believe that when the rebellion in the South was subdued, when there was no longer any armed resistance to be found there, whatever politicians might desire, a public sentiment would come from the North as well as from the South calling for and demanding peace and restoration too strong to be resisted. But, sir, the war is over. There is not to be found anywhere a man in arms against the Government of the U.S. Some 8 cen months have rolled away since the termi nation of the war; yet here we are as far from the restoration of the Union as we were at any time during the war, and I fear further. Now, gentlemen may think as they please, but the question beefore us is one that is worth thinking about. Every man who loves his country, every man who loves the Union of the States ought to pause and reflect and ask himself whether we are moving toward a restoration of the Union or directly the opposite course. I may be wrong; I hope I am;; to my mind the cause of the Union this day is more hope less than at any former period. My imagination pictures, to me now more danger than at during the war. Now, sir, in regard to these various propositions before the House, the one called the " bill, ” with the several amendments coming from different sources, and the one now reported, I care not a fig which of them may pass, if anyone must pass. This last bill, the one now before the House, while it shades to some extent the horrid and bloody features of the “military bill” is, in truth, more nor less than the same thing, dressed up and vailed a little to conceal its enormity from public view. To my mind there is one thing very certain, that the tem per of the RePresentatives here as well as of people elsewhere must undergo a great change before there will ever be a restoration of the union of these States. Sir, it is alarming that such a bill as that “military bill” should be seriously censidered in this House. It is one of the alarming signs of the times that such a measure should find support from any quarter whatever; for it proposes to establish a supreme, unlimited, odespotism over nearly 1/3rd of the people of this Union; to surrender to the military authorities supreme power; nay, to enthrone despotism here in the U.S. I say it is alarming that such a proposition should meet with any sort of favor here; and it is not less starth ng to hear the utterances and witness the temper with which certain gentlemen have defended this very bill. For example, let me allude to a remark that was made by the Gentfrom Ohio {Mr. GARFIELD) in support of this horrid “military bill” at the time when he assumed to “close the door of mercy” and proclaim that the day of grace was passed. I was astonished and alarmed to hear him utter his solemn fiat, his terrible anathema, his withering curse which is to doom forever some 8 or ten million people of the South. The inquiry would natu rally suggest itself, “Who is this that stands here and lifts up his voice like a trumpet, closing up the day of grace and sealing the doom of 8 or ten million human beings?” One would suppose it to be some being that had suddenly made his appearance in the American Congress from some higher and holier sphere, from some sinless clime, one that had never felt the need of mercy, one that knew nothing but stern justice unmixed with mercy, one that having never sinned himself had no sympathy with sinners; one wrapped in im maculate purity and holiness, standing here and proclaiming with trumpet voice to the people of the U.S. that the day of grace was ended, “the door of iod, mercy closed forever, and the key thrown away.” We were naturally shocked and alarmed; but on drawing a little nearer and making closer observation we find that this being is one of us, one of Adam's fallen posterity, one who had been a rebel against the government of Heaven and a sinner all his days. The alarm was gone, the fright was over, and our shattered nerves became steady again; but we were still amazed and wondered to see a poor, puny mortal “Drest in a little brief authority:”: sk 3:: sk: “Play such fantastictricks before high heaven, As make the angelsweep.” A MEMBER. Remember he is a preacher.