The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-09-25

Strike out ol tle GENERAL Appropriation DIN Il
small item for alterations and repairs of the Presi-
dents House, &c.
Prepared by Mr.. LINCOLN, and published in the
National IntelHgencer, Except the introductory
part in bracelets. This part being personal be-
tueen Mr.. l.. and Mr.. o., waS omitted by the
former, because Mr.. o. had aroided an allusioa
TO ii in his printed Speech II is supplied nom
By the reporter for the Globe.l
"[Mr, LINCOLN then took the floor in reply,
and spoke in substance as follows:
"[ lie believed the general course of his life had
been such, as to avoid controversies like that in
which he was now Unexpectedly involved with the
member from Pennsylvania But unpleasant as
was the nature of that controversy, and novel as
was the situation in which he was placed by the
sudden and unj lslifable attack, he would make an
effort to show that he was still deserving OF the
good opinion of the House and of the country
Yes, powerfully impressed as he was with the re-
sponslbiily resting upon him, he would trcspass on
the time of the committee fora few moments in at
tempting to show how unfairly the gentleman FROM
Pennsylvania had acted in thus singing him out
and attacking him, without the least provocalion,
before the House.
weeks ago, in the course of debate on an appro-
piaon in the present bill for the Presidents House.
he had deemed it his duty to justify the small APP
preparation required and for which he had just been
wantOnly assailed by the member from Pennsylya-
MIA. 1t would be recollccted that those remarks
were made at the close of three days speech by
the member from PENNSYLVANIA. who in that speech
had undertaken to condemn, in no very mid Ian
guage, Il variety of matters connected with the
Presidents establishment. He (Mr. L.) had been
induced to say what he did, on the supposiiion,
that from his situation as chairman of the commit
tee on Public Buildings, he had better opporun-
ty ofgaining information on those matters than the
member himself lie had also told the gentleman
that there were matters of higher importance than
those, which required attention, and he mad endea-
vored to point ont what they We're.
"[This and nothing else, was the cause of the
great dispcasure of the member, which had Just
been manifested in the way the committee had
heard. Yes, for that slight offence, IT appeared
that anger and malice had been ranking IN the
breast of the gentleman for Whole fortnight until
now, when he had given full vent in threat to ar
raign him, Mr. l.. before his constituents and the
country. lie would envy the feelings of no man
who could thus harbor malice in his breast Tor
whole fortnight, and concoct materials for the vim
diclye attack he had uat made. Such conduct
.uu'd .enoot credit any who would thus,
without a moments warning, pour out such vile
abuse upon the head of his political friend
"LBu', said Mr. L., the member says he vii ar
| raign me before my constituents and the country
as well ms before the house. This is certainly very
strange language for the member to use, and TO ut
ter on the floor threat of the kind against me.
will, however, tell the member, that deny his
right TO put me on my trial here or elsewhere. !
ask him by what authority lie undertakes to assume
the power of arraignng one of his fellow members
before his constituents b
"[I deny his competence as a truth-loving man,
to present these charges against me. When am
arraigncd, shall choose to be arraigncd for that in
which there may be at least some shadow of a
charge; but do not intend to submit to the flbri-
cation of charges; and in the present instance de-
fly the gentleman to subsiantale bis charges.
d" The member has no excuse for his rude and
abusive attack on me. He is entirely without apol-
ogy. On Tuesday of the present week, he brought
to me the Globe from which he reads, and referred
to the published speech of mine delivered fort
night ago. | informed him that had had no OPP
porunty ofrevlsng that speech previous 10 lis pub
LEGATION. also told him that noticed in it sever
| nj inaccuracies, not lies, as the member repre-
senis; for do not believe that the Reporter TO the
Globe would willingly misrcpresent me. They
were undoubtedly misapprchcnsons oimy remarks
arising from the extreme difficulty of hearing OF
some occasions. told the member, however, thai
the first leisure moment | could get TO make the
necessary corrections it should be done. Then how
great was my surprise when the member this eve
ming arose and poured out his abuse, quoting I
speech which he had just been informed was ii
many particulars npcrect'
"[Mr l.. then proceeded to notice the carpng o
Mr. Oge at the term 'loreiather,' inadvertenll,
substituted bv the reporter for predecessor Mr.
l.. said he believed he used the former term bu
once, but the latter he did use many times in the
course of his Speech and the error of the reporie
in that respect in his opinion, was no very grea
crime. Yet, continued Mr.. H., the member ha
thought proper to cast ridicue on my argument il
relation 10 the furniture of the Presidents House
because am represented as having used the tern
forefahnr' instead Of predecessor And this too
after Ihad previously told him that the word fore
: father was n misapprehension on the part of tn
reporter. I ask, is such conduct gen,lemanly, .
} becoming the respect due from one member 10 a
+ mother upon this floor,
"[Mr. l.. then referred to several misrepresenta
tons by Mr. Ogle of the, report in the Globe, an
, of wrong constructions placed by him on some