The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-16
MR.. GIDDINGS AND THE FREEDOM OF
OPINION

! Some strange misconception has led TO the
coupling in minds otherwise intelligent and sen
sibe enough, the two things at the head Of this
article. The ex-member fro Ohio, who re
signed his seat in huff, because the Hou,e
would neither speak itself nor hear hna
speak-except by way Of personal explanation
on couple Of resolutions before It, wishes q
pass for martyr. His claim TO figure among
Fox's heroes, is petulent sef-love, wblch
made him mistake a vote Of censure on hlsre-
solutions, for an indictment at the Old Bailey
At that rate, he only wants the double mileage
to which this act of sclf-sacri6ce will enlite
him, to be canonized forever.
Now what is the fact A memberot tn
House of Representatives moved very lq
proper and l-timed resolution, to sa The NeN
least of it. He interferes with the consuu
tional exercise of the Treaty making power PSI
invites foreign nation to assume a haug1P
and offensive tone in pending negotiation ne
denoLnces root and branch the whole system O
law, touching a sort of property as much recog
nized by the Constitution as any other and
POUNDS his alarming idea of an outawry Of hall
the country, upon some wild jacobinical notion
of abstract right, and the fitness of things alb
solutely at war with any settled social author
tv Well, what did the House, with lis hands
already more than full of business, and WIN
a real regard for the peace Of the country,
resolve to do? 1t resolved to do nolhing-1qJ
even to call Mr.. Giddings to its bar, and lt1
him he was disturber Of the public peace, and
most perncous mischiet-maker IN family OF
States. But they declare his resolutions 10 DC
very bad resolutions, and they met them by
a counter-resolution and thus resolution aga'n
resolution, they further determined, that they
would see, at once which was the voice OF
majority. And so, without more ado, Mr.. 80
dings and his opinions are put IN the'voca'i''
That IS all Whereupon this most meek a"q
gentle Christian swears there IS an END o. a''
liberty, filings his commission into ME- SpeaA
er's face, and exits in rage-perhals win an
incendiary's black purposes-though we wou''
fain hope not.
Now, in the name OF common sense u w,
Giddings had right TO offer his resource
had not any and every member H9ht -
say WnetDer ne llktu IL va u"
the embodyng Of the opinions OF a may
ty in counter-res olution, any thing m3r' lHA'
an expression of what each anu every
thought of Mr. Giddlngs motion W.
deny to the House, The freedom OF spfee4
claims for himself2 Will he cry out oPprt
and gag law, when the majority reiuse W
selves the right of discussion they rflu't
him, and vet are ready TO hear him, hechQ2''
to adhere to the subject 50 far as II may
thought personally TO concern himself
1t is obvious then, that when hetetreu
the House in a pet, he was in fact ana ~ '..'
denying TO the House all h6efy ~ W'1'
He was outraged, because It dared ~
his resolution piece Of folly ana 70 s'}
not quite as much as he SAID orlhVuRu' ~
despatch of the Secretary OF N'dl'
pIaying old Absolute, aud flew INTO a pas
with Others for not keeping quite cool ""g
chose TO storm at them. There never was
thing half so ridiculous, as an atlelhp'