Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-02-08
TwENTY-sEyENTH CoNGREss--ad Session
UUSE OF REPKESENTATI YES.
Wednesday,, Janaary 20, 1912.
DIfESrItly pF PRIVILEGE

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, january &c, lSf2.
QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE.
ii Mr.. WISE conlinued-Now, what was the question
before the House? 1t this Whether we won!t
print, publish, and postpone, worthy OF future ant
deliberate discussion, proposal for the dissolution
this Union.
And was the gentleman from Massachusetts, to be in
duged in TRADE against particular section OF hs
Union, not for the benefit Of any other section OF II, bn
for that of every foreign despotc power The House
had done during the three last days. (and perhaps
this day aso) to injure free institutions and our ma
tional credit abroad than had been done before
since the foundation of the Union. Our enen'cs-the
enemies OF free Government-had been writing and
predicting that the union of these twentysX free States
never could sand-that must faland they had been
exerting corresponding influence with view to de
stroy it. They looked at every untavorable occur
renee and exclaimed, "Ah we said so See here
See there =, Every popular outbreak that look place
any portion Of this wide land though not 10 compare
10 what continually happening III Ireland, or even
in the manufacturing districts Of England or III France
under the bayonets of standing army they hailed ns
the approach Of what they so mnch l"nged Tor and
cried out "See the Union dissolvng like snow before
the sun = |, would he told in Europe with exua
ton that the Tx President of The United States had
brought forward proposition 10 dissolve HE Union
and had seriously proposed 10 discuss il. What. had
not enough been done already 10 disgrace our credit
abroad lie hound with sorrow 10 admit the fact.
Had not enough and more than enough, been done by
protested friends Of the Union 10 disgrace il before the
world by breaches o! public and Of private faith But
what must be the effect Of such announcement or
the already prostated credit of our country was II
not enough alarm the money Lenders of Europe, TO
hear that proposition had been allowed 10 be INTRO
duced into the Legislative Hall to dissolve the unnn
Would they not very naturally conclude that our Co.
vernlnent fast tnn,a,ng INTO rum What better
than madness il seriously 10 entertain proposition
| like this
Bn. the gentleman from Massachusetts told the
House, that he did not himself move 10 dissolve the
Union, but to direct con:ltcc 20 make report as
signing why 1t vas not exped'cnt TO do that
Just al present And this his defence! y COM
mttec Ia assign reasons why the Union need not just
vet be dissolved why this was part OF the wicked
Of the scheme and this very feature Of The consp
racy in which lis submty consisted was 10 be admitted
as the gem,einan's defence. Why the gentleman had
Tor long time, succeeded III persuading members 81
this House tia, lie against abollshng slavery in
the District Of Columbia: he had actually kept up that
impression fer long while. But the gentleman had
been on tia, point Just Us he tins. lie was ali
the while aiding in the eflec,ua way, the scheme
of abolition. lust as he aiding directly tie
conspiracy for dissolution.
The ren,lcmans doctrine was, "Not yet, not YET;
wal, lils longer; keep up the excitement; agitae-
agitae keep the slaves in this District, like in
receiver u make experiments with; make further
perimvn; N religious zeal; try how 1reiga Influence
will WORK; hold u The bone of contention; ag,tae-
agitale.' THIS the gentemans policy. HIS cry
was "Not now; and that the worst feature The
proceeding. Ii he had spoken out boldly, Ike man,
and sad, Dissolvc-and dissolve now-he would have
met one universal feeling Of indignation in every bo.
son,, aud IN every eye aud be knew it, Bu! no-not
now-cgate le longer; andby degrees the idea VIII
grow familiar, and the spirit OF the people VIII be sub
dued. lie avowed his purpose not to dissolve now but,
if they oil the South should continue to defend ihei
selves h 'n sst q al iEe Proper time he
should ask 10 be excused from voting on the resolution
of lie had ed nSt
gentleman from Massachusetts rs Judge when lie
sought trial; and he should now decline voting a.
Judge on that gentleman. Tnc gentleman had bTough,
himself into L:s present situation; he had ~ one 10
blame Tor il hut himself, he had been The subject Of
ann,ad version either By MIR. w or others. lie il
who was the snhlecimater Of this whole proceeding,
and the remarks OF those who took part III !;
must be somewhat personal. Mr.. w. could have
wished 10 be spared The painful task Of speaking Of the
gentleman either IN praise censure. Personally Mr..
w. had not censured him; politically he had. II he
had used any severity, it had been directed exclusively
against the genllemans political Course H. IN an as
sembly like this Wild brute should be let loose,
every one knew what their course must bc-ether In
XIII or 10 cage him. If he heard ofa phensed wretch
running a mack, as it called striking At aud de-
sroying all he met, there but thing 10 be dohe
the unhappy being must be killed, even though hls
rare proceed from mania. II an imbccc assaulted one
he might be handled moftr manu. and thus restrained
Blu, should the offender be found wrapped in the panoply
of age Of station, of lmbecty itself, still II
he were capable of mischief, and purposed mischief
and was desperately and wIckedy bent on mischief,
we forgot age and thought only Of the Interests TO
be endangered II lie were old and respectable, ana
even venerable, and yet through nonomania should DC
found administering poison or applying the loren OF le
incendary how old or how venerable soever he might
be- he must be met, and The mischief, II possible, pre-
vented.
Il was in this light that Mr. w viewed the honora
HE gentleman from Massachusetts, lie did net wish
to be understood comparing HIM with either OF these
supposed persons; he disclaimcd IT, The gentleman
was honored time. honorcd, hoary-but he coua not
add with wisdom. The gentleman had immense pow
er the power Of learning, the power OF station, the
mower of fame the power of age, the power OF eo-
qnence, the power Of the pen, and any man was
greatly mistaken who should say or thlns Glat 'ha'
gentleman was MAD. The gentleman might say with
an APOSTLE 81 am not mad most noble Fesius, though
he could not add "hut speak forth the words OF truth
and soberness All who knew him would say he was
not mud In POLITICAL not in a personal sense, Mr..
W. would say, and with entire sincerity OF heaft, me
renileman was far more wicked than weak. a ms
chief might be done by him. Mr.. w. believed he was
DISPOSED 10 do it. and would WELD his immense inieec
,ua moral and political power to eiect IT. lhat ms
chief was the dissolution of this Unlon aud the agent
NJ that dissolution should it be effected. Mr.. w
did in his heart believe would he the gentleman from
Massachusetts Governed by his reputation, ny h's
habits nv all considerations arising from the belief OF
wrongs, his passions were reused, ana ms re-
sentiment and his vengeance would be wrecked on the
,bccs Of his hatred, If he could reach them II Tins
safe of mind were monomania, then it was here
d,ary no matter what might be its cause, It was dan
gerous deadly. The gentleman wns astule IN Design
obstinate and Jealous power, and terrible IN ncuoh'
and an instrument we'll fitted to dissolve the Union.
Although MIR. W could no: give n direct vote on the
resolution believed il his duty 10 his constituents
to express this his sincere and deliberate opinion oil
that gentleman Nor did he believe it was his own
opinion alone, but the opinion Of many others IN this
Hall, and of thousands out OF II.
That one should so have outlived his fame that one
who had served his country so long shoui' almost can
eel her debt OF gratitude for all his many services 1t
was very crevous: it grievous to he compelled 10
sneak this of an old man-of one who had reached
even higher place in the honors Of his country than
his father-one who ought to be The father OF thai
country-aganst whom no one would or could utter =,
derogatorv word--to whom the young should go TO
learn lessons of wisdom and patrotism-who shoad pe
teaching the preceps of the great father OF ms cou
! LIZ .s.,ri cnnnlennnce and lenru