The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1844-09-04

self to look into the facts he would have
seen that Mr.. Clay had no such intention,
and that his language bore no such con-
struction. All Mr.. Birney said upon this
subject deserves no OF her epithet than that
of base and deliberate calumny: and as
such it was doubtless intended, notwith-
standing the sanctimonious vlsage and af-
fectation of holy horror with which the
scandal was uttered.
The Speaker then accused Mr.. Clay of
violating the Constitution, in challenging
a member of the House of Representa-
tives, who had insulted him in debate and
insisted, that by the Constitution, men,
Der is entitled to perfect immunity, how
ever brutal may be his language; that in
strument declaring, that for words spoken
in debate the member shall not elsewhere
be questioned. This is surely new read
ing of the instrument, the clause has hith-
erto been understood, as simply forbid
ding actions for libel or SANDER, to be
brought for words SO spoken. But Mr.
Blrney would convert Congress into
sanctuary for personal abuse and private
insult Let US entreat him to exercise
charity. Every man is not bl st with that
Pharisaical purity, which, while it AFRO
gat es to itself all Goodness, delights in
sl4ndering its neighbors, and holds it sac
rilege, to punish canting hypocritical in
science, with the buffet of honest indigna-
tion. Every man is not a wolf in sleeps
clothing. Resentment at injustice, will
ever show itself in one form or another,
and if the laws afford no redress, private
vengeance will be resorted to. The Gus
toms Of society regulate the mode.
Mr. Birney then stated that Nr. Clay
had no sympathies with the great mass Of
the people of the United States: that he
held the laboring classes in perfect con-
tempt, and looked upon white laborer as
no better than negro laborer, and dis
dained the idea of permitting the former
to have anything to do in the management
of public affairs, holding him utterly unfit
to be trusted with public duties and re-
sponsibilities; and in this connection, Mr..
Birney pretended to quote declaration
of Mr.. Leigh of Virginia, the words of
which he affected to give, that man who
was occupied by daily labor, is wholly I'M
fit for any public or political employment.
1t may be safely answered, that this
charge against 3!r Clay is malicious and
false, contradicted by every public act and
declaration of his life, and by his own per-
sonal habits and history and that no such
declaration ever escaped the lips of Mr..
Leigh. A more shameless and venomous
falsehood was never uttered. l venture
to recommend to this candidate for the
PreSidencv," to read certain brief maxims
commonly known as the ten command
ments, to be found in the Bile, Ia book
for which he affects great love- in which
it is said ''tkOu shalt not bear false witaess
against ting ne;ghJOr."
Mr.. Birney took leave of Mr.. Clay, by
charging him with being in favor of the
annexation ofTexas, and declaring that a
man so stained with crime, was unfit to
to be the ruler of free and moral peo-
pie"
Mr.. Birney then made his grand on
slaught upon the Wing party, charging
them indiscriminately, with love ofSlavery,
and with strenuous opposition to all efforts
for its removal. He mddeno erception.-
He went so far as to state, that the reso-
luton of censure against Mr.. Adams at
the session of Congress in 1912, origina-
ted with leading " hig, Mr.. Marshall
of Kentucky i that the Wings in the last
Congress, were wholly responsible for that
proceeding.
That the Wings had p -omised to abolish
the 2Ist rule, but had re-established it,
and were utterly hostile to the right ofpe-
tition.
He also stated that MIR. Giddings was
censured by the Wing party in Congress,
and that the resolution upon which he was
censured, was introduced by Mir. Bolts, a
Virginia Wing.
He did not see fit to tell the truth in Ell
Their OF these three particulars.
The resolution against MIR. \ dams, was
offered bv Mr Gilmer, of Virginia, late
Secretary the Navy, well known Ty-
Ter man, who during the last Congress,
steadily opposed every Wig measure and
in the fall of AZ wrote a celebrated letter,
in favor of the annexation of Texas. MIR
Marshall merely offered an amendment to
this resolution.
He did not see fit to tell his audi
ence that the 2lst rule was actual
" abolished, by vote OF the same Wing
House, although some half dozen South
ern members were Afterwards induced to
change their votes, and restore the rule.
.,r. Birney has the brass to hold Northern
kigs, who voted to abolish this rule re-
sponsibIe fcr its continuance, and to treat
them as advocates Of slavery.
The resolution IN which ]r. Giddlngs
was censureJ, was offered by Mr.. Weller,
the most artive and ultra Of the Ohio Lo-
co-Foco delegation.
When offering it he remarked that he
did it upon his own responsibility, and
though Mr.. Bolts had made an effectual at
tempt to introduce it, Mr.. Weller express
ly and openly claimed the honor OF the
whole proceeding, and was supported by
his whole party, almost without exception,
even in the enforcement of the previous
.....x.o., Joor;y;no Mr. Giddinus of all