Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-05-06

Ill.
Let the free North be told that their craven
representatives on the floor of the Senate, are
not at liberty even to claim the protection Of
the rights of property! The right of speech
was sacrificed long ago. But now is it to be
proclaimed, that we cannot even introduce
bill looking to the execution of the plainest
provisions Of the constitution, and the clear.
est principles of justice for the protection of
personal rights because gentlemen choose to
construe it into an attack upon that particu-
lar institution?
ask again, what is it that has produced
this strife, called up these denunciations, ex-
cited all this invectve which has been pour
ed upon me as if were guilty of all the
crimes in the decalogue? l call upon the
Senate and the country to take notice of it.
| ask on what do gentlemen of the South re-
ly for the protection of any institutions on
which they place any value. 1t will be ans
wered upon the constitution and the law
Well, ther, if the safe guards of the consti,u-
tion are rendered inadequate to the protection
Of one species Of property, how can it be sup
posed that there will be protection for any? 1t
is because l desire to maintain in all their
strength and utility, the safe guards of the
for the protection ofproperty in this District.
And here let me tell the Senator from Ala
bama, that he viii have my full cooperation
in any measure to prevent kidnapping. |
shall expect him to redeem his pledge. A.
gain am shocked TO hear the honorable
Senator from South Carolina denounce this
bill as measure calculated to repress those
citizens from the expression Of their just in
dignation.
Mr.. CALHOUN..If the Senator will allow
me, will explain. l said no such thing.
But will take this occasion to say that
would just as soon argue with maniac from
bedlam, as with the Senator from New Hamp-
shire, on this subject.
SEVERAL s.-"Order-order"
Mr.. CALHOUN.-I do not intend to cor
rect his statements.-A man who says thai
the people of this District have no right in
their slaves; and that it is no robbery to take
their property from them, is not entitled to
be regarded as in possession of his reason.
Mr.. HALE.-It is extremely novel mode
of terminating controversy by charitably
throwing the mantle of maniacal irresponsi.
bility over ones antagonist But the honor.
able Senator puts words into my mouth which
never used. l did not say that the owner:
had no property in their slaves. said that
IL, h,,t I
any opinion upon the point to which the Sen.
ator has alluded. have never said anything
from which the sentiment which he imputes
to me could be inferred. 1t does not become
me, ] know, to measure arms with the hon.
orable Senator from South Carolina, more
particularly since he has been so magnani
nous as to give notice that he will not con-
descend to argue with me. But there is more
than one man in this country, who has, whe
ther justly or unjus,ly, long since arrived al
the conclusion, that if am maniac, on the
subject of slavery, am not a monomaniac
for am not alone in my madness. But, sir,
am not responsible here or elsewhere for the
excitement that has followed the introduction
of this subject. intended simply to give no
tice of bill calculated to meet the exigency
The honorable Senator from Florida call
upon me for proof Of the necessity of this le
gislation, and says that no violence has beer
, committed in this District l don't know
what he calls violence.
Mr.. FOOTE.-The Senator seems TO sup
pose that wished to decoy him to the Stat
of Mississippi. have attempted no sue
thing. have thought Of no such thing.
have openly challenged him TO present him
self there or any where uttering such Ian
guage and breathing such an incendiary spi
r rit as he has manifested in this body, and
have said that just punishment would be in
. ficted upon him for his enormous criminal
q ty. | have said farther that if necessary,
would aid in the iniliction of the punishment
h My opinion is, that enlightened men woul
sanction that punishment. But says the Ser
r ator that would be assassination! ! thin
). not. | am sure that the Senator is an enem
f to the constitutions Of his country-an enem
. of one of the institutions of his countr
4 which is solemcly guaranteed by the organi
g law of the land-and in so far he is Law
n less person.
:. But, says the Senator, victims have bee
:. made and there are victims ready. al
' sure that he would never be victim. hay
. never deplored the death of such victims an
never shall deplore it. Such officious il
; termeddling deserved its fate. believe Il
y good man who is not maniac, as the SEM
., tor from New Hampshire is apprehended
be, can have any sympathy for those WI
lawlessly interfere with the rights of other
u He, however, will never be victim H
: is one Of those gusty declaimers-a wind
d Mr.. CRITTENDEN.-lf the. gentleme
j. will allow me, rise to a question of orde
j. Gentlemen have evidently become excite
* and hear on all sides language that is N
he becoming I call the gentleman to order f
. his personal reference to the Senator fro
"a New Hampshire.
lel Mr EO0TE II onlv said in reulv 10 n