The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-26

the proudest man in the land 10 tread the soil OF IN,
United Slates-were arrested IN. South Carolina, and
scouged and imprisoned, and sold into slavery, under
the laws OF South Carolina; and agent who was sen,
from Massachusetts to inquire whether tins law was
expelled with insult and threats OF violence. What could
Massachusetts, dol She could not launch a ship No,
raise regiment; for all that power had been given nm
to the federal government. Two senators from State
annexed TO the Union, decided bs
question in favor of destroying the tariff OF 1912 The
principle OF supporting and propagatng slavery
had placed black page upon our histoH-a pase
OF sorrow and disgrace-by waging war against
Mexico. But the gentleman from North Carolina
had said that slavery was natural condition OF man
He Mr.. P) said it was, in the opinion of those who
thought that might made right Il the same prn
cple that the majority of this House could ensave N.
minority. Ii natural in the that, according Ia
Scotch philosopher It was natural Tor man 10 go all
foirs But liberty Justice and truth wete iiatuta 10 nrD
in the same that II was natural for TO ealcu
late eclpscs to exert theiHinteectua. powers Mr. P
alluded 10 that part OF the speech OF the gentleman FROM
North Carolina " hch asserts the nenorty of the blacks
Mr. p combatted this doctrine and asserted that emanc
pated and cultivated slaves had exhibited great deal
capacity Frederick Douglass was an erate slave bui
now wrote and spoke the English language with great
energy correctness, and ability He denied, also thai
emancipation had failed IN the West Indies Eight hun
bred thousand men and women bad been elevated IN he
scale of moral exstence-obained freedom of body and
soul. Was that failure! He would call IT triumphant
success 1t true that the English propretors did not
obtain so much profit as formerly. The gentleman had
urged that domestic slavery was prevalent IN all parts Of
n. y
existed nowhere in South America, but in Brazil and
there, in a modified and mild form.
He answered the argument that slavery did nlure
the SOUTH but that emigration injured IT. II was slavery
(AIr. p contended) that caused the emigration The
non slavehoding States suffered less from emigration
because labor in them was honorable The anagonism
was not between the savehodiDg ard savehodn.
States but between the vast Of free people and The
very small body OF shareholders He argued that be
trainers of the constitution considered slavery as an
ephemeral thing Gen. Washington certainly thought
il was Abolition writers were not OF recent origin
The first abolition society was formed IN l7s5 Franklin
and Lafayette abolitlonsts He defined the char.
acte of the aboitionsts proper and OF the political abo
toniss, liberty party. There was also great nun.
opposed TO the extension of slavery This was the Mas
sachusetts doctrineon this platform he stood lie did
not go to State street for his politics He found his plat
form in the resolutions of the Massachusetts Legislature
Mr. BRODHEAD obtained the floor, and was about to
address the committee; but objection being made on the
ground that Mr. b. had before spoken the subject
was decided he could not proceed
Mr.. HENLEY having neglected to take notes Of III.
speech of the gentleman who had just preceded him. he
would mention but one thing about it which struck him
as remarkable Although he had not figured largely as
speaker this floor since he had the honor OF seat
here he claimed, nevertheless, to have been rather
close observer of whatever passing around him HI.
had witnessed slight discussions of this question Of
slavery in this House before now but when he first cain.
70 his place representative, he remembered that an
abolition speech could not be tolerated this floor
could not be heard without producing excitement on all
Sides even among the whg party from the south And he
now said that the only thing remarkable about the pres
snt abolition speech was, that IT was listened to with
great deal of attention and apparent appreciation Laugh
ter on the letl He had no remark TO make with refer
to the subject of slavery He known at home
as being opposed to that insuon-as believing to be
evil not only to the slave, but the STAKEHOLDER. But
belonging this institution does TO the compromises
The constitution, he had always held himself bound not 10
disturb il within lis constitutional limits. He repeated
that he could but remark the entire appreciation with
which the speech OF the gentleman from Massachusetts
Mr. PALFREY] seemed now to be received by the why
party from the south.
But Mr.. H. would have something to say in referenc.
to the very singular and extraordinary speech delivered
the other day by the gentleman from Mississippi, [M
ToMPKINs, who told us himself that he had prepared ID.
speech for another occasion besides that on which
was produced. A Taught Mr.. n. would not under
take TO offer anything for the mere amusement Of the
committee. He INDUCED himself in no act of political
either in this House or anywhere else
and to deprecae such here he referred to The
alluson by the gentleman from Mississippi, tMI ToaP
KINs,] to the course pursued BY the gentleman from Al
ALBANIA, Mr.. G. w. HousToN,l-a gentleman proverba
almost for his uniformly respectful and polite demeanor
in preparing himself for debate The gentleman from |
Mississippi spoke of the books of the gentleman from
Alabama as having been for his use by the
President. 1t was in vain that the gentleman from Ala
bama told him that his books not 'dog cared (hs
very classical term of the gentleman from Mississippi
sssippi persisted in the declaration, and repeated
than half dozen times that the books were dog -eared
by the President of the United States"
Now. Mr.. H. would give his opinion, that, in the
speech of the gentleman from Mississippi there not
really any more Of the "dog than the ears'' He would
not say positively that this the case but would
make the assertion, because the gentleman had fairly
made himself liable to the opposite Inference. [Laughe
on the right
There lives in the south, (said Mr.. H. plain
honest, straightforward, Independent planter, who had
seat on this floor during the last Congress- This honest
planter was candidate for the Both Congress and
while canvassng his district, the gentleman who was
opposed to him was accustomed to address the people
his wise GeRtemen, 1t shoad be your purpose 10 Sc
ect such man for your representative will be Likely
70 give you the greatest weight of character and nhl
snce in Congress and before the nation; and any ndv
ial, to sustain himself there, and make an efficient and
powers Now, then, Che would say MIR. Roberts and
myself are both before you to speak and when we clos
Today, you will be ableto tell which of us is the best
speaker; and let our pretensons be decided accordingly
These exhibitions were all made before the people and
he result was that the orator beat the sturdy planter aud
mas taken his seat on this floor. And this is the gentle
nan who prepared himself for the display to which
have alluded that he might gain reputation here, and
yorthily acquit himself before his constituents at home
after the plan which he laid down in the election cam
eman but in all good humor, (as the gentleman himself
s fond OF fun, will say it, that his effort in my udg,
nent amounted to nothing than the hollow SOUND
OF cider barrel might have been made empty in the
coon campaign of 1910
The gentleman talked of Executive prerogatves, and
would appear before the committee a sage comnena
or on the laws OF nations But the best part of his efoh
only reminded Mr.. ii; of the pun on such characel |
which he had heard othe character compared toa
common Irish potato placed on a law look. Such was
hat geneman's exposition before the committee
nothing more or better than common Orsh) dtT On
he law of nations. Mr.. H. had heard that il wa. f.
thought in oden times that snuffed up the eaS
wind. minister asked his servant what he would In +
that In ahnnli