The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-05-13

eouraging its aattsrs 10 proceed; and in that.
think, all who lzv, spoken on this side Of the
Chamber couc1. @
Mr.. DAVIS Of AIis.-I did not intend TO inn
ply that my iOlkague had taken any such
course as that y,hidl disclaiuled.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. M that intended to say was
that the effect 4 IBIS exsitement-ali Of these
harsh expressiot-1will be the creation Of Abo-
litiOnists at the Moth.
Mr.. FoorE.--rbs more the better!
Mr.. DoUGLAs. The gentleman may think so,
but some Of us & tie North do not concur with
him In that oPlnio. OF course the Senator
from n. hamPshue vii agree with him, because
he can fan the fiameof excitement so as 10 ad-
vance his political respects. And can also
well understand hOs some gentlemen at the
South may quite colplacently regard all this
exeitement, IL they On persuade their constitu-
ents TO believe thatthe institution Of slavery
rests upon their shoaders--they are the men
who NEE, the GoIiaiiOf the North in this great
contest about sboliiAn. Ii gives them sire myth
at home. Butlwe. b the NOrth, who have no
sympathy with the AbolitionistH, desire no such
| eActtements4a iH ara tiHe
MIR. CsEsiOgS.--I must really object 10 the re-
marks Of the Senator. We are merely defend
ing our rights. Suppose that we defend them in
strong language; have we not right to do 80 .
surely the Senator iannot mean TO impute to
| US the motives Of ow ambition. He cannot
| realize our position For myself land | pre-
sumo can speak Or those who act with me, }
We place this question upon high and exalted
grounds. Long as he may have lived in the
neighboThOOd OF slseholding States, he cannot
have realized anything on the subject. | must
object entirely 10 rs course, and say that il is
at least as offensivels that of the Senator from
New Hampshire.
Mr.. DAVIS of Mas.-I wish before the vote il
taken, to say won Dr. two for the purpose Of
placing myself righ With regard TO this matter.
am not very apt q BE carried away by any Of
the eXcitements thu sometimes have existence
in this chamber, aEa cannot say, at this mo-
nent, that PARTICIPATE at all in the excitement
which seems TO exislin the miads of many gem
tlemen here. Whal is the question that Is pre-
sented for this bodylo decidel A stranger com
lag into this ChambT would suppose that we
had some measure Iader consideration which
concerned the deepest interests ofsiayery--that
we were about TO pass judgment upon some
question affecting ttai great interest--that We
were about TO legislae upon the subject in some
way that would affsetit in a manner injurious
TO the rights of thoss who own property Of this
description. Now, Ithink that whoever has
listened 10 the reading Of this BILL must be salts.
ned that there is no srh thing contained in it.
II l understand il, l. proposes nothing which
has any special refernte under any conStruc-
ton that can be given % il, 10 that particular
description of property We have laws which
make municipal corporations liable for damage
resulting from yiOeTre done 10 property by
popular tuinults, whsr, such corporation is re-
miss in its duty in enforcing order and Obedi-
ence 10 the law. Ii Understand the PROPOSE
ton Of the honorable Senator from New Hamp-
shire, he intends noting more than 20 give
curity TO property. II, proposes nothing be-
yond this. This is the whole matter under con-
sideratiOn. But gentlemen say this is an un-
prOpitious moment e introduce a question of
this sort aud why unpropitiousl Because, ii
understand them rightly-and | learn the fact
for the FIRST time-a mob has assailed the Office
Of newspaper in this city, and has rendered il
uninhabitable. Well how does this connect
itself with the question Of slavery Why, is il
that from this Office newspaper issues, which
is called an abolition paPerf Suppose all ofthis
to be true, II is addedby the Senator from New
Hampshire that this piper Is Conducted in a
temperate manner, that IL, employs temperate
language, addressing itsdf to the reason and un-
Outstanding of the publt; and that no complaint
has been made against by the public. Well,
how far this mobOcratie action is to be attribut-
ed to another event which has happened in this
District. is not for me tosay. Some gentlemen
seem TO suppose that il has some connection
with it. II il has, | an unable to see it. The
Senator from New Hampshire then introduces
"A measure, and proposes to make the corpora
ton liable for the damages committed, in case
they refuse TO do their ddy and enforce the law.
Well, such a law exists h many Of the States
But it is said that this is very peculiar state Of
things. Here was an abolition press at work
in this building. Let me xk gentlemen, wheth-
er they propose 10 STOP the operation Of the
press; whether in other words, they propose to
take away from il its .reedOOml Ii seems to
me that we might lean lesson, il we would
from what is gong on, on the other side Of the
Atlantic. The agitation 'f this question alone;
the freedom Of the pFess-has Overthrown many
OF the thrones Of Europe
Do you propose by measures of violence. or
by any other mode, 10 pu, an end 10 the discus
sion Of the subject, eiIhefby speeches or through
the medium of the prssl Whoever under
takes a work of this description has got her
cnlean task upon his halds--a task which he
will find himself wholly Incompetent TO accom-
plish. Well, why Is II nat the Senate flies in
the face Of this measure, and objects TO its re-
ceptionl And put 1t Il the calm consldera.
ton Of the Senator frOmSouth Carolina, aud
those who think with hin, whether the infer
ence have made will nd be made throughout
the country; and whetheiit will not be consid-
cred everywhere assault upon the liberty OF
the press, and Of speecl-whether it will noI
make a lasting impression upon the public
mind. l think the people will reason In this
way upon the subject, and that they will hold
out to US, as the duty Of this body, to take the
subject into consideration. Send it TO COM
mittee, let IL be examined, and not presumed, as
the Hon Senator from south Carolina does,
that because its provisiols do not cover the
hnI anh L. da IN he
whole. Ii il does not answer the views of gen.
tlemen, II can be made 10 do so. Then why fly
in its facet Why take tAis very unusual courss
OF refusing TO receive the measure at ALL Why
simply because, by construction and inference
II is supposed to have seine connection with the
question of slavery. Now, is this wise-is i
PRUDENT Does II best accomplish the objsc
which gentlemen have in view, which Is to pro
tect this kind Of property have ever beer
one Of that class of persons who have at al
times considered themselves bound by the term
of the Constitution on this saoject, and have
stood ready TO support the guarantees contained
in that instrument. Hut, at the same time,
must confess that thOugkt the honorable Sen
aiOr from Illinois, In, the remarks which h'
made here, uttered lreal deal Of wholesome
truth / thought he administered some wise
and prudent, and salutary admonitions In thos'
remarks, worthy of the consideration of all par
ties here; and 1 hope thet will have their ef
feet. hope little rsfection--a little consid
eration-will induce gentlemen to change tn
course they have adopted en- this subject, and q
permit this measure TO take the usual course o
legislation Suppose we do come to discus
sion on the question, where, let me ask gentle
men, is the harm Of dicussion7 Why, gentle
men ask what right have you TO discuss on
rights Of property in sl,yesl BY what author
ity do You claim the privilege of inquiring int
this matterl Sir, we may have no right TO af
feet the title to it in any way; no such right
may be claimed. Nevertheless, no one will de
ny TO any citizen the right to discuss the char
acter OF property Of this kind, and the eitec