The North-Carolina standard., 1849-12-19

these bills be trusted in God that his eyes had rest
ed upon the last tSpeaker of the House of Represen,
tatives Upon these questions the South was united
as one man; and let the issue come when it might,
the free States would find every Southern sinew a
spring of steel. He did mot utter this threat.
He was proud to believe that on both sides
of the line are equally brave; but gentlemen would
find difference between men contending for their
resides, and the robbers who are seeking to despol
them of their rights, and degrade them before the
world. If there be any southernanan who would re-
fuse to stand by his country in such an emergency,
[" There none," said several voices, he would
not merely be execrated by his own people, but his
own children would heap curses upon his grave
Mr.. Root spokeat some length in reply. He taun-
ted both parties for their failure to organize, and rld-
cued the idea that the Union could be dissolved.
Mr.. Duer said he willing to orga with
Speaker of either of the three parties, buthe could
not vote for disunionist. MIR. Bayly asked him if
he regarded the Democratic nominee, Mr.. Cobb, as
disnnionist. Mr.. Duer replied in the negative.
A Member. Who then?
Mr.. Duer was understood to point to Mr.. Meade
Mr.. Meade. 1t is false.
Mr.. Duer. You liar.
Here great commotion arose in the hall-mem-
bers from all sides rushing towards the neghborhood
, in which these gentlemen stood. All seemed dis
posed to advise and take part in the matter.
The Sergeant-at-arms bore the mace into the scene
of the disturbance, and after some time, when the
Chamber had quieted down sufficiently to permit him
to be heard, Mr.. Duer and asked the pardon of
the House for what had transpired; and thus termn-
ated this disgraceful scene.
| After some remarks by Mr.. McLane in relation to
the organization of the House, Mr.. Toombs of Geor
gia took the floor. He said it was proper that the
country should understand that great sectional ques
tion lay at the bottom of all these troubles. He spoke
of the disgracenl of yesterday springing out
of this qnestion-of the dscreditabe trick attempted
to be played off the House by the Freesoilers-
| and of the prompt and honorable manner in which
made had dropped Mr.. Brown, and left the discredt
to fall where it properly belonged. He said he had
not acted with the great body Of the Whig party in
supporting Mr.. Winthrop, because the events of the
past, the present, and the prospect ofthe fnture
had forced the conviction on his mind that the
interests of his section of the Union in dangers
and he therefore unwilling surrender the great
power of the Speakers Chair without obtaining
curity for the future.
1t seems, continued Mr.. Toombs, from the remarks
of the gentleman from New York. that we are to be
intimdated by eulogies upon the Union, and denun-
Citations of those who not ready to sacrifice ma
tional honor, essential interests and constitutional
rights upon its altar. Sir, have much attachment
to the union of these Sates under the constitution of
our fathers as any freeman ought to have. / am
ready to concede and sacrifice for it whatever just
| and honorable man ought to sacrihce-l will do no
more. l have not needed the aspersions of those
who did not understand, desired to misrepresent,
my conduct opinions in relation to these questions,
which, in my judgment, vitality affect it. The time
has come when shall not only utter them, but make
them the basis of my political action here. do not,
country and in the presence of the living God, that
if by your Legislation you seek to drive from the
territories of California and New Mexico, purchased
by the common blood and treasure of the whole peo-
pie, and to abolish slavery in this District, thereby
attempting to fix national degradation upon half the
States of this confederacy, Tam for disunon and if
my physical courage be equal to the maintenance of
my convictions Of right and duty, will devote all
am and all have earth to its consummaton. From
1887 to this hour the people of the South have asked
nothing but justice-nothing but the maintenance of
the principles and the spirit controlled faith
ers IN the formation of the constitution Unless we
are unworthy of our ancestors will never accept
less as condition of union. great constitutional
right which was declared by distinguished north
ern justice of the Supreme Court (Judge Baldwin,
to be the cornerstone of the Union, and without
which he AYERS, in judicial decision, it would never
have been formed, has already practically been abro-
gated in all of the non-slaveholding States. Imean
the right to reclaim fugtives from labor. ask any
and every northern man on this floor to answer me-
now, if this is not truef this great right, indspen-
sable to the formation of the Union, is any longer
for any practicable purpose, living principles There
are none to deny it. You admit you have not per-
formed your constitutional duty that you withhold
from US right which was one of our main induce
ments to enter the Union yet you wonder that look
upon your eulog:es of Union whose most sacred
prnc you have thus trampled under foot moth
ing better than mercenary hypocritical cant. This
District was ceded Immediately after the constitution
was formed. 1t the gift Of Maryland to her sis
ter States for the location of their common govern
ment. Its municipal law maintained and protected
slavery. You accepted it. Your honor was pledged |
for its maintenance national Capital Your faith
was pledged to the maintenance of the rights of the
people who were thus placed under your care. Your
fathers accepted the trust protected the STAKEHOLDER
and all other citizens in their rights, and in all re-
spects faithfully and honestly executed the trust but
they have been gathered to their fathers and it was
left to their degenerate to break their faith with
US, and lnsolenty to attempt play the where
they were admitted only as brethren trust, SIR if the
representatives of the North prove themselves unwor
thy of their ancestors, shall not prove ourselves
unworthy of ours that have the courage to defend
what they had the valor to win. The territories are
the common property of the people of the United
States, purchased by their common blood and treas
ure. Iou are their common agents it is your duty,
while they in territorial state, remove all i'm
pedlments to their free enjoyment by all sections and
people of the Union, the STAKEHOLDER and the nom
Shareholder. You have q ven the strongest ndica-
tions that you will not perform this rust-that you
will appropriate to yourselves all of this territory
prepetrate all these wrongs which have enumerated ;
yet with these declarations your lips when south
ern refused to act in party caucuses with YOU,
in which you have controlling malority-when we
ask the simplest guaranty for the future-we are de-
nounced out of doors and actionsts and
indoors we are met with the cry of Union, Union'
Sir, we have passed that point 1t is too late.
have used all my energies from the beginning of this
question to save the country from this convusion
have resisted what deemed unnecessary and hurtful
agitation. l hoped against hope, that a sense of
justice and patriotism would induce the North to set
tie these questions upon principles honorable and safe
to both sections of the Union. have planted nv
self upon national platform, resisting extremes at
home and abroad, willingly subjecting myself to the
If opdT 60 ..-.