The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-04-25

ZION 10 the SUBJECT OF uOtnestlS slavery III the
United States, which shall not be specially refer
red to il by order of the Senate.
Mr.. Underwood raised the question, whether
it was in order to submit such instruction after
the adoption of Mr. Clay's amendment
The Vice President. The amendment Of the
Senator from Missouri is objected to, on the
ground that il is an instruction to the commit
tee, and therefore inconsistent with the resolu-
ton in relation to the instruction of the commit
tee, which the Senate has adopted. The Chairi is
of opinion that the proposition presented by the
honorable Senator from Missouri is in the ma
ture of instructions to the committee, to except
from their deliberations certain subject But
the question that presents itself is, whether in
consstencies are questions OF order on the
l69th page of the manual find that
"If an amendment be proposed inconsistent
with one already agreed to, it is fit ground for
its rejection by the House, but not within the
competence of the Speaker to suppress as if it
were against order. For, were he permitted to
draw questions of consistence within the vortex
of order, he might usurp negative on important
notifications, and suppress, Instead Of subscribing,
the legislative will"
The Chair is of opinion that the amendment is
in order, but it is for the Senate to decide.
Mr.. Clay appealed.
Mr. Benton. And now, Mr. President, must
recur to the main point, that here is an open at
tempt to enforce the previous question without
any rule of the Senate, and to press the previous
question against the rule. Ii Is admitted that 1t
is to cut of all amendments 1t is admitted TO be
the previous Question in different form, and it
is even treated as factious attempt to arrest the
enforcement of the previous question here to
cut on an amendments where there is no rule 10
authorize them. | am opposed to this course,
and determined to resist it as long as the paria-
mentary law permits me. | understand that the
Senate declines to give instructions to this COM
mittee; but have parliamentary right TO offer
them /; and when they are offered, there is no
way TO get rid of them but by a vote upon them
That is all. | have right to offer them. The
rules are not altered. The Senator from Ken
lucky has got resolve adopted, but that cannot
alter the rules of the Senate They cannot be
altered by side move; they cannot be altered,
pending question, for the purpose of cutting off
debate. Rules must be known, and they must be
adopted before hand and if they are to be altered,
there must be notice given that they are to be
altered and the process must be gone through
in regular manner. The rules Of the Senate
cannot be overturned they cannot be obliter-
ated they cannot be expunged by vote adopted
in the progress of case that the Senate will do
thing contrary to the existing rule. Sir, the
motion of the honorable Senator from Kentucky,
and which has been adopted is motion to over
rule the rules of the Senate to trample the
rules of the Senate under foot for the purpose of
stj6in1 dahate-, for the Darpose of .cqttiD1, off
amendments; and when we come to these amend
ments we will see whether or not they are alb
stractions, which have been made the root of all
the agitation that has taken place in the United
States. Sir, intend by these amendments to
cut at the root of all that agitation and to cut up
q w hof a1I Of ha hpro NV
which the country was thrown into a flame.
mean to show that there was no foundation for
any such thing; that is, mean to offer a propo-
sition upon which the votes will show that there
has been cry Of "wolfn when there was no
wolf that the country has been alarmed without
reason, and against reason that there is no de-
sign in the Congress of the United States to en-
croach upon the rights of the South, nor to ag-
gress upon the South, nor to Cypress them upon
the subject of their institutions. | propose, sir
to give the Senate an opportunity of showing
that all this alarm has been without foundation;
and further propose to give to the people of the
United States the highest declaration that can be
given upon earth that they have been disturbed
about nothing; and when we come to that part Of
the question, we will see whether they are alb
stractions or not; and, if these are distractions
then the country has been alarmed about abstrac-
tons. In the mean time, MIR. President pro-
pose my amendments and ! ask that separate
vote may be taken upon each of the fourteen
After some remarks from Mr.. Butler of Son1h
Carolina, Mr. Foote arose.
Mr. Foote The Senate will bear witness to
The fact that have endeavored to avoid discus
ZION and controversy on this question. | have
believed and yet believe, that the time has come
when all true patriots should unite in the true
spirit of frsternal Cancellation and compromise for
the settlement of these questions and that they
should feel it their bounden and imperious duty
to do all in their power to quiet excitement, and
save the Republic from that danger which all of
us do know has environed it for the last six or
eight months. ] repeat, that did not come here
this morning in the expectation of saying word
and especially would | not be heard referring to
anything emanating from certain quarter, after
what has occurred here, but for what | conceive
to be direct attack upon myself and others with
whom am proud to stand associated We all
know the history of the Southern Address, and
the world knows its history. 1t is the history of
the action of band Of patriots, worthy of the
highest laudation, and who will be held in ven
Grafton when their calumniators no matter who
they may be, will be objects of general loathing
and contempt Who is the author of the South
ern Address He is known to the world The
late illustrious Senator from South Carolina,
whose untmely death every good man in all
Christian countries, at the present time is now
lamenting-s the author, and the sole author Of
that Address Ia our presence here to-day, in
the hearing of the friends Of that distinguished
statesman, associated with him in that holy work,
that Address is denounced, with great appearance
Of deliberation, as fraught with mischief and rs
having supplied food for the agitation and excite
ment which has involved our institutions in dan
gers from which they had to be rescued by the
efforts of others hostile to the propositions Of
that Address, and who did not participate in its
preparation. Those who were associated with
and sanctioned that Address, are charged with
being agitators. And by whom2 With whom
does such an accusation as this originate
shall not be personal, after the lesson have al
ready received here intend to be, in a parlia-
mentary sense, perfectly decorous in all things.
But by whom is this extraordinary denunciation
hurled against all those individuals who sub
scribed this Address, BY gentleman long de-
nominated the oldest member of the Senate-the
father Of the Senate. By gentleman who, on
late OCCASION
Here Mr.. Foote, who occupies a seat on the
outer circle in front OF the Vice Presidents chair
retreated backwards down the aisle. towards the
chair Of the Vice President, with pistol in his
hand. Mr.. Benton, moment before having sud
denly risen from his seat and advanced by the
aisle outside the bar, towards him, following him
into the aisle down which the Senator from Mis-
,issippi had retreated. In a moment almost every
Senator was on his feet and calst to order - de-
nands for the sergeant-a-arms; requests that Sem
ators would take their seats, from the Chair and
rom individual Senators, were repeatedly made
Mr.. Benton was followed and arrested by Mr.
Dodge AZ Wisconsin, and, in the confusion and
81 cifement which preyailed he was heard IN nv
claim, from time to time 81 have no pistols!n
e Let him frelp "Stand ont of the way.p ~
have no pistols!" III disdain to carry arms! !"
'Stand out of the way, and let the assassin fret"
While making these EXPLANATIONS, Mr.. Benton
was brought back TO his seat but, breaking away
from Mr.. Dodge Of Wisconsin, who sought forci-
bly, to detain him, he advanced again towards Mr.