Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-02-05
FRAGMENTS from Mr.. CliDgmal'S Speech:

! The House HAVING iN""i
the Committee of the Whole tor the pur,
pose of referring the Presidents annual
message to the appropriate committees,
Mr. CIinqman of North Carolina obtained
the floor. i,
He had great confidence in the ludlg'
meut. integrity, and patriotism, OF the
President, and he admitted fully the right
Of citizens of each State TO settle for them
selves questions of domestic policy, re-
ferred TO in the message. There was no
difference of opinion between himself and
the gentleman from Georgia MIR. Toombs)
upon the questions which now agltate the
country. He believed that collision
with the North was inevitable, and the
sooner it came on the better for all parties.
The South would be sufficiently united to
successfully repel the aggresslonS OF the
North. He had voted against the gag
rule, and favored many compromises Tor
the sake of peace, but all TO no purpose.
The force of the anti-slavery sentiment
of the North is not understood at the
South. He had supposed that TO make
California and New Mexico free would
allav the excitement; but he was now
convinced that this would only be regard
ed as triumph, and accelerate the general
movement against US. TO prohibit slave
~ in all the Territories of the U. States,
10 abolish it in the District of Columbia,
in our forts and arsenals, or wherever we
have jurisdiction, and TO abolish the coast
ing slave trade, and that carried OH be-
tween the States, is the object Of the
North.
Mr.. C. proceeded to say that the South
ern members had the power 10 block the
wheels of Government until this question
was settled, and he was in favor of doing
it. Let no appropriation bills be passed
till the Territorial question is settled. A
minority of one-iIlh may demand the yeas
and nays, and as long as this provision
stands we can prevent Legislation TIL this
question is settled.
81 hold it to be the duty Of every South
.rn representative to stay here and pre-
,cn!, till the close Of our official term, the
,assage of any measures that might tend
% force Our people TO unjust submission.
In tie mean time the Southern States
could in Convention, take such steps as
might be necessary 10 assert their right 10
stare in the public territory. If this in
,arognum were TO continue long, it might
irIye both sections to make provisional
Governments, 10 become permanent ones
n tie md.
{" But it is advised, in certain portions
of the Northern press, that the members
from that section ought to eXpel such as
interrup, heir proceedings. Let them try
he experiment. tell gentlemen, that this
IS our slsveholding territory. We do not
intend to leave it. II they think they can
remove US, it is proper case for trial. In
ihe present temper Of the public mind, ii
IS probable that collision of the kind here
might electrify the country, as did the lit
lie Skirmish at Lexington the colonies in
heir then excited state. Such struggle,
whoever might Prove the victors in it,,
would not leave here quorum TO do bust
ness. Gentlemen may call this treason
high treason--the highest treason that
he world ever saw. But their words are
idle. We shall defeat their movement
against us. But even if thought other
wise, | would still resist. Sooner than
submit to what they propose, | would ra-
Their see the South, like Poland, under the
ron heel of the conQueror. | would ra-
Their that she should find the fate of Hun
gary.
:" 1t was but the other day, and under
our own eyes. that the gallant Hungarians
asserted their independence. Though in
the midst of and struggling against those
TWO immense empires, that could bring
more than million of armed men into the
field, they were successful at first in beat
ing down the power Of Austria. 1t was
not until some Of her sons became traitors.
that Hungary was finally overpowered,
borne down, and pressed to death by the
long columns and gigantic strength of Rus
sia. If necessary, let such be our fate.
"Better be
Where the extingpished Spartans still are Free
In their proud charnel of Thermopyla."
Rather let the future traveller, as he
passes over blackened and desert waste,
at least eXclaim, Here lived and died as
noble race as the sun ever shone upon
If we were TO wait until your measures
were consummated, and your coil like that
Of great serpent, was completely around
us, then we might be crushed. Seeing
The danger, we have the wisdom and The
courage to meet the attack now, while we
have the power to resist. We must prove
victors in this Struggle. If we repel the
wave of aggression now, we shall have
peace. The Abolitionists, defeated before
the country on the main issue, will no,