The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-04

though the proverb is somewhat musty, sir / can
not help reminding the honorable member that
those who live in lass houses should not throw
stones.
But he tells US most pathetcally, that the Wimot
proviso has been wounded in the house of its frends
nay, that far this House could kill it, il has
been killed. Well now, sir, this remains to be
Doubtless, the honorable member finds il for his
purpose at this moment to think so, at least TO
say But il remains to be seen whether the great
principles of the ordinance of S7 have lost any por
ton of their vitality; whether they have not as
strong and living hold on the hearts OF other
northern and western men, on that Of the honor
able member himself; and whether, on the proper
occasion, if a real necessity reasonable demand
for their assertion and maintenance should arise,
they would not be asserted, and be maintained, by
as large majority in this body, they ever have
been heretofore. believe they would be.
But this osay-tbat these principles have been
wounded and struck down--if It be true, that, by
laying on the table unreasonable resolutionDof
the honorable member from Ohio, we have killed
the Wilmot proviso--its death must lie forever at
his door, and not at ours; and the true inscrpton
on it's tombstone will read thus:-- Here lies vic
tim to the restless vanity and headstrong rashness
OF the honorable member from Ohio who held it
deliberately up to receive its death blow, in order
to crafty his passion for notoriety, and his pique
against some Of his old friends of the Wing party"
Why, sir, the conduct of the honorable member,
on this occasion, was what French philosopher
has called "worss than a fault" 1t was a mistake
"a fatal blunder. II was moment of all Others
when the North should not have been called on to
show its hand;-when gentlemen from the free
States should not have been required to say what
they would do, or what they would not do in re-
gard to the Territories and my only regret is that
the resolution could not have been suffered to go
upon the table by Southern votes only, with the
mere silent assent of northern men. 1t the pre-.
else case for what the honorable member has called
standing out, and for the reservation Of all ex-
preston of opinion or intention until real ext
gency for such expression had occurred And
repeat, sir, that If the northern force has been
weakened and the northern front broken, it is ow-
ing to the rash and precipitate charge which was
attempted, under the assumed and illegiimate lead
OF the honorable member from Ohio.
But there are some men, we are told, who are
"wlser In their own concet than seven men who can
render a reason" The honorable member and his
little squad insist upon regarding themselves as the
only persons in the country or certainly as the only
persons in this House, who know how to defend
northern rights, or how to vindicate great princi
Piles of human freedom Nay sir, they modestly
claim to be the only ones who desire, or who ara
even willing, to defend or vindicate them. All the
world are doughfaces (as they elegantly style it,
except themselves! They alone are loyal to human
liberty! They are the only reliable defenders, or
legitimate occupants, of the great Free Soil field
Surely these are the men, and wisdom shall die
with them.
cannot listen, Mr. Chairman, to these arrogant
assumptions and offensive pretensons without call
ing to my aid the castigation which was adminis-
tered by Edmund Burke, (not Of the Union, sir,)
to one OF the petty cabals which infested Great Bri-
soiu PERIOD OF the frencn revolution, and
which were attempting, as he said, "to hide their
total want oil consequence in hustle and noise. and
pufhng, and mutual quotation of each other" aBe-
cause hall dozen grass hoppers, (said he) under
iern' make the heid ring with their importunats
chink, whilst thousands of great cattle reposed be-
meath the shadow of the British Oak, chew the cud
and are silent, pray do not imagine that those who
make the noise are the only inhabitants of the field
after all, they other than the ttle shrivelled
meagre, hopping, though loud and Troublesome,
insects of the hour"
For one, sir, do not recognise the honorable
member and his half a dozen compeers on this
floor. as my 6le-leaders, or as my fuglemen, i'm
this campaign. do not belong to I" the Root and
branch party" l shall not march at the tap of
their drum. shall not vote against any bona fds,
practical and seasonable measure, simply becauze
they originate it but give my constituents and
the country notice, once for ALL that they are no 10
Judge OF my sentiments upon the great questions of
the day BY any votes which may give, or which
may not give, upon their amateur distractions or
their preeipitate instructions. | shall vote for
them, or vote against them, not vote at all lust
as II happens to suit my own views, and certainly
not at all with view TO suit their purposes.
The honorable member, in the course Of a speech
IN which ne has misrepresented and assaed at least
one- half of the northern members of this House.
has told us that he is member Of " the rsvsled
Free Soil sect" Good heavens, SIR IL they arc
The reviied, who are the revilers, and what must
they be- Never, in the whole history OF our coun-
try-never, since the existence Of political parties
any where-has there been party which, under
the pretext Of philanthropy, has 50 reveed and lux
urlated IN malice, hatred and uncharitableness-
vtuperaton, calumny and slander-as this ss,sviled
free-Soil sect speak of their principal leaders
and organs, as know them in my own part of the
country, and not Of the great Of their follow
ers, tnere or elsewhere, who. / doubt not are led
along by honest impulses, and many Of whom, AZ
little doubt, are disgusted with the music of their
own trumpeters. Never, sir, ] repeat, has there
oeen witnessed IN this country or on the face of the
qrffv NJ f.
that with which some of their presses
have teemed. Never have there been baser stabs
1t character than those with which some Of their
speeches have reeked.
! need not v that have had NV full share md
more than my full share, Of their epresentaton
md abuse bear no special malice towards mem
'ers OF this House who deal with me in this style
because know that, after all they are but the in
truments and mouth pieces of other, af.r of
here s little nest Of vipers, sir, in my own i'm
Mediate district and its vicinity, who have been
thns tLs TOR some three or four years past,-and
Vho, having fairly used up their own teeth. bav.
vidently enlisted in their service the fre.ber fsnvx
some honorable members Of this House. "Csi,sse
rsr ioduis." Conscious that they have vropged
ne, they now hate me;-and having been tho
oughly put down at home, they have turned
'rompters and psnderers TO assaults upon me here.
et tnem go ON " their manly and msgnanimous
ocstion. II lftheyonly succeed in doing ihemselve.
All as much injury as they do me good, they win
peedily merit my sympathy instead of INV scor,,
Sir, have already had occasion, during The nre-
ent session, to allude TO Of the false statements
'hich has been frequently made in regard 10 me At
ONE, and which has been repeated here by the hon
rable member from Ohio on my right, fMr. GIN
rsos.) That honorable members speech, take oc-
asion TO say, as printed for the use THE fourth ds
net Tin Massachusetts, tissue Of pervers;o,
nd misrepresentation, 20 far my own contit,ct 4,
oncerned But the most that can do, on tbis
ccasion, Is TO notice one OF the charges which n
ontainsd, and in regard to which. il will be-
emembered, direct issue ma de up between ma
Inc honorable member seems 10 have thought n
nPortant to his justification among his constitu
nn Tor his vote against me for Speaker two wear,
go, that he should imphcste me in the origin of
le late deplorablc war with Mexico. He knew
eriectly well that my mere vote for the bin bv
hicn the existence of that war was recognised and
winch provision was made for the rescue of our
tie army on the Rio Grsnde, would not answer
Is purpose. He knew that, whether that vote were
gnt or wrong, II was given in company with
lose who were altogether invulnerable to his ma
gnsnt shafts. He knew that he could not strike
me, on this point without striking also at Cos
IN and VtNToS, and ScHrNcK, Of his own State
nd MARsH and FoorE, Of Vermont, and knou,
ot how many others, from the North and from tn.
lest, whose characters would be an ample ahield
yainst all who should attack them, and whom n,
Ould then a least have dared a.