Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-04-25


The following speech of the venerable ex.
Editor of the Boston Courier recently made in
the Massachusetts Senate, in relation to thu ex.
traordinary course of DANIEL Webster, and the
attempts now making to sustain him, capnot but
be read with deep interest by all who know the
powers of mind aud fearless honesty of Mr.
Buckingham. How calm but scorchng Is the
rebnke he administers to the great expounder.
REMARKS OF MR.. BU CKIN r.
HAM,
OF MIDDLESEX,
In the Senate Of Massachusetts,, on the ''Resol
yes corncrning Nidrey" .4brd 2. 1850.
On former day Mr.. Walker Of Worcester
had moved to amend the Resolves by striking
ont all after the word, Resolved" and insert.
ting That the Hon. Daniel Webster, in his re-
cent speech in the SENATE of the United States
has not faithfully represented the sentiments Of
the people of Massachusetts" The amend
lnent having been rejected, by a vote Of 10 to
10. Mr.. Buckingham moved to reconsideration
Of the vote, mad spoke follows
Mr. Presidents is not without reluctance,
and una ffected sorrow. that attempt to address
the Senate on the subject nov before it. With
reluctance, because | feel my inability to mike
suitable rc)oinder 10 arguments that will be
used against ME. With sorrow, because am
certain that shall utter sentiments not in ac-
cordauce with the views Of some, with whom
haze had the honor and The pleasure heretofore
to associated in acts of friendly private iute-
course. and in SUPPORT Of public measures, mu-
tt,njI hal, ~, d
rioic. feel my inability to utter all that |
wonld--all that is lahorng within me for utter
ancc. have doubted whether should enter
intn this discussion But my convictions of dutv
have ovecone all scNples arising from din
dpnce.
| have been young snd now am old. For
NOR thar thirty years, have IN a certain sense,
bfen public man. My tkceghts. my op Mons,
ma mo'v's, my actiIhs. har. not been hidden
under a buseI they have been openly ,nd
frankly (some think unwisely and mprrrheEtIyl
expressed. and in manner, which has gwen
them almost unlimited circulation; and have
always found that openncss holiness, fearless
hon estv. in the expression of opinions. gained
more ia rihei author. tn IN con canen' dlSgiSe
tiullitv, or "quvucatinn. A1d, Mr.. President.
am impeiled by nav sense Of duty tn my o vn
Character duty to the State. ike very h rnIiIpst
o. whose servants arn--duly 10 the present III
future grneratnns duty t. my own s,nl. aud to
HIM who placed that aol;l III tt4ls fAI and trbe
tenement at mortality. TO lay before the Senate
aOnle Of the thoughts which hive occurred tn
ne, in regard to- the resolves now abont to re,
ceivr the solemn fInrtnn If ihs body.
And fist, MIR. President. in relation 10 the
amendment proposed by til" Senator from Wor.
cestcr,-- now absent hom his seat. I am unwiI.
81 tered as prrtaking Of per- on1lty Probably
| should not al!nde to any man now in Office
NOT to Senator from this State in
Congress - il the nmcndment proposed by the
Senator from Worcester had not been frlmnA
with especial reference to the recent speech Of
the gentlemen in TIE Senate Of the Cnled
States. listened to tho long AMI elaborate re
view of thlt speech, made INST week Mt Ii1
holrd by the Senator flon Worcester. And +
Intist declare, honestly, and frankly. that do
not rccnil"ct a single sentiment or expression in
thqt review. TO which cannot give -l,''erhik
IF of-- II "F''' '''' ''''-
The Senate from SnfIk (Mr. fIiIarl' thinks
il entirely out OF orr prnvlncn 10 crnsure the
conduct Of United States Scnptnr H. thinks
we h We no ret, as Legislators to review the
snpechns AMI declarations 0 oar 8 nltor in
Congress- Mr. H'lltrd rose, and said tlln' he
did not DENY the right ot the srn1tor to discuss
the merits Of the speech Of our Senltor in Con
orpss. or to ani,nadvert on his conduct. He on
" said it was inrrpcdtrnt, lie admitted we had
the right Mr.. BuckinGham continued always
thourht that every public servnnt--and Sent,
Tor is nothing more nor legs was responsible to
his constituents for nil his public acts Tint
they have not only have the right hut that it is
erpedieni. to examine and review his public con.
Duct and TO approve OF dslpprove, according to
their Judgment.
And who. let me ask. are tho constituent Of
our Spnn'or in Congress? Who are their di.
rect constituents? Who but the members Of
the Legislature? We the Senators Of Massa.
chu7etts, appointed them to their pnccs. They
hold their seats by Our votes. They arc MS
clearly responsible to us, az we are to the PEG
plee. by whose votes we occupy these seas.-
Their Rpeeches, their votes. their whole con
duct, M Sem ors, are as fair and deliberate sub
lects OF discussion, Of anmadvnrsion, of ap
prevail or dsapprovaI, at this board as our ACT,
are, at "A tnwn-meeting or caucus. Shall W,
be deprived of a privilege. which every man il
the street eninys, to the fullest extent p whcl
the press enjoys and exercises every day, anc
brings the results Of that exercise and Law,
them ON our tables every morning? Mr. Buck
inrham here read, ms part Of his argn'neut, soy
eral extracts flom one of Mr. WehStcr'4 speech
es in the Senate Of the United States, in 1889.
| agree to this doctrine every line and wol,
Of il.
The Senator from Suffolk also sn,ed that t
undertake. to ccnsure the conduct Of a Unite
States Snnator, at this hoard. was unprrcedpn,
ed. To the memory of that Senator, it NAV an
pear novel proceeding. But nav memory run
ack to the year 1907 or 1903, when sn.uethn
very nearlr parallel took place. have no rec
ord before No. nor have had an opportunity l.
r5fer "a documentary evidence; hut. if m,
'6omnrv is true to lis trust ~ that time. Mr.
John Quincy Adams was member of the Y
ni'pd States Senate from lhis ca nnonweith
and voted for Mr.. Joffcrson's famous emharr
law. His vote on thTt question created elel
excitement. feel quite sure that it was tn
snhj"ci Of severe remark in both branches q
tho Legislature and. think, If snnn di-nc
Legislative" action in consequence "fW hich. II
Adams resigned his seat in the United State
Senate.
/ u
solves, as they Gu ne before US from The Hons
of Representatives., | am opposed 10 lhcrn, nm
cannot vote for th>n. dislike them nltogethe
AMI in all their parts iske them IN genera
aud in detatl.--in the nb trace aud concrete-
@hateyeI way yoI take them up in whntcve
way ynu consider them. Let us take hast
survey oi them.
1t Is first resolved that The people of Massa
chnset's regret the existence of the question
winch now agitate the public mlnd. / do III
regret the existence of those questions, and Il
course, it would bn wrnng for me to vote Tor tn
resolve. If did. should be false to INV owl
convictions. ihave n" regrets on the subject
| rather rejnico that questions do exist that lna
cause agitation Agitation Is the life Of the re
pnblic-the safety of oar liberty rests upon no
Italion. Without agitation, our national FREQ
dom would ,le on the surface of the dead nk
OF md ference aud despotisn---a deal and ret
ten ctrcfSr, sending IN with every SUNBEAM
deadly and museums efflIvia, and the cou,pni
citing dlSease, and death To ey rythinu with,
the influence If its patrii rxh latlons. mncl
prefer, sir, to float on the temppstnons sen Il
| liberty " whnon uufars "a, bout z.,,....