The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-22

= - .-s.- - -.
suggested his expulsion. If it be Tie announce
ment that there was higher law than the Const
tuition, and which we are bound TO obey at ALI
times and at all hazards, myself ought to be ex
PEELED, because believe it. thought when the
Senate went into the choice Of chaplain to per-
form the ceremony of Offering prayer and sup
plication, that We did recognise that there was
higher Power over us, and have not heard of
late years that it was a crime to recognise power
higher than human power.
Mr. PRATT lin his seat) No one denies that
Mr.. HALE. do remember, recorded in ancient
and sacred history, an occasion somewhat analo-
gous to this 1t is recorded that on certain oc-
casion the princes and governors and mighty men
of the realm got together, and suggested to the
king Of Babylon to publish decree that whoey-
er should put up any prayer or petition to any
other than the king, for the space Of three days,
III was limited to three days only, let it be
remembered,) should be cast into den of
lions and | have not heard that that decree
was enforced but three days The operation was
such that 1t never was renewed in the kingdom Of
Babylon and have never heard Of any country,
ciYjAaed or .ssysses where 1t has been ~ "r''NA'~
acknowledge, as individuals or as members Of an
organized Government, that there is Power
higher than yeur Constitation--that there is
whose face the stubborn pride Of the Republic
must bend the knee.
Mr.. FoorE. Mr. President will the Senator
allow me to ask him
Mr. Hale | will get through in a moment
Mr. FooTE. 1t is only short question.
Mr.. HALE. Now, sir, wish this thing to be put
distinctly before u.s. wish we might, as individ-
uas understand whether 1t is necessary to seat on
this floor for us to put the provisions of our Con-
stitution above the behest Of the King Of kings
What an idle mockery it is to stand up and rev.
erently kiss the Holy Book, and call upon Him
to help as to maintain its precepts, when in our
hearts we maintain that our Constitution is above
even His supreme authority Sir, ii this is crime
! am criminal. If the Senate is to be expurgsted
of everybod who believes that sentiment, let the
work commence, and let it commence now. Let
the preamble show the offence of which they are
guilty; that is that they believed, high and ex-
allied as the sentiments they entertain of the wis
dom and power of the Constitution which our
fathers formed-that they irreverently believed
that there was Power higher even than that
power, to which republicans as well as kings must
bow in submission. IL it be crime, sir, plead
guilty to it. ! will not put the Senator from
Maryland nor anybody else to the trouble of
proving it. admit it, ! believe it. Sir, | be-
lieve that you have fright even to bring the SUI
commands of the Most High | believe that SEN
timept In its broadest sense, and have heretofore
supposed that in the action of our Government
and the sentiment Of our Government, we had not
in the plepitude of our power and in the unbri-
bed state of our pride, come to that pitch Of pre-
sumption that IL was to be considered an offence
against the Constitution to bow reverently to the
power of the Most High.
Mr.. PRATT II is very easy matter, sir,
when an argument based upon one state of facts
is made, to answer it by making an argument
upon another state Of facts which was never
dreamed of by the party who made the argument
in the first case Does the Senator from New
Hampshire say in his place that he understood
me to say did not believe in Supreme Power
that objected to the Senator from New York for
looking to Supreme Power as higher law than
any human law7 Did the Senator so understand
me? He knows he did not; and yet he has got
up here in the manner in which he usually ar
CUES using set of phrases which, however we'll
they may suit certain occasions, and however
they may exhibit the talents of the author Of
them, will not apply to every occasion, and have
not Just as much application to one state Of facts
as another He assumes the facts to suit the
phrases, and not his speech to suit the facts
Now sir, never said and am sure there is
not Senator who hears me who does not believe
that have a higher respect for that Supreme
Power, whose name is so frequently desecrated
here, than the Senator from New Hampshire.
Mr.. HALE. Order!
The Reporter feels called upon to state that
he understood the Senator to say "whose name
is so frequently desecrated By the Senator from
New Hampshire and so he took down the words
at the instant they were uttered but, upon fur
ther reflection, considering that the sentence
would have been incomplete by inserting the
proposition "byn and that by the Senator's let
ting his voice fall after the word New Hamp-
shiren he intended to finish the sentence, the
Reporter is forced to the conclusion that his ear
was mistaken.
The PRESIDENT. The Senator must not make
any reflection.
Mr.. PRATT. have not made any.
Mir. HALE. call the Senator to order.
Mr.. PRATT. have yet to learn that telling
the truth is out Of order
The PRESIDENT. The Senator will take bis
seat until the question of order is stated by the
Senator from New Hampshire.
Mr.. HALE. understood the gentleman to say
that frequently desecrated the name Of the Most
High.
Mr.. Foo1E lin his seat) He did not say 80.
The PRESIDENT. The Senator from New
Hampshire will reduce his words to writing.
MIR. HALE having reduced the words to wri'
ting, passed them to the Chair
The President. The words, as written down
by the Senator from New Hampshire, are, thai
{ the name Of the Most High is frequently desc
Grated by that Senator
Mr. HALE. have not had time to put down
the connection in which they occurred bat tbs'
Is part Of the language | understood MIN
utter.
Mr. PART. said $50 frequently dssecraisd
In the Senate -.
Mr. CHASE May l be allowed to sugses, .ns'
the words heard by the Senator from New hs"P
shire were, $50 frequently desecrated here: AZ.
The PRESIDENT. The Chair will make i's ~
cision and then it will be in order for gen''epta
10 appeal from it il they choose Inc W. w.
set down by the Senator from New HsmPsa n;S
applying remark of this character to an 'nu' Nv,
nal Senator would certainly be out OF oroer ~
The Chair did not 30 understand the Senator L. 80
OF he would have felt IL his day
call him to order, as the Chair rarely ~ h,s
from what he believes to be discns's'
iuty. ,.,,od NV
Mr. HALE. hone II will be undeTs'oos ~
The Senate that the words have 'AA mt
we're not Intentionally misunders.oS9, .a sars Of
hem down az they struck ny ear an'
several gentlemen In my vicinity ~. p...,aent
Mr.. PRArr tresumiDe) Now' mr. "a. ,hs Di,
he higher Law Of which spoke Sss ~. "a h.fors
vine law TO which the Senator refers ana oe'vs
hev can spplv ,hss Divine law 80 40 TO sunsr 'Ss
senator With whom this dispute originated 70
tempted from ths position in which he Is p,a'h
,is sdvooates here must assume this .na' va
Constitutioa Of the Usited States u uoiAuse az ~
~ Isv-that here IL the Constitution OF inc
United Sestss, which violates the law OF the on,
oreme Bsinx, ard that therefore person msy
wear 70 support that, although he does v'olsle ~
With the msntal reservation that he 10 TO suPPv"
h "a far ~ he does not violate It, Now, the
vhols result Of the position in which the sdvo-
,stes Of the Senator over the way place themseise
4 the ono which have stated. ! conceive sna.
ia vositon In not altered for the better from tns