The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-03-12


trict of Columbia and because my name
was found in a minority of forty-fvc against
the admission of Florida as a Slave State"
Sir, if my name were little less humble
than | feel it this day to be-if | were not
conscious how small claim ii has to be class
ed among the great names even of our own
age and country, much more of the world, |
should be tempted to console myself under
these conflicting accusations, with those no.
bic lines of Milton which, as it is, cannot
but remember
"Fnmc, If net doubc.faccd, is doublc-tonrucd,
And with contrary blast procuims must deeds
On both Ills wings, ono black, tho other white
Bears greatest names in his Wild aory flight"
But indeed, Mr.. Chairman, need no con-
ISOLATION. These contradictory charges are
the natural consequence Of the very posi-
ton which have sought to occupv-of the
very position which glory this day in occu-
Ipying, and from which no provocalions and
no reproaches can ever drive me.
Sir. when | was frs! candidate for Con
giess, now some ten winters gone, | told the
Aboitionists of my district, in reply to their
interrogatories, that, while | agreed with
them in most of their abstract principles, and
was ready to carry them ont, in any Just
practicable and Constitutional manner; yet,
if were elected to this House, / should not
regard it as any peculiar part of my duty to
dgitote the subject Of slavery. | have adj
hercd TO that declaration. have been no
agtator. have sympathized with no IA
naIics. have defended .hc rights and in
tcrcsts and principles Of the North, to the
best Of my ability, wherever and whenever
| have found them assailcd but | have en-
listed in no crusade upon the institutions Of
the South. | have cschewed and abhorred
ultraism at both ends Of the Union. ." a
plague o. both your houses" has been my
constant ejaculation; and it is altogether
natural, therefore, that both their houses
should cry plague on me l would not
hare it otherwise. doe on their dislike.
covet their opposition. / desire no other tcs-
timony to the general propriety of my own
course tEan their reproaches. | thank my
God, that he has endowed me, if with no
other gifts, with a spirit Of moderation which
incapacitates me for giving satisfaction 10
ullraists anywhere and on any subject. II
they were TO speak well Of me, | should be
compelled 10 exclaim, like one of old, "what
bad thing have l done, that such men praise
me z"
The only thing which have to regret
Mr.. Chairman, is, that these various charges
could not have been made against me in one
and the same debate, and on one and the
same day. They would then have e1cctu.
ally answered each other. They would then
have fairly shamed each other out Of Court
and should have been spared the necessity
Of even this brief alusou to them.
But, sir, the list of my accuscrs II not yet
complete. Another honorable member from
Ohio, (Alr. Root,) has recently taken the
field against me, and has seen fit to make,
what, if it were entirely parliamentary, |
should be constrained 10 call, me very i'm
pertinent illusions TO my course in reference
to a Resolution Of his, which was recently
laid on the table. was accidentally in the
Senate Chamber when his speech was de-
liyered, but my attention has been called to
il IN n late number of the Congressional
Globe.
Sir, when the honorable member Grst Of
tered his Resolution, some weeks since,
united with my friends OF the Free States,
in Saving il from the fate which it then mer-
tied, and which it has since received.
| thought it then most premature and pre-.
cipi,ale movement, AMI there are those near
me who can bear witness, that notwithstand-
! ing my exalted sense Of the honorable mem
ber's habitual wisdom and prudence, | could
not reprcss the exclamation
Thus fools rush in, where angels fear TO tread I"
| Welded, however, to the suggestion OF
those around me. that it might be as prccip-
iate to lay it on the table at once, as it was
10 offer it and that there would be no harm
in taking time to consider it. A fortnight
niervened and did consider it in all its
bearings. And as the honorable member
has been so plain and unceremonious with
me, in ascrbing motives and calling names,
| shall be equally plain and unceremonions
with him, in telling him what thought OF
his resolution.
regarded it, Mr. Chairman, considering
all the circumstances Of Congress and of the
country, as one of the most mischieyous
propositions ever introduced into this House.
| regarded it as mischevous in its inevitable
consequences, and us miSchieyous in its de-
liberaie design. l came to the conclusion
that the honorable member, for the sake Of
a little miserable notoriety, had wanionly
pu; in peril the very cause OF which he pro-
iessed TO be the peculiar champion--that tor
tho sake Of plG5fig Captain and marching
ahead Of the music, he had been willing 10
take the risk of sacrificing the very fortress
believed, in one word. sir, that if that reso-
luton were perseyered in, in ,he existing
condition Of this House and Of the country,
all hope Of practical legislation would be ex-
tingulshed-lhc great measure of the admis-
sion of CALIFORNIA; as State, into the Union,
would be impeded, obstructed and finally
defeated and that the session would be one
protracted scene Of strife. confusion, and
discord.
Aud why, then, sr, entertaining these
views Of the resolution, did not vote upon
the second motion to lay it on the table
For this is the part of my conduct which the
honorable member has taken in such espe-
cial dudgeon, and which he has made the
prelext for applying to NC certain contume-
lious epithels
Well, now, do confess, Mr.. Chairman,
that ! was little malicious in Withholding
my vote ON this particular occasion. 1t would
have been so very gratifying to the honOra-
bic member, if he could have only had me
once fairly on the record, where he has new
er yet had me, against a resolution contain.
ing, as one Of its elements, the Wilmot pro-
yiso 1t would have furnished such an ex-
ceent apology for him and his friendI for
having voted against me as Speaker, and for
having thrown the organization Of this House |
into the hands of Southern Democrat II |
would have been such Il telling Free Soil
card in the next canvass in the fourth Dis |
trict of Massachusetts, to say nothing OF the |
twenty-frst District, think it 10, of Ohio !
Indeed sir, it was certainly little cruel to |
deprive the honorable member of an advan-
tage upon which he had so confidently cal
culated.
But believe il is Solomon who has said,
" Surely in vain is the net spread in tho