The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-22

back on the last night Of the previous Congress,
and charged him with having given his patronage,
and arranged the committees, with view to injure
the South
A gentleman from Ohio (Nlr. GIpprsGs) had as
sailed him for betraying the North. One charged
him with being the father Of the Wilmot proyiso,
and the other charged him with opposing II. One
side said that he would rather have voted for
MIR. GIpDINGs, and the other said he would have
preferred HowELL Com. And the nti-slavery
convention i'll his own State had censured him. An
honorable colleague of his (Mr. PALFREy) had not
only prompted others at his elbow, but had referred
to him as forming the committees with view Of
preventing the action of the North; and gentle
man from Virginia, mir. MoRroH,) whose speech
abounded in courtesy, if not justice said that he
voted against him Speaker, at the commence
ment Of the session, because he was in favor of the
Wilmot proviso and the abolition of slavery in the
District OF Columbia, and because his name was
found, in company with forty or fifty others, against
the admission Of Florida into the Union. But no
taunts, threats or reproaches should drive him
from his position.
Ten years ago. when he was n candidate for
seat ON this floor, he said that if it was his fortune
to be elected, lac would not deem it TO be his duty
to agitate the subject of slavery. lie had been
no agitator and sympathizer with any fanatics
Whenever he found the interests of the North
assailcd he had defended them ga plague
both your houses" has always been his exclama-
ton; aud he thanked his God that he had endowed
him with faculties which incapacitated him from
countenancing ultraism any where. He coveted
the opposition of such men. II they approved his
conduct, he should inquire, with one of old, what
evil thing have done, that they speak well of me?''
He was not present when the gentleman from
Ohio MI RooT) made his speech; but his atten-
ton had been called to it in the Congressional
Globe. That gentleman had assailed him. He re-
gardcd the resolution offered by the gentleman, (in-
structing the Committee on Territories to report
territorialbills with the slavery inhibition)
of the mot mischievous propositions presented
in this -mschevous and deliberate in de-
sign. He came to the conclusion that the honorable
member, sor the sake Of miserable notoriety, had
put in peil of which he professed to be the
proudest ldvocate for the sake Of playing captain
in front the music. If that resolution had been
pressed o. the House, all hope Of Legislation would
have beer ut an end, and he believed that Califor-
| mia could not have been admitted, and the session
itself presented scenes of discord He had seen the
| trap whi.h the gentleman formed, and suspected
the intention: If he voted against laying it upon
the table he was against the Administration if he
voted forlaying it upon the table, he was against
the provio. If the Wilmot proviso was killed, the
death lie Mt the door Of the gentleman from Ohio;
and the Qitaph should be, "Here lies victim Of
the ruthless vanity and headstrong rashness of the
gentleman who held it up deliberately to receive
its deathblow'' II was fatal bunder to offer the
resolution. That was a moment when the North
was not equired to say what they would or would
not do. 4 northern sentiment was weakened, the
gentlemm is guilty of the cause.
He haesought the floor to say to his constituents
and the ountry, that these gentlemen not to be
the udgs of his votes, shall their structures in
i huence am There has never been party under
the cloakof philanthropy vituperative and abu-
| sivc he Free-Soil sect; and he did not believe
that Their had ever been witnessed, in the history
of this orrny other country, such an audacity and
pronenes to false statements the presses Of that
party haze exhibited [Applause] He had had
his share and more than it, here and at home.
good des of it had been here prompted There
was INST of vipers in his own district. Having
broken teir teeth in biting the file, they want the
teeth Of bnorable members of this House. Laugh
ter NJ. '. then noticed the charge Of Mr.. Gin.
DIres tht he, in lS46, attended the Wing caucus,
and mae speech in favor of a declaration Of war
against Mexico; and he produced letter (from
among thers of a similar character) written by
Mr.. HocToN Of Delaware, on the first Of April,
ls4s, Stang, as distinct recollection, that Mr.
WIsTHsP was not even present at that meeting.
Mr.. HUSTON remarked that this was his letter
MIR. GDDINGS said that if his honorable friend
would y,ld the floor he was ready either to put or
answer question.
MIR. WINTHROP. The member must take his
own time as he selected his own time to make his
accusatios. [Laughter.1 He further showed that
there waino truth in the charge, and said that no
one shout falsify the record Of his public life. He
regardedhe admission of California a State into
the Unioi the first measure TO be accomplished by
Congress and he would do all in his power TO ac-
compsh his result He did not believe that slavery
Is any whre in existence without the sanction Of
positive Law, and said that be did not intend 10 lend
his aid TO eve that sanction
He belieed that the plan proposed in the special
message the President Of the United States is the
best, If n8 the only plan which can be adopted.
He did nd say that Il was the best plan abstractly
off wishe we're horses, bcggars would ride" We
must ain at something practical; what we can
| accompjh, and not what we merely wish to
| complist He believed in his own soul that peace
can be peserved and the Union maintained, and
northern principles sufficiently vindicated, by
adopting the course recommended by the Presi-
dent. Re spoke the sentiments Of Faneuil Hall,
not Of the non slavery convention, which declared
war on Every body, but the sentiments Of Faneuil
| cd md will No hxyo
thousand generations hereafter, by free, intclli-
I gent, and honet people, when he said s'The
Union must at Al hazards be preserved" And
he here repeated sentiment which he had there
uttered (he wi,hcd IL were bctter.) but he would
stand to il: gOur country, whether bounded by
the Sabine or the st. Johns, however otherwise
bounded, be its measurements more or less-our
country, be cherished in all our hearts, and de-
Tended byAll our arms"
Mr.. ROOT not distinctly heard but was I'M
derstood 20 deny that he had ever taken any pains
TO the House lie might, however, have paired of
with friend, and this would account for absence.
To use plain phrase, he had never lodged since
he had had seat in this hall. He congratulated the
country that the " doughhces" have found a voice
and got il 10 talking.
Mr.. MILLSON briefly noticed the speech of Mr..
STEVENS, and defended Virginia from the attacks
Of the gcntlaman from Pennsylvania. He was pro-
ceeding TO speak on other subjects, when he gave
way Tor motion that the committee rice; which
prcyaincd.
Several Executive communications were laid be-
fore the House and appropriately referred.
The bill from the Senate releasing certain per-
sons from bonds that the steamer United States
should not be used in the between the govern
ments OF Denmark and Central Germany taken
up, and, after few words Of explanation, il was
passed.
The House then adjourned until Monday next.
The following papers were presented under the
rule:
By Mr.. TAYLOR: The petition Of Colonel James
5. Swearingen, Colonel John Mcdonald. and w.
Marshall Anderson for himself and other heirs OF
the late Duncan Macarthur, late Brigadier General
Y. ;. A., praying Congress 10 grant them 40 much
OF the public lands, for services performed by them
and tbose they represent in the Of 1912 and 10,
as may be right and proper. Referred 10 the Com
mittee on Public Lands
BY Mr.. CoNGER: The petition Of three hundred
citizens Of Auburn, N. Y, for the reduction of
postage 70 two cents per half ounce on prepaid
lctters-
Also, the petition Of ffty-six citizens Of Csyuga
and Seneca counties, ". Y. for the object,
and 20 abolish the franking privilege.
BY Mr.. DUNCAN; Petition Of John r. futile
and ninety seven other citizens Of Newburyport
and vicinity, for n uniform rate Of postage OF two