Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-12-27


higher personal esteem, mans sensibtes which
should be less inclined assa any occasonbut
say that the language which he has uttered this morning
and the doctrines which he has undertaken to maintain in
hearing, my opinion if practsed upon would make
this the most absolute despotsm in the world They break
down the freedom of the press destroy the freedom
speech and after while would lead to just such violent
and despoc proceedings have outraged the sensb-
ties of the so-called republican Government of France
and would mark with ndebe disgrace the annals of this
free and noble republic. know the gentleman does not
contemplate any thing of that Sort and yet such would be
the inevitable result.
The gentleman seems to think that some interference
should take place prevent such speeches now
being made by Kossuth-modest gentlemanly, eloquent
philanthropic, christianlike they He to
think they should be prevented when only the people
are assembled for the purpose of hearing him speak,
he is constrained to speak by addresses delivered to him.
This, the gentleman seems to think is great public
grievance and of this he conceves that great mischief
is presently to flow, and this sort of practice if allowed
hereafter to be repeated is to put the public quiet Of the
country into danger and perchance to leopard free
institutions.
The gentleman will allow to say in conclusion that
would have travelled five hundred miles, riding all the
time the most dsagreeably horse in Christendom
would have ridden five hundred miles without any
saton, or attempted to do it, without sleep would have
submitted to all the discomfors possible to be imagined
in the experience of traveller under such circumstances
in preference to hearing such harangue that which
the distinguished gentleman has deveredfrom that
admire and love much.
accomplished debatersand every body knows that the
Senator from Mississippi occupies high station in that
respecto put into his adversarys mouth what his adj
yersary has not said Now, sir have neither said
intpated that think Governor Kossuth should be
rested in his course of speeches.
Mr.. FOOTE, lin his seat) did not say that.
Mr.. BADGER. He said that had intimated that some
Mr. FOOTE No, SIR st4n aihIders,Uvu W. vnteman to
complain of the spirit of the speeches being made by
Governor Kossuh to say that such speeches were dam
anIfp rnfrnr aalaa fbasn m
kind other ought to be taken either positive mega
tive, do not care whichsome effort to arrest him in
what he deemed to be mischievous of proceed
ing supposed the gentleman meant the sort of moral
influence which would grow Of refusal to do him
these honors all that he at the present time proposed
to do.
Mr.. BADGER. Well, sir I said nothing of the kind;
and said nothing from which any thing Of the kind could
be inferred-not at all, sir.
MIR. FOOTE. Did you not call it moral sedition?
Mr.. BADGER. said nothing about moral sedition.
said this and repeat it. that when am called upon
to give vote Of thanks to foreigner who lands upon
shores if find him engaged in making political ha-
rangues to people, the avowed object Of which is to
commit them to course of proceedings either resulting
in mere braggadoca, carrying to foreign war; that
sir is sufficient with for refusing the vote
for sad while the law of the land forbds any steps
being taken for the purpose of organizing and putting
foot any such forcibe interference with foreign States
is not in my mind innocent thing for foreigner to
deavor to commit people by previous declarations to
the ultimate accomplishment of such object and
stated this as motive and why could not vote
for the resolution.
Mr. FOOTE, (nterposing) Did not the gentleman say,
in that part of his he has referred to- that
the incpient steppublic nfammatory addresses that
might lead to such result-was in his judgment highly
censurabe and calculated to be greatly mischievou and
in his opinion should be counteracted in way He
was 50 understood at least by every body else.
Mr.. BADGER. think said nothing aboutit. think
said word of the kind said that if the law forbade
the ultimate consequence, it would not be exactly nno
going. said nothing about punishment was assign
ing the why should not vote for this resolution
may very extraordinary to the Senator from Mis-
sisspp but while do So with all respect and Difference
for him. must at least be governed in my vote by the
exercise of my own judgment
The Senator from Mississippi very gravely gets up and
reads article from the Constitution of the United States
upon the liberty Of the press and liberty of speech and
upon it. That may all be very good but sir,
short time ago had another political missionary in
this country The honorable Senator may take the
Of missionary if he prefers to that Of emissay We had
Mr. Thompson member Of the British Parliament over
here exercising the liberty of speech going about address
ing public meetings in various parts Of New England and
20 s.i.lata POS United States
10 hostile conflict with another.
Mr. FOOTE, (interposing. That was against our do
nestle institutions
Mr. BADGER Certainly--certainly
Mr. FOOTE. Gov. Kossuth did not do that.
Mr. BADGER That is true.
Mr. FOOTE. Therefore the two cases are not alike |
Ind the argument is very poor one.
Mr. BADGER Therefore they are not the same but
hey may be alike nevertheless.
Mr.. FOOTE They wholly unlike I think.
Mr. BADGER (resuming) If he who comes here to
stimulate to domestic is bameable think he who
comes here to stimulate to foreign is blameabe.
There is difference between and alike. The two
not the same, but the two alike do
lot undertake to determine the question whether Thomp
should have been prosecuted and punished for any
hing he said The Government of the United States have
sedtion law and it depends entirely upon the law of
and Of other States in which he made these
iagitious appeals Still have hesitation in saying
hat consider the conduct Of that gross abuse
,reat indgnity direct insult and infamous transac-
ion Still would not ut all intimate that meant to say
hat the should be indicted and be sent the pory
whipped because he made those speeches am called
lpon to give vote, however, and understand it, and
it necessarily be understood by the world it will
lot be merely giving my hand to the man. but telling him
hat approve of the he has pursued Now in this
ase do not approve the he has pursued. do
lot sanction that course and therefore will not say
lrectly indirectly Nor will have it attributed to
hat by my vote, minated any thing of the kind.
am sorry that the Senator from Mississippi should
,sve such idea Of my speech But Mr. President, we
Who been here for the last FIVE years have heard him
characterize perhaps hundred speeches in the way
have noticed this. Whenever any man makes speech
against any ground that the Senator from Mississippi
ports, particularly if he makes pretty good speech
laughter that is if he makes speech founded upon
reason and which it is not very easy for the
Senator to answehe gets up and expresses his perfect
and horror hearing such marvellous doc
rne and would rather have ridden FIVE hundred miles
lpon hard trotng horse than have heard any such
speech. [Great laughter
LAW OF THE UNITED STATES.
at the First Session Of the Mitysecond Con-
gress Of the United States Of Anlerica.
De-. NJ q 4