The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-13

I
act Of God, or anything else, is not to interfere
with him. Laughter | understand that Ly-
curgus Went away, expecting to die Far be it
from me to say that the gentleman from Msss-
sippi Mr. FoorE intends any such thing
laughterI Ills will. doubtless, is different :
but 1t is not his will that is to control the shirt
of men, so that he can come back when ne
pleases.
Mr. FOOTE, of Mississippi | did not say
that.
Mr. BUTLER Then | do not know what
you did say
Mr. FOOTE, of Mississippi My faithful Union
legislature will send me back
Mr.. BUTLER. Then You are relyiuo unon
the fidelity ofyour faithful commons" LAUGH.
Mr. FOOTE, Of Mississippi | am relying
upon my faithful legi ,laturc.
MIR, BUTLER. do not wish to proiract my
remarks may have occasion hereafter To sav
something more. have said thus much now
because deemed it necessary Ii the debate is
continued, shall ask leave of the Senate Z, oo
into this matter more fully
Mr.. FOOrE, Of Mississippi. | shall claim
the attention of the Senate, Mr.. President. fora
short period only in responding to tho very ex-
traordinary harangue with which the senator
from South Carolina Mr. BUrLER has favored
us this morning. The exhibition which has
just drawn to n close, sir, must have surprised
every member of this body, AZ nssuredly it hns
nstonlshed myself; though there seems to b.,
more or less reason to suppose that the honor
able gentleman did not come to the conclusion
to entertain us ia manner SO striking and pecu-
liar without considerable previous delibcration.
Indeed, should conjecture, from something IN
lhe honorable genteman's manner and certain
attendant circumstances that the part which he
mas deemed 1t becoming to enact this morn
ing was devoved upon him, to some extent.
as the result of previous concert and con-
sultatlon. AT any rate, it would be wronpng
the gentleman, imagine very greatly not to
suppose that the speech which he h. lust de.
livered was the fruit of much meditation. a.
surely it ought to have been. Well, sir, will
accord to the gentleman all the credit 70 which
he may be entitled for having made Just such
temperate, dgnied, and statesmen like speech
as might have been from senator of his high
reputation after the fullest deliberation and the
amplest consultation.
Mr.. BUTLER have had concert with no
human being, and very little elaboration upon
this resolution, for only heard Of it a short
time ago.
MIR. FOOTE Then the gentleman has had
the misfortune to have been inops concHii. 1t
would seem that he has neither consulted his
friends nor his own sound understanding. az.
III justice to himself and the grave subject I'M
der consideration, he should have done before
ne ventured upon that stormy sea of controversy,
amid whose swelling waves he has been ESSAY
ing to navigate. What the honorable gentle.
man can see in this poor resolution of mine. to
Justify him in that fierce revolutionary harangue,
to which he has just given utterance, is entirely
beyond my powers of discernment Is there
anything in the resolution personally nsultngto
that gentleman or his sensibilities Is there
anything in it insulting to any of the sovereign
States of this eonfederacy! Was there any,
tlIng in the few remarks which offered to the
Senate in support of the resolution breathing
he least discourtesy, or suggestive of the least
tisrespect, to any human being in the world?
The Senate will bear me witness that am in
nocent in all these respects and vet the gem
,eman says that this is very offensive resolu-
Ion; and he rather intmates that it is intended
o nave special ELECT in some vicinage of the
South, where deliberations are now in progress
1hlch the honorable gentleman fears may be
more or less disturbed by the adoption of such
resolution us the one before u.s. Sir, confess
hat do not exactly understand the honorable
Gentleman upon this point. Certainly the reso
luton was introduced for no SINISTER or con-
ealed purpose, nor for any purpose not clearly
Explained by me already. 1t is quite n mistake
% suppose that ! designed to interfere at all
with any such deliberations as he more than
lints may now be going on in his own State hav-
NO in view The withdrawal of that respected
State from the confederacy. Indeed, | did not
t all advert to the fact, in offering the resolution
o the consideration of the Senate, that such de-
iberations as the gentleman refers to were going
n will deal very frankly with the gentleman
nd the Senate, Mr.. President, in reference to
his very delicate point, and say hat if the favo-
able action of the Senate upon the resolution
hould have the effect of quieting excitement
n South Carolina, and eilectually reconcng
hat noble State to remainingiu the confederary,
shall be reloiced beyond measure at such re-
ult But, sir, again s0emny disclaim bay
ng intended TO intermeddle with the special do
nestle concerns of any State in the confederacy,
r to obstruct any proceedings of domestic
haracter which may be now in progress in
south Carolina.
hut the gentleman says-and certainly not
With his accustomed courtesy-hat, in his
ndgn-nt this resolution is unwise and unneces-
airy. That is the gentleman's opinion Well
ir, will not say the resolution is, in my iudg-
nent, ioise one, Gas this might look little
gotstical,) but | will aver that consider il
ute judcious one, and, under all the circum-
tances which surround us, almost indspensably
ecessary TO the public repose and safety. /
'ish to make known TO the honorable gentle
nan, also, that varying very decidedly from his
wn example on this occasion) | did not intro
uce the resolution until had made the move
,ent which it proposes the subject of much
aim and dispassionate examination, nor until |
ad consulted, as to the expediency of offering
, many gentlemen of acknowledged wisdom
I'd of tried patriotism; and its introduction was
lerefore not determined upon by me, until men
lr sager than myself had thus aided me with
heir valuable eounsels ! regret that ! have
OF the good fortune to secure the honorable
entleman's cooperative aid ia support of my
esolution; and he will allow me TO express tho
ain which should certainly feel should find
ut, or have reason to believe hereafter, that he
'oud have been somewhat more inclined 10
ave been co-labirer with me on this occasion.
ad the State of Mississippi not refused so sig-
ally, in September last, to cooperate with
'rtain persons in South Carolina in breaking
p the Union. lprotest most seriously against
ich perversion of the ler falionis principle