The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-27

piVpVoec any hRitatlOD. nc
seems to confound an agtator with an enemy TIC
says that agitation wants to produce bloodshea,
and everything that is dire and terrible. SIR, IL
is not so. Such are not the ends at which We
aim. Such are not the legitimate consequences
OF the measures which we propose. NOW, SIT,
let him read history, and he will find it different
Let him look ut the existing state Of things To-
day and he will find il different. Let him look
the world over, and he viii find it different. Now,
sir, in truth and right, pothing that has legti-
mate foundation upon truth and right fears agi-
tstion II is said the rock washed whittier, but was
not shaken by the shock So it is sir, with every
institution that isfounded upon rock 1t need not
fear though the storm beat, and the rains OF hea-
ven descend in torrents upon it. Nothing that Is
founded upon truth and justice shall be shaken
no friend of truth, no friend Of justice has any
| thing to fear. Ii is only he who rests upon a
false and sandy foundation that fears any storms
or any torrents that the feeble breath OF man can
excite. They, cir, have reason to be alarmed,
and we'll they may be; but truth and right stand
upon a stronger and frmer foundation. when
the agitation is over, and the storm has ceSseo,
and the tempest is Gained, nothing that IS worthy
to endure will be found to have been injured oy
this agitation, Of which so much is feared. VIII
do Justice now-slow justice-to my friend rom
Maine, MIR Bradbury who is 70 anxious 10
have this whole subject laid upon the table
now move for him to lay the subject upon 'ne
table.
Mr.. Pearoa Will the Senator withdraw the
motion
MIR. Hale. | will leave It for the Senator
from Maine to withdraw it
Mr. Bradbury will withdraw 1t II the Sen
ator will renew it.
Mr. Pesrcc. do not propose to follow the oen-
ator from New Hampshire through the various eA'
H. ai,,anf
erature and historic lorc-not Mt all Tor do mol
sn.ok for the amusement of the Senate nor for that
Of the spectators in the galleries Nor shall deny
TO the Senator the superior acquaintance which nj
claims with scriptural history. But insist upon
II that In this inst1Dee II sm right and that my
account of the first agtator is correct. The devil
was the first ngitator and the first agitation was
an attempt TO seduce the creatures Of God into
disobedence OF his law lie had promulgated O
law, and the devil sought to induce them to dis
obey it-IIo blde them cat of the fruit Of the
tree ef knowledge, and said, aye shall be az gods"
He was, therefore, the first agitator. But the
agitation Of which the Senator speaks Is not an
agitation which any body here has talked Of fear
! ing / said | adhered agitation-that is such
agitation as be seemed to delight in. But neither
| | nor any one else has talked of fearing it. The
Senator seems to think there can be NO purity in
peace-no truth, no right, nor anything founded
on truth and right, except in agitation. lie has
forgotten some of that biblical literature OF which
he processes to know 20 much. Does he forget
that when the sea'r6nea mgn and the ship was
threatened with destruction, the Divine command
Tns Peace be still ~
think the Senator is obliyious. Ills reminis-
cences are not apt Mt The present time No, sir ;
it il not u good spirit, in which right and truth
are predominant, which delights in agitation the
spirit of discord, the spirit Of revenge and hate
that spirit which animated Ianga, when he said,
/ 81 like ths rocking Of the bat,emonts;
mage on ye winds burst clouds, aud waters roar
Ye bear just resemblance to my fortune,
Aud suit the gloomy hsbits ofmy soul
That is the spirit Of agitation which tho Scns-
tor seems to think f. necessary to purity, and
truth, and right 10 not complain of his under
taking to defend tho first agitator for admit tho
propricty of hacking ones friends. Having no
( such connections myself no such duty is dev0lyed
upon NE. | viii not, however, pursue this Irrcgu-
ular debate fuliber do not know that II j.
profitable According 20 my promise, must move
to Jay the motion to reconsider on the tablo
Mr. Butler. Wlll the gentleman give way mo-
ment2
Mr. Pearce With the assent of the Senator
! from Maine.
MIR Bradbury My only purpose was to stop
HBiullon, Will IL tue ''NIisIOE W III
! renew H.
Mr. Butler stall not delay the Senate long
time | differ from The Senator from Maryland
rs TO some of the attributes OF the first agitator
do not think be preached with voice NJ vocifcr
ous az u rhGtOrician speaking loud enough TO call
n ferrymsn upon The other side Of the river No
! Mr. President when the Evil Spirit preached to
mother Eve, it was in the shape Of serpent
! whispering to her that there was o higher law
: fGrcat laughter
Mr. Foote requested Mr. bradbury to with
draw the motion 10 lay upon the table.
Mr.. Bradbury yielded
Mr.. Foote wish to make remark IN relation
to the suggestion Of my friend from Maryland,
who has proved himself upon this occasion 30
learned in Scripture. Now, in my Judgment, the
devil did 40 into Paradise for the purpose Of agi.
| tstion though, to be sure it was an insidious
and subtle sort of discourse he aimed at in tempt
ing the mother Of mankind to her own destruction
and that of her pcsterity Yet it was agitation to
some extent | hold in my hand, however, a book
which is particularly descriptive Of scene in
which he was more plainly an agtator to his own
destruction, and to the disturbance Of the peace
Of Heaven, upon the basis of the "higher law y
discovered by hin, as rebel to the Almighty
Ruler. read this short description in Milton, SO
that hereafter the question never need to he con-
tested in any quarter:
Say FIRST for Heaven hides nothing from thy view
Nor the deep track Of hell-ssy first what cause
| hlovsd our grand parents, in that happy state,
Favored OF Heaven so highly, 10 fall of
From their Creator, and transstsss his will
For restraint, lords Of the world besides
Who first seluced them to that foul revoltY
The Internal serpent he IL was whose guile,
Ntirrd up With envy and revenge, deceived
| The mother of mankind, what Tina his nride
! Had cast him ont from Heaven, with all his host
az rebel angels; by whose aid, aspiring
10 set himself in glory above his peers,
lie trusted 10 have equsIled the Most High
| II he opposed and, with ambitions aim
Against the throne and monarchy of God,
Raised impious war IN Heaven, and battle proud,
| With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power
llurli healIoug flaming from the ETHEREAL sky,
| With bidsOug ruin and combustion, down
| To botlomless perdtiop, there to dwell
| In slsmautine chains and penal IRE,
| Who burst defy the Umn potent to arms.n
And sir, those who dare defy this Republic to
arms will, in my opinion, meet q fate equally We
fal now renew the motion.
The question being taken upon the motion To
lay the motion to reconsider upon the table, re-
suited ma follows
YE,s-Messrs Baldwin, Bradbury, Chase
Clarke, Cooper, Davis of Massachusetts,, Dodge
of Wisconsin, Ewing, Felch, Hale, tiamlin, Mil
Ter, Norris, Seward, Smith, Upham, and Walk
| cr--l7.
NAYs-Mossrs. A,chison, Badger Bell, Ber-
ricn, l'orland, Cass, Clay, Clemens, Davis Of Mis-
sissippi, Dawson, Dickinson, Dodge of Iowa, Doug
las, Downs, Foote, Gwin, Hunter, Jones, King,
Mason, Morton, fesrce Phelps, Pratt, Hhett,
Rusk, Sebastian, Soule Spraanoe, Sturgeon, Tur.
ney, Underwood, and Wb'comb-a1.
SO the motion not agreed TO-
Tire question recurred upon the motion to re.
consider and it WAS agreed to.
On motion by Mr. Badger tho memorial was
lali upCu tho table.
TUESDAY, FEpRuAEv ~, 1851.