The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-06

ynow nothing Of the circumstances "hlOn ha'o
,eeu referred 70 but | am sure every gentleman,
u every party, will agree with me- that Puoic
equation is public property that the lame oil
30 man IA not TO be thrown away idly that
,ood name il 10 b. valued above all price and
hat extraordinary, groundess, and malignant
har0es are not 20 be thrown out in body ike
his (which the eyes Of the world behold) without
icing replied TO with something at least like Sc
-erity. if not with indignation splendid rep
ltation that honors the country, to say the least
4 ia splendid reputation, that throws Its lus-
re about the American name-the golden orb OF
which is already setting beneath the horizon OF /
line, is an of5ect too much admired by me, at
east, to be willing to see single speck placed |
upon it by any malignant hand. If could, SIR,
would send down the fame OF every great Amer
lean citizen, Of every party, to the grave, without
a single shadow to dim il. There is not man
living amongst US, care not how fierce the rival
~ Of party may have been, or how heated the
contest into which we have been plunged-there
is not an ilustrious living American that | do
not desire to see preserve throughout his life an
untarnished fame, aud, at the close Of his career,
sleep in an honored grave. And | ask whether
this committee will hear with patience charges so
unnecessarily, and believe | may say 80 reck-
lessly, thrown out against the reputation Of that
illustrious man
Mr.. Chairman. / must be allowed to say, that
believe much Of the hostility that comes from that
quarter is due to the fact, that in the time which
has Just gone by, when cloud hung over the
fortunes of this country which threw its porten-
tOus and threatening aspect over the whole heay-
eus-l say, II was because at that time, when good
men began TO tremble for the fate of the Govern
ment, and bad men began to hope it would be
overthrown--it was because that, at that moment,
this great man took the responsibility Of breast
ing the tide which was setting against the instl-
tutions Of the country must believe, say, that
il was because he lent himself to the great task
Of resisting the legions which were bearing down
against the rights Of the South, and put every
thing at stake for his country that be has been
assailed az he has been tonight by the insinua-
tions which have been 50 grossly made against
him
Mr.. Allen. Will the gentleman yield me the
floor for a moment!
Mr. Hillilrd No, sir | must be excused.
say that cannot but believe that it was because
of the grand and patriotic position into which
that statesman threw himself Mt that moment IN.
our history with 80 much peril to himself that be
encountered the hostility which has expended
itself this evening The world will come to this
conclusion. He placed everything at stake for
the cause Of his country, AMI Notwithstanding
attacks OF this kind against him, the fame which
was resplendent before will 90 down to posterity
with a still richer lustre than il could have OBJ
tanned but for the courage which he displayed
upon that occasion. He stands out before the
eyes Of mankind now in a more glorious and far
grander position than he could have occupied but
for the stand which he took at that darkest mo-
ment Of our fortunes. For one, as an American,
| thank him for his courage; as Southern man,
| am grateful to him for his selsacrifcng pa
triotism and believe his name will be recorded
upon the pages Of the history Of our times in the
largest capitals, and in the nobest terms Mas
sachusetts may repudiate hint do not believe
she will, Massachusetts, will be true to her own
fame, and will stand by her great son)-but if
she were to repudiate him, the country would
take him up lie is in no danger. He stands
stronger to-day in the affections of his country
men than he ever stood before. Such shafts can
not reach him,
Among the first acts of my public life in this
Hall, was the defence Of that great statesman.
rejoice that, by piece of good fortune, one Of
the last acts Of my public career should be the
same. ! have had but one opinion of him from
the beginning to the end. lie rises like some tall
cliff in our midst he must have mists and shad
Ows at his feet but eternal sunshine gilds his no.
BILE brow. admit that now the heavens are
crowded with consultations which adorn it, but
every man when he looks back to that period 10
which have referred must remember how dark
it was and will that the first star which broke
the darkness was Webster. Since that time
others have arisen above the horizon, but he will
ever wear the great honor OF emerging first, with
all his splendor, from the gloom which over
Swallowed him.
Mr. Chairman, felt that II was due from me
TO this illustrous statesman, that IA | commenced
my Congressional career, 80 ! shall close il with
the expression Of my high admiTHs!~" Or MN 7
believe that he il upright believe, SO i~r ="
a., IIic conno,fs Of this country can bear wit
siSSs 50 nis course it has been above suspicion
Every act has been for his country. believe
that he has no higher wish than the one which he
30 nobly and elOquently expressed in his own
great speech, that when his eyes shall he turn
ed to behold for the last time the sun in heaven,
he might not see him shining on the broken and
dishonored fragments Of a once glorious Union /;
ON States discovered discordant, belligerent on
a land rent with civil feuds, or drenched, it may
be, in fraternal blood Let their last feeble and
lingering glance, rather, behold the gorgeous en-
sign of the Republic, now known and honored
throughout the earth, still full high advanced, its
arms and trophies streaming in their original
lustre not stripe erased or polluted, nor a single
star obscured, bearing for its motto no such mis-
cradle interrogatory as, What is all this worth
Nor those other words Of delusion and folly, Lib
erty first, and Union afterwards; but everywhere,
spread all over in characters of living light blaZ-
ing on all its ample folds, as they float over the
sea and over the land, and in every wind under
the whole heavens, that other sentiment, dear to
every true American heart-Liberty and Union,
now and forever, one and inseparable!0
Wednesday morning, the subject was resumed
We make up our reports from the columns of the
Iaelligeacer and Republic.
Mr. King Of New Jersey having addressed the
Committee in relation to the subject under eonsid-
GRAFTON
Mr.. Allen of Massachusetts asked the con-
sent Of the House to indulge him in few re-
marks
The Chairman said that the debate was now
closed, and unanimous consent must be obtained
Mr.. Ashmun expressed the hope that universal
consent would be given to his colleague
The Chairman said that he heard no objection.
I' Yes, sir0 Z" | Object
Mr., Jones. Docs it require unanimous con-
sent II So object
The Chairman called to order, the confusion in
the hall being great at this time
Mr. Allen. In the course of my remarks last
night
Mr. Casey. object to the gentleman proceed
ing.
The Chairman. The gentleman has three or
four minutes, the time for closing the debate not
having quite arrived
Mr. Allen. hope that the House will not de-
ny me a simple act of Justice Cries Of Go on"
" 20 on" had occasion
Mr.. Thompson of Mississippi called to order
as it WINS impossible to hear what was going on
The Chairman raped, requesting gentlemen
to take their seats, especially those standing in
front Of the Clerks table and iu the asles.
Mr.. Casey rose 10 a point of order. II was, that
the gentleman from New Jersey Mr.. King could
not yield the floor to the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts to make q speech. II required unani-
nous consent, and he objected
MIR Allen. ! hope that no one will endeavor
10 exclude the truth from the ear of the House,
and that will not be again interrupted. |" Go