The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-05-20

| tlcian.
My honorable colleague MIR Ingersoll step
\ ped out Of his course to assail the honorable
member from Massachusetts Mr.. Rantoul.
He compared him to Benedict Arnold, Aaron
Burr. and denounced him as an dpOddte :
Pretty strong language this for one honorable
member to use to another And why is he
thus denounced? Is it not in consequence OF
the views he entertains in regard to slavery
and the Fugitive Slave Law And did not
my honorable colleague know full well that
my sentiments on this subject were in the main
the same a. those entertained by Mr.. Rantoul
Can any one fail to see that the blow was aimed
at myself quite as much as at Mr.. Rantoul
And is this the kind of politeness my young
friend has learned by his foreign travels
What occasion have given him to denounce
me as an apOstate And by what authority
does he do it? Have ever changed my opln-
ions on this subject? Have ! ever failed to
express them fearlessly on all proper occasions
And have | not always been sustained by the
Democracy of my State? Does the honorable
gentleman know Of any man in the State we
in part represent who has oltener been can
didate for Office or who has been more gene
rously sustained than myself Does the man
live who knows me, who will charge me with
DESERVING my principles or playing any trick
to obtain Office or position anywhere If the
gentleman will deny any one of these claims
will give him time to dot.
Will the gentleman pretend that have ever
been a candidate for Il seat in either branch OF
Congress, when ! have not been regularly
nominated by what is known as the old line
Democracy? 1t is true ! have twice received
the nomination of the Free Sellers of my dis
! t-io ~, ha HouSa of which | am
proud Yet never in my life voted any other
ticket in my State than what is termed the
regular Democratic ticket. Is my district to
be assailed i'm the person of her Representa-
tive because they send man here who loves
| freedom. and hates slavery Within the linn
its of that district rest the bones of Israel Put
nam. who commanded at the first battle of the
! Revolution. and the bones of Ledyard, who
poured out his hearts blood to purchase lber-
ty for all and the bones of a host of others,
as true and fearless friends of freedom as the
sun of heaven ever shOne upOn-and are their
sons to be reproached because they prefer free
dom to slavery and free soil to slave soil =! And
how stands the case with the honorable gen.
teman from Massachusetts who is attacked
by name Is there Democrat within the
limits Of New England who has done greater
or better service in the cause OF Democracy
than he! Has he ever failed to be the favor
tie of his party in his own State! Where will
the gentleman look to find Il man with more
of education, talent, and private worth, than
the gentleman whom he thus rudely assails
1t is true he made speech at Lynn on the
subject of this Fugitive Slave Law, which |
will read extracts from:
But when say that admire and love both
the Union and the Constitution, it is because of
that which they secure to US. The Union is
great | might almost say it is the greatest OF
our political blessings, because it secures to us
what was the object of the Union And the
Constitution is good and great and valuable
and to be held forever sacred, because it Sc
cures to us what was the object Of the Consti
tuition. And what is that? Liberty And if
it were not for that the Union would be value
less, and the Constitution would not be worth
the parchment upon which it is written
interviewer with every fibre of my heart liz
the love of my country but freedom is the
charm which endears and cOnsecrates her and
if the spirit of Liberty should take her flight
from my native land, my love and worship ore
not due to brute clOdS and rocks, to her prai-
ries, on her mountains; but where Liberty
dwells, there is my country-there only is my
country! Great applause Dear to my in
most soul are the Union and the Constitution
but God-gven Liberty is above the Union, and
above the Constitution, and above all the works
of man"
The tendency of my steps this day is to
tread the path our fathers trod, the path of
Freedom and Progress! My hope and trust
is, to hand down to posterity-not only unim.
paired, but strengthened and augmentcd-all
the safeguards of liberty, which, through many
ages of long-suifering the toll of patriots earn
ed and the blood Of martyrs hallowed, and
which the fathers of the American Revolution
died believing that they had secured forever
Are these sentiments which Justify my honor
able friend in comparing him to ArnOH and
Burr And do such sentiments make "a man
an apOstate from Democracy If So | wish
there were more such apostates Let me see
now, with what propriety my colleague Mr..
lngersoIl makes this attack. He compliments
his own constituents AZ the most devoted friends
of Southern institutions; and one would sup
pose that the district sending to Congress such
Il champion OF Southern rights and Southern
institutions had never sOled its fair fame by
the least association with, or support Of Free
Soil men or measures! But what il the fact
win my friends from the South, who were
members OF the last Congress believe me when
! tell them that my colleague is the successor
Of the honorable Mr. Booth, than whom more
worthy gentleman or honorable man, never
held seat on this floor? Yet he was, at the
time Of has nomination, and had been for years
II distinguished member of che Liberty party,
and had xealously supported their candidates
and not the candidates of the Democratic
party. All this was perfectly well known to
the Democratic Convention who put him in
nomination and who gave him Il united, ener-
getic, and successful support. OF this do not
complain, for he was an honor to the district
and in my Judgment truly represented the
honest sentiments of II vast majority of its citi-
zens. mention it, merely to show with what
justice and propriety the present Representa-
tive of that district makes his Southern dem
onStratons in this House. If my honorable
colleague Mr.. lngersoll lives to attain the
standing of Mr.. Rantoul for learning, talent,
and all that marks the gentleman, he may well
be proud OF his success, even if long life is
devoted to the effort
Permit me to assure you, Mr. Chairman, this
Committee, and the country that the people of
Connecticut are not in love with slavery they
do not wish its extension, and with their consent
it never will be extended beyond its present
limits but while they feel this, they will give
to the South all its constitutional privileges
they will stand by You in support of your legal
rights with as much fidelity US any men that
live, for there are not II more honorable body
of men upon earth than the people of my
State.
| have ever acted with integrity towards
those men, and have to the extent of my knowl-
edge truly represented their wishes | voted
in accordance with the instructions given me
upon the subject of slavery, of which the fol.
lowing are copies
These we omit having formerly published
them-Ed. Era.
Mr. CHAPMAN win the gentleman permit
me TO ask him single question | wish to