The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-03-18
WASHINGTON, d. c.
ooAI1T1oNs-DExOCRACY-aAvERY
SPEECH OF Mr.. RANTOUL
In the House Of Representatives. March 9, 49,

ed. and unprovOked aspersOns upon the people
of the State of Massachusetts,, uttered by one
Of her Representatives upon this floor. The
Chairmans hammer fell before had conclu
ded that reply, and | learned on the next day
that it was quite probable rejoinder nigh
- follow what had already said. | concluded
therefore, TO defer any further remarks unit
that rejOinder should come, because supposed
that the gentleman who had made this assault
upon the people Of my Commonwealth woulC
follow one or other of two courses: either tina
he would attempt to establish by evidence tn
charges he had made against the constituent
of us both, and the people of the Commonwealth
generally-which knew he would not under
take, if he was wise man. because the evi
dence to support those charges did not exist
or else. it, ike prudent man. he avoided fol
lowing up his attacks, thought that then, like
an honest man, he would stand up and retrac
what he had said about the coalition, and bold
~ ayow his own views waited, that the gen
tlemau might choose the one or the other line
for himself; and regret that did so wait be
cause, to my disappointment, the gentleman
has done neither the one nor the other
The gentleman attacks the coalition in Mas
saChUsetts as corrupt-basely corrupt, infa-
mously corrupt 1t will not do for him to get
up here and say that he states certain facts
and that other people may draw the differences
or not as they think proper. The gentleman
has himself brought forward here a charge OF
Infamous corruption against Il majority OF the
citizens Of his own State. His own terms are
" This great crime against our institutions,
this wholesale corruption, this monstrous-I
had almost said this nexplicable talsehood to
conscience and to God to the heart Of man.
and to the nature of things
He does not sustain that charge-he does
not abandon it, He evades it, and because
had introduced hi history-not that the coun-
try might reproarh him with it that was not
my motive, for dealt in no terms of opprobri-
uln-but because had introduced his history
as I..,.a atom Of the general course of the
,;a.., .l. - l-.. - NOES ,ae a,,.,
--7sstl nj lr5 t7@} 80, o-l 1odges %
10 TAX about his own consistency, and to make
an attack upon my consistency What does
the country care-what does che world care
about the .knsiStency of either Of u.s. The
issue tendeSd by the gentleman here was, that
the coalition in Massachusetts, was corrupt |
accepted that issue | said the gentleman had
not pointed to ono act done by that coalition
or to ono law or resolution passed or attempted
TO be passed by that coalition, which he dared
to assail. | said he had not denied that the
ter men, and would fill the offices better than
the men that wore removed to make room for
them and that if he denied it, would join
issue with him on that question. He did not
walk up to either Of those issues in addressing
this House. The gentleman has not found fault
rs yet with any law passed or attempted to bo
passed by that coalition which he denOunces as
infamous He la, not pointed to any one APP
p0ntment to any ono Office, made by the Gov
eminent created by that coalition, in which the
Gppontee was not better man for the place
he received than the man who was removed to
make room for HIM. Then, sir, take all that
for confessed. The coalition has been a good
coalition, so far as its acts 60, its laws go, It's
appointment go; and we come back to the
original question, whether the act of coalition,
without regard to what the parties did after
they combined, was in itself infamous and cor
rupt. If it was, the gentleman stands justified
If it was not he may say himself how he stands.
will not define position for him.
Now, sir, for a few moments-though | am
aware it is a very small matter, and dislike,
exceed ngly personal explanations for they
take up the time of the nation which ought TO
be better employed-but still for few mo-
ments, as know tho House expects it of me-
let me follow the gentleman's defence Of his
own consistency, and his assault upon my con-
sistencv
First the gentleman pleaded the statute Of
limitation That was not a plea TO the merits,
IA the gentleman knows, as well as do But
| will admit that plea to certain extent, be-
cause wish 10 deal fairly with this case. II
there is any harshness OF language, any un'
necessarily irritating form OF expression in the
resolutions which the gentleman approved in
,,Ion nEtl Ia,
statute Of limitation, and let that language be
softened down-let nothing that is offensive in
the mode in which the ideas are put forward
now stand. But the ideas themselves remain
and the gentleman telsus, in his printed speech
though did not hear it on this floor that he
gories now in substantially the same sentiments
ny he then avowed Why, then does he come
forward and apologize, in a manner that dc
not like to witness in Il sOn of Massachusetts
Why, if no entertains these opinions does he
not stand M like a man, and say. there il my
doctrine that IL what believe; that is what
shall act upon and why does he not act upon
itf He should have done this because the
statute Of limitation does not apply to his ease
1t is only er grGtId-that we forget the mere
favor. Here ~ running accOunt-ltems en-
tered very lately. They take the whole matter
out OF the statute, rs every lawyer very well
knows. ! was about to comment on those late
entries when the Chairman's hammer fell and
will proceed to notice them now very briefly
was gong on to show my colleagues posi-
tOn-the position on which he came into this
House, what he came hore for he was
sent here to do, and he knows it 1letly well
Why, then, does my colleague talk of the stat.
nte of limitation He was elected in 1850. and
the convention which nominated him anC
which was held ut Northampton on the 4th o
October, passed the following resolutions
amongst others
Resolved, That while we rejoice that tn,
slave trade will no longer he permitted to dis
grace the capital of the nation, we deeply re
greet that the right of trial by jury, SO eloquent
ly claimed by our own representatives for tn
colored citizen charged with the crime of seek
ing his freedom, should he withheld from him
and that the constitutional clause under which
he is claimed, od'oiN IN HSCiE houH be rendcre
still more odiouSdn dciestabie By the mode of n
enforcement
"ReSOlucd, That while, M good citizens, W
cannot counsel open resistance to the execution
of the fugitive slave act, we will give eueru pos
sible legal aid and assistance to those Who ma
be arrested under it, in the assertion and man
tenance of their rights.
Resolved, That tho better ta insure tn
safety and the rights of the fugitive, it is expo
dent and desirable, in the opinion of this cor
ventlon, that the Legislature of this Common
wealth, mt it, next session, should pass an nc
authorizing the Executive to appoint one o
more Commissioners in every county, who's
duty 1t shall be 10 appear for any person AZ
rested as fugitive under this law, to protec
his rights and aid him in establishing all fact
necessary to procure his discharge and direct
ing the payment Of all expenses incurred b.
any person 50 arrested in establishing hi
rights, to he mado from tho treasury Of tn
Commonwealth
those were some of the resolutions of tn