The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-05
Further Debate between Messrs. Clemens and
Rhcu.
IN SENATE February %. 1882
Dir. CLEMENS said

Mr. CLEMENS said:
The Senator descanted on the fact that salt
would not vote to repeal the bill aboshinl
the slave trade in the District of Columbia; ant
announced, with great emphasis, that it is no
the mere fact that the slave trade is abolished
in the District of Columbia to which he bjects
but that it is the penalty affixed to violation
Of the law Does not that Senator know thai
that very penalty has been affixed to it since
1901? Does not that Senator know that the
only effect of the bill which passed at the last
j Congress was to extend the provisions of the
law of 1901 to the citizens Of Maryland? II
was copied, word for word, f ON the Maryland
law, which had been extended to this Distrc,
ever since 1901, except as to Virginia and Mary
land. There has not been a time since 1901
when that Senator, or any citizen Of South
Carolina, could have brought slave here and
offered him for sale without mourning the PEN
atty of emancipation. Yet this is now raised as
the South 1t has not alarmed us much here
tofore; we have submitted to it with very
great degree of patience. 1t is too late now,
when it is only extended to the State OF Many
land, for us to raise complaints upon the sub
ject That bill Of 1901 was approved by
Thomas Jefferson; and Maryland, the only
party interested, heartily approves Of the law OF
1850.
| There is another matter to which | must
refer The Senator from South Carolina chose
| to read an extract from my speech, upon which
he put construction which he knew, or ought
to have known, it would not bear. In reference
to Mr.. Calhoun, said:
| "He was never secessi0nists, and | am
authorized to say that the proof of it will be-
fore long be given to the world. He regarded
the attempt of single State to 60 out of the
Union as madness, and died in that opinion"
| did not mean to assert that Mr.. Calhoun
| did not believe there might be right of seces-
sion. | used the term "secesspnist" as the
Senator understands it. And state again, that
Mr.. Calhoun did hold the opinion that the seces-
sion of a single State would be madness. In a
conversation which had with him, but short
time previous to his death, he said "We could
have carried matters much further than we did
| in 1882, but then Tennessee would have been
arrayed against South Carolina, Kentucky
| against Virginia, and other Southern States
against each other, and that would have de-
feated the very object we had in view. My
| object was to consolidate the whole South, to
unite them upon one platform, and | never
would do any act which could estrange one
portion of them from another" That was his
policy, honestly entertained however wrong
may think it to be. But as for the secession
the peaceable secession of a single State, he al.
ways knew it was madness. 1t was something
which his great mind could not comprehend.
| am charged with saying, on former occa-
sion, that disunon might be peaceabe. True
| did say so, and cay SO again. If the whole OF
the Southern States should determine to leave
| the Union, | think they would be permitted to
1 go peaceaby, because any attempt Mt coercion
would be folly. But even then | have no idea
that peace could exist for any length of time
With long line of frontier, upon which posts
and garrisons would necessarily be kept up by
both parties, causes of dsscnsion would soon
arise, and war, with all its evils, would soon be
upon US. That, however, is totally different
thing from the attempt of one, or two, or three
States to 60 out by themselves. Those whose
sympathies were on the side of the Invaded
State, would rush to her rescue, and thus the
whole republic might become involved in n wal
which would terminate only with the termina
ton of our liberties.
The Senator complains that | went from
Washington submissonst" | did 90 from
here prepared to submit to the law, and to per.
form my part as good citizen under it, / Invent
from here with the impression that although we
had not obtained all we asked, still we had Oh.
tulticu bOLuolliliS Will NuiCu VIZ COulu ulOTQ 10
! be content.
When reached there found demarogues
haranguing the people all through the State
endeavoring to persuade them that they had been
wronged, outraged, and robbed and did there
what hope shall do on all similar ocea, ions
Il dared to get upon the stump and tell them
the truth. The August election proved that the
people were with me, for there was not one
solitary man in the whole State of Alabama
who did not, before that election closed deny
that he was secessionist or disunionist. man
could not have been elected constable in any
respectable beat in the State, who would have
! proclaimed such sentiments as have been uttered
| by the Senator from South Carolina.
Sir, am submssionist, and the people OF
my State are submissionists; but we are South.
ern Rights men nevertheless. Better Southern
Rights men than those who not long since were
warning against us, but who now come here and
take seats cheek-by jow with PREsToN KING
RANToUL, CHASE, HALE, and SUMNER We
have manifested our devotion to the South as
well as our devotion to the Unicn and we will
do it again whenever proper occasion arises.
And now, MIR. President,I leave the Senator
from South Carolina to the enjoyment of all
the laugels he has acquired by his assault upon
me.
MT. hf1El L. Mt. IreSlQenC, Lne course oil
the Senator from Alabama is precisely srst
which expected it would be. anticipated it
in conversation with friend before spoke.
He had, without any cause on my part, stigma
tized me here on this foor-as one guilty of
treason and knavery. knew very well that a
man who would commit such an offence, who
would insult without provocation, would not
hesitate, under the exposure intended to make,
to add insult to insult Therefore, when he
yesterday pursued the course which he did pur-
sue, it was precisely what expected.
did not as the Senator charges, brood two
months over his attack. He heard what stated
on this point in his presence in the Senate
stated that neither knew nor heard of what he
had said concerning me, until just before was
leaving my home in South Carolina to come to
this city On my arrival here waited for the
resolution, on which he had attacked me, to come
up for consideration. Seeing the course of
things, was in hurry to read his speech. But,
not many days since, about ten days, suppose,
l got the Senator'S speech from the folding
room, and read it, sent also for copy of the
speech of the Senator from Michigan, mr.
1