The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1852-10-20
speech OF MIR. Townsend,

Det1rered The IdcfsSe June
The House being in Committee of The Whole
On the state of The Union, on the Deficiency
bill
MIR. TowNsnEND sail: Mr.. Chairman, PRO
pose TO make some remarks on the present pc
Il IN of the Democratic party; but before pro-
ceed to the discussion of that subject have
word or two to say in reply to the gentleman
from North Carolina, [Nr. stanly.]
he only portion Of his remarks referring to
me which link worthy OF notice, is his sneer-
ing allu,ion - the fact that was born in Eng
land. Since man does moi choose his birth.
place, | have not been accuat omed 10 consider
II a subject "a her Of CORY or Of shame. But,
could hive chosen the place of my birth,
would no! have selected any other spot. On
one hand was the field of Naseby where that
sarn Old nposil. OF liberty, Oliver Cromwell
overthrow the power OF the royal tyrant King
Charles on the o:her hand with the Avon,
whose waters f)wed by The birthplace of
>hakspeare. Could any spct be more sugges-
tive oil all that is glorious and heroic in action,
or OF all that is true aud beautiful in thought
and expression How much owe to these as:
snclalIons cannot tell; bu, this know. tbat
Cromwell, and Miltor and Pyrn, and Vane, and
Hqmpden, are among the chief saints in nv cal
ender and ! cherish something of their love of
liberty, and something Of their hatred Of oppres-
sion. might add, further, that in that nsigh-
borhood, TIC, received my first lessons of relig:
ious truth, in The place where John Wicklif1e:
the morning star OF the Reformation, and of
civil and religious liberty, lived and preached.
Many hours have spent by The Stream and at
the very spo, where the ashes of his buried
bones wee cast by The mnons of tyranny and
superstition. If The impressions then made on
my mind Ind anything to do wl.h forming nv
character, or spring me vi h the sentiments
how entertain, as believe they had, then what
| havo said, or may say, in behalf Of humah
rights, is but another verifcation Of The oft:
quoted prophecy.
The Avon to the Severn runs,
? s7 The Severn the sea,
And Wicklife's dust shall spread abroad
Wide as the waters be-"
But that gentleman doubtless alluded 10 the
matter 10 cast doubt on the genuineuess of nv
republ!canlsm, or us rebuke TO me for presum-
Tug 10 speak o! public afiairs in the presence OF
the American born. | tlilk men may under:
stand and appreciate the principles of civil ib-
e'ty. though no; born on this comment; the Phi.
gin Fathers were hot behind in this particular,
although ortigners lke myself | an also re-
minded l'y the portrait which hangs before me,
OF anot ler foreigner (Lafayeu who understood
The odvalt1ges of free government, and to
whom this country owes her gratitude for effici.
ent aid in establishing the freedom we all enjoy;
Persons born within the limits Of monarchy are
not necessarily monarcLi'is. The fathers of
the Revolution, Washir y,or, Jefferson, the Ad-
amses, aud Pat lick Henry, were born under the
same monnrc!id Government us myself. / am
lar from believing that men born under a free
Government, ana who have known no other,
necessarily have tie best appreciation of the
value O. freedom; on the contrary, / think those
who have Themselves fe t the iron heel o. roppres-
sion upon their own necl.s, and consequently
have sighed and struggled for freedom, are tla
most likely 20 understand its tue value. How
else vi YOU explain The fact, that the sons and
grandsons oil those who fought aid died to secure
Inc iib 'rly we efj ", are now in the SpstlefT
o11'es iab'ring with zeal eqnq t, that Of their
'athefs, but ior an oppnsite purpose, t, extend
and perpeiua'e the curse Of slavery? The rrue
Trend oil freed IN would scorn alike f, he or to
own Save. ifu some man republicans
from choice, and some are only SO bv accident:
| nave The honor 10 be repub :an-from choice:
alter seeing and feelh 6 ne e.is of other forms
o government. pre:e' tat under which live.
The gentleman from North Carolina had the
coed fortune 10 be BORN in republic, and is
thefeiore, by acciden', what he has not proved
ne wo1ld otherwise have had the sense or en-.
ergy 10 have become.
Considering the number Of foreigners in this
country, amounting 10 almost one,fourih of The
tree white popala;i,n | think the fact that there
are two out Of two hundfed and thirty members
IN Inc House. and two out of sixty-iwo members
OF The Senate, will not be thought very large
or dangerous PropoIti ~. And il is hui, Justice
o The Democratic party to say, tba; through lis
lIoeralIty TO foreigners these all owe their elec.
ton: shall mike no other remarks of n Marty
character; for had this Manifestation Of The con-
temptlb!e spirit Of Nativeism come from any
other member on this 4 ,or, of either party, |
should have bean surprs d. regre, 10 say
was not surprised 10 !iear ii from the gentleman
from North Carolina
have only 10 say further TO that gentleman
that my Constituents consider themselves abun.
dainty competent t. select their own Represen-
talives; they certainly will not take The trouble
o ask his advice; and should he offer it unasked,
they will probably tell him 10 mind his own bus.
ness. And for myself add. willie have the
honor 10 represent on this floor hundred thou.