The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-12
HOUSE OF REPRESEN IATIVES.
WEDNESDAY, Feb. IL, 1852.


Mr.. STRATTON, of New Jersey, asked the
unanimous consent Of the House to present GER
tain resolutions passed by the legislature of that
State in favor of the compromise measures. Leave
was granted, and the resolutions were read.
A motion was made to lay the resout tons on
the table and print them.
Mr.. GIDDlNGS called for division Of the
motion, and took the floor for a speech.
MIR. HOUSTON hoped that the matter might
be speedily disposed of, as he desired the House
would agree to go into Committee Of the Whole,
and consider the Presidents message.
A point Of order was here raised by Mr.. JONES,
Of Tennessee, rs to whether the question Of lay
ing on the table and printing could be divided
He thought that it was in the power OF the House
to do so, but that it could not be done ut the re-
quest Of member.
The SPEAKER decided that it could, and the mo-
ton to lay on the table then put and agreed to-
Mr., BURT, of South Carolina, rose to another
question of order. lnasmuch the resolutions
had been laid on the table, he asked whether
motion to print would be in order, unless they
were again taken up
The SPEAKER said that it would. Mr.. BURT
appealed from the decision.
Mr.. HALL moved to lay the appeal on the ia
BILE, which agreed to-
Mr.. GlDDlNGS then took the floor and COM
menced a speech on the compromise measures,
fugitive slave law, and subject of slavery in gen.
eral He protested against the legislature Of New
Jersey, or any other State, sending here and re-
questins Congress to be silent the slavery ques-
ton, the fugitive slave law, &C.. while they are
procaiming their own views on these questions.
Congress had nothing to do with the subject Of
slavery in the States. 1t was for the States to
regulate the matter for themselves. Non-inter-
vention, on the part Of Congress, was the motto
Of every friend Of freedom in the North. He
oud say to the South keep your slavery to your
selves. He was willing to give the South every
linn m ,Iup hIrh q n
the time Of its adoption, gave it--nothng more
| He would say to his friends at the South that
| he would stand by them far the Con-
stitution went. What he asked was, that
they should repeal their laws protecting slav-
cry and the slave trade. The North would never
volve them in these nquites-in carrying out the
fugitive slave law and the slave trade. He again
protested against the Legislature Of New Jersey
sending here It's resolutions calling upon to
maintain the commerce in human flesh. He
wished the fugitive law might be wiped from the
statute book, and the slave States left to rescue
their own fugtives as best they could. He in
tended to introduce bill on the subject, and when
| he did SO he knew that there would be Northern
| men running out of the hall and lodging the
question. He wanted tie Southern members to
come forward and, help him scare these dough-
| faces-smoke them out--drive them out from un-
der the BUSH 1t was the duty of the South, un-
der the Constitution, to catch their own slaves,
and not ours to play the bloodhound for you
| The North would make Its own laws on the
subject and punish the man who nterferes.--
The lips of Northern men could not be sealed
while it was attempted to degrade their character
| bv making them slave-catchers. Public opinion
there will hur back Defiance when this is required
He would again enter his protest against all inter
| ference except on the side of freedom He
| thought that if the House, instead of adourning
over, as was its custom, from Friday until Mon
day Of every week, would stay here and discuss
these matters, members would improve their
craftsmanship.
| Mr.. STANLY did not believe that the states
manship of members would be at all improved by
staying here and listening to the filth of the men,
Der from Ohio 1t did not come with very good
grace from him to lecture the House for being dila-
| tory in doing business, when no man was more
prompt to daily leave his place and run at the first
stroke of the dinner bell. Mr. S. also referred to
| the absence of Mr. G., attending Abolition meet
ings in Philadelphia, and his leaving, at the last
session of Congress, three weeks before its close
| He would recommend that he cast the beam out
Of his own eye, before he attempted to remove
| notes from the eyes Of others.
| Mr.. GIDDINGS rejouned, and spoke OF his
irving seven months to bring Northern dough-
faces to vote He was now sorry TO see South
ern STAKEHOLDER copying from these dough-faces.
1t was more proper for the doush-faces to copy
after shareholders. Mr.. G. went on to accuse Mr.
SrANIY Of lodging for the first time; and spoke
| Of there being no prospect Of Congress doing any
business until the nominations for the next presi
dency had been made Nothing, he said, would
be done until members had stopped speaking for
| Buncombe.
Mr.. STANLY remarked that the gentleman
| seemed to think that he had special mission from
Providence to lecture the members of the House
| on their deportment--tO lecture Wings, Demo-
Gratis, and q dough-faces." There were not ten
| members of the House who had caused so much
| delay in it's business, as he himself
Mr.. GIDDINGS. l call upon the gentleman to
make good his charges pronounce them false
Mr.. STANLY. Yes, he sneaked away from his
place at the last session, three " eeks before its
| close, taking his pay and mileage.
Mr.. BROOKS. And long mileage at that.
| Mr.. STANLY. Long mileage at that. The
gentleman is not the man to lecture on these SUBJ
iects This very morning the regular order OF
business has been interrupted, and an abolition
speech Of half an hour given us on the simple
question of printing these resolutions, matter
which it is always usual to print By whom ,
WHY, by the mileage member-lhe runaway mem
Der. If, as he has said. haze discussed small
subject. l can say that have discussed smaller
one-the gentleman himself. Mr.. S. spoke Of
the internal improvement bill of the last session,
and said that Mr.. GIDDNcs then did much to i'm
pede its passage.
Mr.. GIDDINGS reioined and said he
joiced to be arraigned on that pc mt. But
he would not follow the gentleman in his
vulgari,ies. He (Mr. S. was getting so low
that no decent man could follow him. BY
the delay which he and the Northern services in
Congress had produced, that bill delayed
seven months.
Mr.. STANLY said that he could not descend
any lower thar to notice the member from Ohio.
He regretted that he had been obliged to do that.
A Voice. Good !"
Mr. STANLY. No. il is not good-it is bad.
Mr.. GlDDlNGS made some additional re-
marks, in which he spoke of "the crack of the
overseer's lash, =" &c.
Mr. STANLY rejoined and said that, although
there ought to be bad negroes, when we see how
m can some white men can act in higher places. it
was not true that the people of his State (North
Carolina) were addicted to whipping their slaves,
as ia charged by the Abolitionists. He further
spoke of Mr.. GIppINcs acting like an insane
man, and drinking beer with free negroes in
cellars, &c.
The resolution was ordered to be printed.
CLOSE OF DEBATE ON THE PRESIDENT 5 MESSAGE.
On motion of Mr.. HOUSTON. the resolution