Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1854-05-12
SPEECH OF COL. BENTON,
or THE
NEBRASKA BILL,
Delivered az tie House of Representatives.,
Thursddy, APrH 25th, 1854.
THE BILL COMES FROM a FREE STATE


Thursday, april @5M, 1854.
THE BILL COMES FROM FREE STATE.
Mr.. BENToN spoke as follows:
If any bill 10 impair the Missouri Compro-
mise line Of 1920, had been brought into this |
House, by member from slave Sta'e, or
under the administration of "A President elect !
ed from a slave State, should have deemed |
it my duty To have met it at the threshold, |
and to have made the motion which the par
liamentary law prescribed for the repuse of
subjects which are not tit TO be considered.
should have moved its rejection the first
reading. But the bill before us, for the two
may be considered as one, does not come
from that quarter 1t comes from free
State, and under the administration of
President elected from free State, and un-
der that aspect Of its origin, deemed it right
to hear what the members of the free States
had to say to it. 1t was proposition from
their own ranks, to give up half the Slavery
Compromise Of 1920, and if they choose to
do so. did not SEE how Southern members
could refuse to accept. 1t was free State
question, and tho members from the free
States were the. majority and could do as
they pleased. So | stood aoof waiting to
see their lead, but without the slightest in
tention of being goverened by it, had my
own convictions OF right and duty, and meant
to act upon them. / had come into political
life upon that compromise. ! had stood up
on it above thirty years, and intend TO stand
upon it to the end, SOLITARY and alone" if
needs be- = Applause and Laughter but
preferring company to solitude, and not doubt
iny for an instant what the result was TO be-
have said that this bill comes into Con
gress under the administration of a free State
| President but do not mean to say or lnsln
uate BY the remark, that the President lavors
the bill. know nothing Of his disposition
towords it, and il did, | should not disclose
il here 1t would be unparamentary and a
breach Of the privileges Of this House 10 do
81 The Presidents opinions can only be
made known to us hy himself ia message
in wit ny. In that way it is his right and
of.en his duty to communicate with us. And
in that way, there is no room for mistake in
citing his opinions, no room for an unauthori.
zed use of his name, no room for tie impu-
talion Of contradictory opinions to him, and
in that way be becomes responsible 20 the
American people for the opinions he may de-
liver All other modes Of communication
are forbid to him as tending to an undue and
unconstitutional interference with the Free
dom of legislation 1t is not bribery alone
attempted upon IA member which constitutes
breach of privilt ges OF this House. 1t is
any attempt to operate on members vote
by any consideration Of hope or fear f,voi
or affection. prospec: of reward or dread o.
punishment. This is parliamentary law, az
old as English Parl;aments, constantly main
tanned by the British House of Commons
ana lately declared in most signal manner
1t was during the ign Of our old master
George III, and the famous case OF Mr. Fox:
Eas. India bill A report was presented to
Parliament by one of the Lords OF the Bee
Chamber stating that the King was opposed
to the hill; that he wished it defeated, anC
had sad that he would consider any mem
is enemy who should vote fr it, The Hous
| of Commons took fire at this report and i'm
mediateIy resolved:
. THAT to report any opinion or pretehde,
opinions of his Majesty, upon any bill de
pending IN either House of Parliament, is
S high crime and misdemeanor Gerogatory {
> the honor of the crown, a breach of the fun
damental privileges Of Parliament, and sui
S versve of the Constitution Of the country.
= ! his resolve was adopted in a full Hous
: by majority Of seventy three votes, and wa
only decIaratory of existing parliamentary la'
= such as il had existed from the time lhf
n English counties and boroughs FIRST ser
S knights of the shire and burgesses to repre-
It sent them in the Parliament House. 1t
old English parliamentary law, and is so r,
IS corded 10y Hastell, and all the writers of th;
h law. 1t is also American law, as old as OF
Congress, and, as such, recorded in Jefferson
;, Manual 1t is honest law, and as such existt
/, in every honest heart. Sir, the President
d he Un ted States can send us no opinion
6 except in written messages and no one ca
$, port his opinions TO influence the condu,
y. OF members upon bill without becomin
il obnoxious to the crnsure which the Births
d House OF Commons pronounced upon the lor
e OF the bed chamber, in the case of the Kin
d and the Fox East India bill
Nor can the Presidents Secretaries-h
)" head clerks, as Mr.. Randolph used 70 ca
e them-send u the opinions on any subje,
s. Of Legislation depending before us Tn,
Ie can only report, and that in writing, on II
r. subjects referred to them by law or by 70
= of the Houses Non-intervention is the
Or duty in relation to our legislation, and if the
Y attempt TO intervene in any of our bushes
s. | must be allow ed, for one, to repulse the h
tempt, and to express for it no higher degr'
Ne Of respect than that Mr.. Burke expressed fl
e. the opinions ola British Lord Chancellor. d
In ivered to the House OF Commons. in cas-
at in which he had no concern. Sir suppo
u can be allowed to repeat on this floor al
:" degree OF comparison or figure of speeo
II which Mr., Burke could use on the floor Of Il
o. British House of Commons. He was ella
sic SPEAKER, and, besides that, author of
at treatise ON the sublime and beautiful, thong
rr | do not consider the particular figure whi
r, | have to repeat, although just and pictu
: esque in ITSELF to be perfect illustration
'h either branch of his admired treatise. 1t "
I'd in reference to Lord Thurlow, who had ihtt
I" vrnrd in some legislative business, contra
~ TO the orators sense of riuht and deceDc